A show for the birds
Chickens, ducks and turkeys in the spotlight at 4-H poultry show
Photo by Deb Gau Lyon County 4-H members brought ducks, chickens and turkeys to be judged at Wednesday's poultry show at the Lyon County Fair.
Photo by Deb Gau Kids in the 4-H Cloverbuds answered questions from the judge about their animals.
Photo by Deb Gau Shelby Knott said she tried raising dark-colored "crypt walker" chickens as something different this year.
Photo by Deb Gau Carter Kaare brought his turkey to the Cloverbud poultry show on Wednesday.
Photo by Deb Gau Lyon County 4-H members brought ducks, chickens and turkeys to be judged at Wednesday's poultry show at the Lyon County Fair.
Photo by Deb Gau Kids in the 4-H Cloverbuds answered questions from the judge about their animals.
Photo by Deb Gau Shelby Knott said she tried raising dark-colored "crypt walker" chickens as something different this year.
Photo by Deb Gau Carter Kaare brought his turkey to the Cloverbud poultry show on Wednesday.
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MARSHALL -- There were chickens of different sizes and colors lined up on the judging table at the Lyon County 4-H Arena. But even with all that variety, Carter Kaare stood out - he brought a turkey to the Cloverbud poultry show.
Kaare said this year was his first time showing turkeys.
"I just came up with the idea," he said.
Working with a bird as big as a turkey turned out to be a challenge.
"It's hard holding it, because they're so heavy," Kaare said.
The 4-H poultry show was part of Wednesday's line-up of events at the Lyon County Fair. Youth brought in chickens, ducks and turkeys to be judged. Participants ranged from Cloverbuds, who are in kindergarten through second grade, to 4-H members who have been raising poultry for years. Brayden Boerboom estimated he had been showing chickens for about eight years.
"My dad showed chickens when he was a kid, and he started me on that," Boerboom said.
Members of 4-H said some of the things that judges looked for at the poultry show included how well birds met breed standards. For Boerboom's breeding pen of Rhode Island Red chickens, he said the judge examined he chickens' tails, and primary and secondary feathers.
"They want to make sure there are no white spots in the feathers," he said.
Shelby Remiger said that for breeds like her Call ducks, judges check things like the ducks' beak length and shape, and their head shape.
"With Call ducks, you want chubby cheeks," she said.
Call ducks are a small breed, and tend to have short beaks and small heads.
Remiger said there were some unique things about raising ducks.
"They're more self-cleaning," she said.
If they have access to a clean pond, ducks will clean themselves, she said.
There was a wide range of different chicken and duck breeds at the fairgrounds poultry barn. Shelby Knott was holding a glossy black chicken that she raised.
"I wanted to try something new," Knott said.
She found a poultry seller offering "crypt walker" chickens, a rare breed. Knott decided to try raising them. The adult chickens have dark feathers, and Knott learned they lay blue eggs.
Boerboom said one of the fun things about working with poultry was seeing how they grew, from tiny chicks to full-sized adults.
"I like seeing the progress they make," he said.