Showing animals in 4-h

[goats rule 101]

Hi everybody! I was wondering about showing animals in 4-h. I have rouen ducks and wyandotte chickens. I was wondering how you show them and what class they are under. I am also getting goats soon and was wondering what breed is best for 4-h. I want nigerians but don't want to milk them. Can I show them without having to breed and milk them?
Thanks a bunch Hannah H.

 

[Wyandottes7]

I'll answer your chicken questions, as I'm not a goat expert. Rouen ducks go under the "Heavy" class of duck. Wyandotte chickens, if large fowl, are in the American class. If bantams, they go in the Rose Comb Clean Legged (RCCL) class.

Most county fairs are set up like this: Birds are "cooped in" a few days before the show. They are in there own cages, and you have to provide feed and water, as well as feed and water cups. On the day of judging, a judging row of cages will be erected. When your class is called, you take your bird up to the judge and put it in a cage. The judge judges all of the birds in a specific class, and awards ribbons.

You can also do showmanship at a poultry show. In showmanship, you display your knowledge of chickens and poultry in general. You are asked questions regarding defects, disqualifications, breeds, breed classes, parasites, diseases, etc. You are also judged on how well you handle your bird, including putting it into and taking out of a cage, posing the bird, and handling it.

Hope this helps!

 

[goats rule 101]

Thank you so much! That helped a lot

 

[goats rule 101]

So does anyone know what you do to show goats? I cant milk my goats so I have to get wethers for meat. I want alpines or nubians. Does anyone know what age they have to be and what to look for in them to show them in 4-h? Thanks Hannah

 

[Wyandottes7]

So does anyone know what you do to show goats? I cant milk my goats so I have to get wethers for meat. I want alpines or nubians. Does anyone know what age they have to be and what to look for in them to show them in 4-h? Thanks Hannah

I don't know a lot about showing goats (what I have learned comes from watching them being shown, and I know someone who shows goats). I do know that there are various age classes, including junior kids, intermediate kids, senior kids, junior yearlings, senior yearlings, milking doe over 1 but under two, over two but under three, etc. You might not be able to show wethers; I know that shows in my area only let you show does, not bucks or wethers.

 

[goats rule 101]

Okay I can probably check with the 4-h director and see! Thanks for advice and help!

 

[DelcoChix]

Do you belong to a local 4-H club now? If so you should have some good resources right there who are there to help and advise you. If you do not currently belong to a club, or your club does not have any livestock projects then you should contact your local extension office/4-H director and see what information they have available to you. Since 4-H is focused on education and you need this information it's a perfect fit for you! The various clubs in our country all have different focuses--some are more livestock oriented, some just horses, some dogs,some are more urban geared, with the emphasis on pocket pets, cooking, archery, and so on...and there are clubs that cover it all. Make sure you join one that already has poultry and goat projects and advisers who are able to help you with those specific projects.
Good luck in your journey!

 

[goats rule 101]

Thanks and I was in a club but they like disbanded so Ill have to think about those things as I'm looking for a new one to join.

 

[1234ro]

For goats i recmend showing a goat in the pack class and goat can be in it. You basicly just take them over a obstical course, super fun. And you can do a dry doe isntead of a milk doe.

 

[1234ro]

or meat