Showmanship
All 4-H Chick Chain members will compete in Showmanship.
Your ability to handle your bird and your poultry knowledge is the focus of showmanship. You'll interact one-on-one with an experienced poultry judge demonstrating the steps of showmanship, breed knowledge, and general poultry knowledge. Attitude, appearance, speaking ability, care, management skills, and willingness to follow instructions are all on stage.
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Showmanship Steps
Examine your bird.
The showmanship judge will ask you to examine your bird. Follow this order. As you examine your bird, tell the judge what you are examining each part for and why.
Hold the bird in your dominant hand – the one you write with and use the most.
- Overall look – slightly tilt the bird from side to side looking over its body type.
- Check the EYES – for blindness, bleaching, color.
Point at each eye until the bird blinks. - Feel the COMB – for texture and defects.
- Feel the WATTLES – for texture and defects.
- Examine HEAD FEATHERS – for molting.
Pull a few feathers back from the comb.
- Feel the BEAK – for correct color and defects.
- Check the EARLOBES – for color and bleaching.
Point at each earlobe.
- Feel the NECK – for smoothness and molting.
- Run your hand over the bird’s neck. Pull back some feathers to check for molting. - Check the BACK – for length and width of bird, molting, skin color, defects, and size.
- Run your hand down the bird’s neck and pull back feathers to check for molting. - Check TAIL FEATHERS – for molting and feather condition.
- Fan the tail feathers out with your fingers.
Flip the bird upside down with its back against your chest.
- Find the VENT – for mites, lice, and bleaching.
- Check HANDLING QUALITY – for thick or thinness. Roll a little bit of skin right below the vent between two fingers.
- Feel the PUBIC BONES – for width, thickness, and flexibility. This indicates laying ability. See how many fingers you can fit between the pubic bones.
- Check ABDOMINAL CAPACITY – for width to indicate laying ability.
- See how many fingers you can fit between the breastbone. - Examine the SHANKS and TOES – for cleanliness, scaly leg mites, and bleaching.
- Spread the toes out and examine the number of toes, toenail condition, defects, bleaching, and straightness.
Move the bird back to your dominant hand.
- Check one WING – for molting, mites, and lice.
- Pull the wing out gently at the boney part close to the wing shoulder.
Move the bird to your other hand.
- Check other WING – for molting, mites, and lice.
- Pull the wing out gently at the boney part close to the wing shoulder.
Switch back to your original hand.
- Feel the CROP – for abnormalities. The crop is used to store and grind food.
- Smooth any feathers that were ruffled.
- Stand at attention to answer questions.
References:
4-H Steps for Showing Chickens. (May, 26, 2020). The Pioneer Chicks. http://www.thepioneerchicks.com/4-h-steps-for-showing-chickens/.
Cooper, T., Sulser, A., Simmons, M., MacArthur, S. (2015). Discover 4-H Poultry Showmanship Clubs. Utah State University Extension.
Glaser, A. (Ed.). (2009). 4-H Guide to Raising Chickens. Voyaguer Press.
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4-H Chick Chain & Poultry Showmanship Scoring
Exhibitor's appearance and actions - 5 points
- Clean and neatly dressed, pants, 4-H shirt, white button up shirt, or club t-shirt, closed toed shoes
- Natural, graceful actions, confident
- Makes eye contact
- Follows instructions
- Keeps attention on judge
Bird condition - 5 points
- Has good, overall health
- Has good body condition – clean, free of defects, smooth plumage
- Tame, gentle, manageable
Handling of bird - 40 points
- Properly removed bird from cage - 5 points
- Carried and held bird - 5 points
- Examined the bird - 25 points
- Head
- Wings
- Under-color
- Body width
- Breast
- Vent
- Tail
- Feet and legs - Final presentation of bird - posed - 5 points
Poultry Project Knowledge - 50 points
- Breed characteristics
- Sex
- Use of bird – egg, meat, dual purpose
- Size of bird – light, medium, heavy
- Type of comb
- Feed and nutrition
- Housing
- Bio-security and health
TOTAL POINTS - 100
Blue Ribbon - 90-100 Red Ribbon - 80-89 White Ribbon - 70-79 Green Ribbon - 69 & below
Videos
Bath Time
Learn how to clean your chicken in preparation for exhibition and showmanship.