Poultry shows are about much more than having beautiful birds. Success in the showmanship ring comes from good animal husbandry, regular practice and a strong understanding of your chicken’s breed standard. Whether you’re preparing for your first competition or looking to improve your scores, these five poultry showmanship tips can help.

Key Takeaways for Poultry Shows

• Success at poultry shows starts long before competition day with proper bird care and regular handling.
• Train your show chickens to remain calm while being examined and handled.
• Learn your breed’s Standard of Perfection so you can confidently answer a judge’s questions.
• Practice your presentation, including eye contact, clear communication and proper bird handling.
• Treat every poultry show as a learning opportunity by using judges’ feedback to improve your skills.

Understanding Today’s Poultry Show Rules

A new guideline, however, is slowly changing the face of poultry showmanship across the country, making it more inclusive. Country fairs on the local and regional levels have begun to add an adult division, allowing participants ages 18 and older to compete in showmanship. This exciting development gives adults another poultry competition option at country fairs, which traditionally only permit seniors to exhibit birds.

Allowing adults to participate in showmanship also turns this into a family event, one that parents and children can enjoy together.  

Not all local fairs offer this option for adults yet. 4-H, being geared specifically toward kids, will most likely restrict its competitive offerings to youth. If you are interested in having an adult poultry showmanship division at your fair, contact your fair office and ask for the contact information for the poultry superintendent. Reach out to the superintendent and explain how an adult showmanship division would not only benefit local poultry keepers and their families but also the fair itself. You never know what can happen until you try.  

Whatever age the showmanship competitor in your household may be, keep these five pointers in mind to make the experience even more positive.

Train Your Show Birds

Having all the poultry physiology knowledge in the world won’t help if your show bird is uncooperative. During showmanship, birds are held, examined and positioned as you identify their anatomy and answer the judge’s questions.

A nervous or agitated bird can make even the most prepared exhibitor struggle. That’s why it’s important to begin building trust from the very beginning.

Handle your bird regularly so it becomes comfortable with your presence. Hold it gently, stroke its feathers and speak in a calm, reassuring voice. As your bird gains confidence, practice the movements you’ll perform during competition, including safely turning it as needed for inspection and placing it in and removing it from a show cage. Repeating these steps helps both you and your bird become comfortable with the showmanship routine, making your presentation smoother and more confident on competition day.

Learn Your Breed Standard

Familiarize yourself with the American Poultry Association’s Standard of Perfection for your bird’s species, breed and variety. Learn the characteristics that distinguish your exhibit, including:

• body type and overall conformation
• comb type (when applicable)
• beak, eye, leg and shank color
• number of toes
• feather color and pattern
• average size and weight
• temperament
• egg size and color (for breeds where this applies)
• other distinguishing breed characteristics

If your bird deviates from the breed standard, learn to identify those faults as well. During your presentation, you’ll be expected to discuss your bird’s characteristics and demonstrate a solid understanding of the breed standard. Knowing both your bird’s strengths and any departures from the standard shows the judge that you’re knowledgeable and prepared.

Practice Talking with the Judge

Showmanship judges prefer competitors who can clearly and comfortably converse with them. A touch of nerves is understood, but totally freezing up and resorting to monosyllables is not (except perhaps from the youngest novice juniors). Be sure to make regular eye contact with your judge, stand comfortably, and speak in a clear, polite voice.

Regular practice in front of family and friends will help put you more at ease with your presentation. Have a loved one ask questions as you practice to better prepare you for competition day.  

Dress for Poultry Shows

Even though the main point of showmanship is to demonstrate your poultry expertise, first impressions do set the tone for your presentation. A competitor dressed in blue jeans and a T-shirt will not impress the judges the same way as a neatly groomed presenter dressed in business-casual clothes topped with a white lab coat.

Many fairs and 4-H festivals require competitors to wear white lab coats, so it’s best to wear one—clean and neatly pressed—regardless of the event’s requirements.

And remember to wear clean footwear. You’re not expected to wear dress loafers or high heels at the fairgrounds, but don’t arrive wearing mud- and muck-spattered boots.  

Learn from Every Competition

Very few showmanship competitors receive perfect scores. Because of this, many judges will take time after the event to answer questions, offer advice, and give guidance to participants. After all, showmanship is about improving your poultry knowledge … and we all have room for improvement.

Take whatever post-event opportunity your judge offers to learn what you can do to improve your presentation and how you handle your bird. If your score was low, ask what mistakes you made and what the necessary corrections are. Some judges will offer this information to participants immediately following their presentation. Take notes if you can!

Remember above all that your judge’s critiques are meant to help you grow as a competitor and poultry specialist, not demoralize you. Thank them for their feedback on your show chickens and incorporate their suggestions to better prepare you for your next showmanship competition.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is poultry showmanship?

Poultry showmanship is a competition that evaluates the exhibitor’s knowledge, handling skills and presentation rather than judging the chicken alone. Competitors demonstrate proper handling techniques while answering questions about their bird’s breed, anatomy and care.

How do I prepare my chicken for poultry shows?

Handle your bird regularly so it becomes comfortable being held, examined and positioned during judging. Practice placing it in and removing it from a show cage while calmly talking through your presentation.

What should I study before poultry shows?

Study your breed’s Standard of Perfection, including its physical characteristics, weight, comb type, feather color, temperament and any faults that may affect judging. You should also understand basic poultry anatomy and husbandry.

What should I wear to a poultry showmanship competition?

Wear clean, neat business-casual clothing. Many fairs and youth organizations recommend or require a clean white lab coat, along with clean shoes suitable for walking around the fairgrounds.

Can adults compete in poultry showmanship?

Some county and regional fairs now offer adult poultry showmanship divisions, although opportunities vary by location. Check with your local fair or poultry superintendent to learn whether adult competitions are available.

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