I am not a writer, I am not a good speller. It is my intent that with this article whether you have raised poultry for 30 years or 30 minutes, you will finish with some idea of what should be done and what could be done. You will stop, think, and talk about what is being done. You will welcome the competition and embellish it with a smile, appreciate the art, respect the time that has been given, and reward those efforts with grace and splendor.

This is a guide to showing, breeding and exhibiting poultry. It will continue monthly as long as I have the time to write it.

So lets begin with the basic’s. The first thing you have to realize is what do you want to do.

Do you want to exhibit poultry
Do you want to breed and exhibit poultry
or do you want to raise chickens?

I am no expert, but I have been raising and breeding poultry for many years. Exhibiting the fowl I have purchased, bred and prepared. I have been on champion row, I have had my disqualifications also. If I can do it - you can too. If you want to raise chickens - it is easy just follow these guide lines but ignore the exhibit and breeding parts.

We are going to begin with the Month of March. The beginning of Spring in California. If you do not already have your chickens, you should be thinking of what breed and variety you want. Look at your options of where to obtain the fowl, and purchase them. If you are looking at exhibiting, purchase a chick. If you are looking at breeding and exhibiting purchase a pair of adult fowl. If you already have poultry - check the flock.

The days are getting longer, and this is the key to egg production. Egg production is the key to chicks. If the egg is not it’s best the chick will not be the best. Wash your adult birds, and remove the winter blah’s. Do not use pesticides or powders. You are into the breeding season, and you do not want to loose fertility. Place your pair of fowl into a breeders cage. A breeders cage has no perch for the female to escape the male breeding. A breeders cage is kept clean, with ample food and fresh water for the pair. A nest box with clean litter, and a side area for removal of the male when necessary. Keep the pair together for 3 to 7 day’s destroying the eggs laid. After 1 week start collecting and incubating the eggs. If you opt not to incubate the eggs, wait for the hen to go broody. Mark each egg with a pencil on the large end - the date of lay. Destroy all eggs over 10 days old. Once the hen goes broody (sits on the eggs) allow her to hatch the clutch, remove the male from the pen. If you decide to incubate the eggs, place them in the incubator on the day before you want them to hatch. If you want your hatch to start on Saturday when you are home sit them on a Sunday. That way 21 days is a Saturday, not Wednesday when you are at work. If you have your breeders cage properly set up you will not need to wash the eggs, they should be clean and ready to be set. Turn the eggs twice a day if you are holding them before sitting.

While your pair of breeders is in the breeding pen, keep in mind they are going to be producing your winning offspring (fingers crossed). Feed them like breeders, not layers. A good food, and extra treats help to provide a good yolk for a stronger chick. Greens are important, as is fresh protein. Fresh Protein is meal worms, bugs, small rodents etc that they find or you give them. I have found hamburger and hot dogs are a great substitute for fresh meat when they are caged and can not forage. Fresh alphalfa is a vitamin rich green feed.
Others have different tried and variables that work. Keep in mind too much is not good. So small amounts, once a day works.

For the chicken, routine is important. The same thing, same time, same way.

Now if you have not raised poultry before you are asking what about the side pen for the male. The side of the breeder pen is for the male, when he is too strong a breeder. When the hen is bare headed, bare necked, tattered and torn (remember you are breeding for show - 1 male, 1 female). This is no good for the hen, she is stressed, a stressed hen could make a bad mother (to say the least), and mistakes are costly when it is that one that was your champion. So when you see the male being too strong a breeder, you separate him from the female. You allow the breeding once or twice a day, then place him back in his own cage, giving the hen a break, and keeping the stress level down. Also when the hen goes broody, and wants to hatch - she does not need to be disturbed by the male needs.

Now for those who want to raise that chick and hope they have a champion, purchase your chick/s and put it in the brooder. Follow the brooding guidelines that you can find everywhere. Remember that fresh water, good food, handling, and cleanliness is the key to a healthy chick. Feed for health, feather, and vigor. Give your chick time to grow.

For those who want to raise chickens - purchase your chickens, place them in the coop and allow them to get to know each other. Feed them well, provide clean fresh water, and enjoy the antics of poultry. Dust them for bugs, provide them with treats, and watch them come running to the coop door when you are seen.

Before March is finished you should have your first hatch off of large fowl chicks. If you are hatching bantams - it’s your choice, but bantams are better raised on decreasing light. The rule I was taught and seams to work is .... large fowl raised on increasing light get larger, while bantams raised on decreasing light stay smaller. However if you want to stay up with the competition -

1. you need to hatch for the show
2. you need to know how long it takes for your breed to bloom
3. you need to have depth of flock.

While your breeders are doing what comes naturally, you are overseeing that the damages to the female are minimal. If they fall into the above normal, remove the male and “control breeding”.
Get a standard of perfection and read about your breed and variety. Study the cuts for defects, disqualifications, and requirements of type and color for that breed and variety. You will need to know this information when the chicks are growing and developing. This is the key to a champion. Knowledge. You are the first judge to see your fowl.

Check back in April, This is a fun time. When the chicks in the brooders are chirping, the chicks under the hens are chirping, and eye’s are opened for the owners of the future champions of the winter show.

Are you ahead of the rest of us
looking for next months ideas?
April's advise is here.