For complete Livestock Rules and Fair Participation Requirement Information refer to the 2024 HCCFair Rulebook

POULTRY PROJECTS

For all Poultry projects, complete the Poultry Project and Record Book each year.

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POULTRY GENERAL REGULATIONS 

• Roaster Chickens and Market Chickens must be purchased from the Fair Board at $3.00/bird, unsexed. The maximum number of birds purchased per participant will be 50, no minimum. Contact the Poultry Superintendent to purchase chicks.

• Possession Dates – All project animals must be in the possession and care of the Junior Fair participant by the following dates

  • Market Turkeys - 12 to 26 weeks prior to Weigh-In, must weigh at least 14lbs at Weigh-In

  • Breeding/Exhibition Poultry (including Waterfowl) May 1st of the current year

  • Roaster Chicken – Fair Board to purchase Roaster Chicks 11 weeks prior to Weigh-In and must be in participants possession 10 weeks prior to Weigh-In. Roasters must weigh at least 6 lbs at Weigh-In

  • Market Chickens Pen of 3 - Fair Board to purchase Market Chicks 7 weeks prior to Weigh-In and must be in participants possession 6 weeks prior to Weigh-In. A Pen of Market chickens must weigh a Min. 10 lbs. - Max. 21 lbs., min. 2.75 lbs. per individual.

  • Market Ducks, Market Geese – 7 to 9 weeks prior to Weigh-In, must meet weight requirements

• Registrations - All poultry projects must meet the following registration deadlines. Late or missing paperwork will make the participant ineligible to compete in the current year at the Hamilton County Community Fair.

  • 4-H Enrollment Form deadline – March 1st

  • Project Commitment Form deadline – May 7th

• Quality assurance - Junior Fair participants who wish to exhibit a market or dairy animal are required to attend the Livestock Quality Assurance training, along with a parent or guardian. 

• Pullorum Testing - In accordance with state and national regulations, evidence of pullorum-free status must be presented at check-in for all poultry except waterfowl. Poultry must be certified pullorum-free 3 weeks prior to check-in. Turkeys require specialized pullorum testing. Exhibitors are responsible for any costs associated with pullorum testing.  No poultry will be allowed on the fairgrounds without appropriate pullorum-free certification.

• All birds MUST be clean and dry at Weigh-In.

• All Junior Fair participants are allowed up to 2 entries per class.

• Breed and variety are to be listed on the Project Commitment Form.

• All Junior Fair participants will be required to bring their own birds to the table for judging.

  • When an exhibitor has more than one entry in a class, the exhibitor’s second entry may be shown by a family participant, another Junior Fair participant, or his/her 4-H Advisor.

• No bird may be shown in more than one class except showmanship.

• The bird used for showmanship must also be shown by the Junior Fair participant in a breed or market class. Turkeys have a separate showmanship class than other poultry.

• If on evaluation by the species superintendent and/or fair veterinarian poultry is deemed overly dirty or unhealthy, poultry may be asked to be removed from the fairgrounds

• Any classes may be split or combined at the discretion of the species superintendent.

• All exhibitors are responsible for the care of their poultry during the fair.

• If a poultry project animal dies before 4 weeks prior to Animal Move-In, the Junior Fair participant has 7 days to purchase a replacement animal. If a project animal dies on or after 4 weeks prior to Animal Move-In, the animal may not be replaced.

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MARKET POULTRY

• All market animals are terminal.

• All Market Poultry (Market Chickens, Chicken Roasters, Market Waterfowl, and Market Turkeys) are limited to 2 entries per class per participant.

• Market birds may be purchased as live animals and be in the possession of the Junior Fair participant by 7 days of age. Market birds may (but do not have to be) hatched from an egg by the Junior Fair participant (except for Roaster Chickens and Market Chickens, which are to be purchased from the Fair Board)

  • If turkeys are hatched by the Junior Fair participant, the eggs must come from an NPIP-certified source (certification must be supplied at Weigh-In) and any flock already in your possession must fall under up-to-date NPIP certification, or Pollorum testing must be performed by a certified veterinarian or professional 3 weeks prior to check-in. (Turkeys are tested by a blood draw, not a stick like other poultry.)

• Market Chickens and Market Turkeys may be de-beaked, de-toed, dubbed, or subjected to any practice accepted in the commercial production of meat-type poultry.

• A Pen of Market Chickens will consist of three (3) birds.

  • Maximum pen weight - 21.0 pounds

  • Minimum pen weight - 10. 0 pounds

  • No individual bird may weigh less than 2.75 pounds

• Chicken Roasters are individuals. Minimum weight for a Roaster is 6.0 pounds.

• Market Turkeys may be of either sex and any breed. Minimum weight for a Market Turkey is 14.0 pounds.

• Market Ducks must be shown as a pen of two (2) ducks. The pen can be any combination of sexes.

  • Minimum pen weight - 10.0 pounds

  • No individual may weigh less than 4.25 pounds

• Market Geese are shown individually.  Minimum weight for a Market Goose is 6.0 pounds

• Junior Fair participants who have market poultry that are processed prior to the end of fair are to assist with cleaning and teardown of pens and market exhibition area between 8:30am and 10:00am the day of processing. If unable to assist, participant must contact the species superintendent with a valid excuse. If the participant does not contact the species superintendent and does not help, it is at the discretion of the Community Fair Association Board to not allow the participant to show poultry in next year’s fair.

POULTRY EXHIBITION (BREEDING) ANIMALS

• Exhibition poultry are all non-market animals. They are evaluated for breed perfection or egg production.

• Chicken Age Definitions

       Pullet - Female Chicken under 1 year                    Cockerel - Male Chicken under 1 year

       Hen - Female Chicken 1 year and older                 Cock - Male Chicken 1 year and older

• Turkey Age Definitions

       Jenny - Female Turkey under 1 year                       Jake - Male Turkey under 1 year

       Hen - Female Turkey 1 year and older                    Tom - Male Turkey 1 year and older

• Miscellaneous poultry includes Peafowl, Guinea Fowl, Partridge, Pigeon, Quail, and Pheasant.

  • Consult with the Species Superintendent if a species is not listed.

POULTRY SHOW

JR. FAIR PARTICIPANT ATTIRE

• A long-sleeved shirt or a long-sleeved white lab coat.

• Long blue or black slacks/jeans or skirt falling at or below the knee.

• Footwear must consist of work boots or heavy shoes. Athletic-type shoes are NOT permitted.

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POULTRY SHOWMANSHIP 

• For a description of Showmanship, see the Poultry project books and the Special Contests and Awards section of the Rulebook.

• For all species, the 4-H youth must participate in his/her respective showmanship class in order to participate in other classes in the species show.

• Turkey exhibitors will participate in turkey showmanship.

• All others will be grouped together in poultry showmanship. 

• If there are less than 2 participants in either Senior or Junior Showmanship, these classes will be combined. The combined class will be used as the Showman of Showmen Run-Off.

• Senior Showmanship

  • Open to all poultry exhibitors 14 – 18 years old (as of January 1st of the current year)

• Junior Showmanship

  • Open to all poultry exhibitors 8 – 13 years old (as of January 1st of the current year)

• Novice Showmanship

  • Open to all Junior Fair participants in the Junior or Senior age group showing a goat project for the FIRST TIME EVER. A participant may OPT OUT of Novice Showmanship and show in their age category but must notify the Species Superintendent.

  • If there are fewer than 3 novice participants the Species Superintendent may choose not to hold a novice class. In this case, the participants would show in their age category.

POULTRY SHOW CLASSES

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CHICKEN

Standard Breeds                                                                          

One Single Standard Pullet                                                         

One Single Standard Hen                                                            

One Single Standard Cockerel                                                     

One Single Standard Cock                                                           

Pair of Standard Hens (same breed & variety)                            

Breeding Pair of Standard (male/female same breed & variety)          

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Bantams

One Single Bantam Pullet

One Single Bantam Hen

One Single Bantam Cockerel

One Single Bantam Cock

Pair of Bantam Hens (same breed & variety)

Breeding Pair of Bantams (male/female same breed & variety)

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Egg Production

One Egg Production Pullet

One Egg Production Hen

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Market

Pen of 3 Market Chickens

Single Market Roaster

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WATER FOWL (Duck, Goose, Swan, Other)

Breeding

Single Female less than 1 year

Single Female 1 year or older

Single Male less than 1 year

Single Male 1 year or older

Breeding Pair (same breed & variety, one of male & female)

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Market

Pair of Ducks (any sex combination)

Individual Market Goose

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MISCELLANEOUS POULTRY (Peafowl, Guinea Fowl, Partridge, Pigeon, Quail, Pheasant, Other)

Breeding

Single Female less than 1 year

Single Female 1 year or older

Single Male less than 1 year

Single Male 1 year or older

Breeding Pair (same breed & variety, one of male & female)

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TURKEY

Breeding

Single Jenny

Single Hen

Single Jake

Single Tom

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Market

Single Market Turkey

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**The Species Superintendent is not required to hold any class that has less than 3 participants. Under these circumstances, classes may be combined as the superintendent deems appropriate.

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AWARDS FOR POULTRY SHOW

• 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Place ribbons will be given in each poultry class.

• Grand and Reserve Champion banners will be given for Standard Breeds, Egg Production, Bantams, Exhibition Waterfowl, Market Chicken, Roaster, Market Turkey, and Market Waterfowl.

• 1st and 2nd Place winners in Showmanship will receive trophies.

• Top Exhibitor and Reserve Top Exhibitor Awards will be given for both Junior and Senior divisions. These winners will be the Junior Fair participants who have the two highest combined scores from the four project program areas: Project Judging, Skillathon, Showmanship placing, and Class placings.

• To qualify for Top Exhibitor Awards, the participant must participate in EACH of the four project program areas and receive a minimum score of 80% on Project Judging and Skillathon.

• Top Exhibitors will receive a monetary award. Top Exhibitor Awards are given at the Awards Ceremony. 

• Exhibitors showing in Novice Showmanship are not eligible for Top Exhibitor Awards.