Poultry Rules and Regulations

 

REFER TO PRE-FAIR & JR. FAIR SCHEDULE FOR SPECIFIC DATES & TIMES

 

GENERAL RULES:

1. All poultry, including chicken, turkey, and waterfowl, must be brought to the fair and checked in
between 9:00 a.m. and 12:00 noon or 5:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. the Sunday before the fair.
2. Birds will not be released until midnight FRIDAY, of the fair. If not removed by 6:00 a.m. Saturday,
they must stay until after 12:00 midnight Saturday.
3. The Fair Board will furnish coops, water, feed, and feed cups. The Scioto County Market and Breeding
Animal Committee will supply fowl coops (such as geese and turkey). Exception: Coops for large fowl
(such as geese or turkeys) must be provided by the exhibitor.
5. Only one large or two small fans will be allowed per poultry project exhibited.
6. The care of animals while at the fair is the responsibility of the 4-H member. Members must maintain
the ownership, possession, and continual care of their projects according to project guidelines. Any
exceptions must be on file at the Extension Office.
7. 4-H members must clean their own pens. Straw will be provided. Pens must be cleaned daily, before
10:00 a.m. or after 9:00 p.m. Not properly caring for the animals and pens may result in Premiums will
be withheld and animals will be being removed from the fairgrounds and possible ineligibility for future
poultry ifprojects participation. pens and animals are not properly cared for. (See General Market &
Breeding Animal Rules)
8. All 4-H members are encouraged to show in showmanship. Sign-up sheets for showmanship will be
posted Monday of the fair. Classes are divided: Junior – 8-11 years of age; Intermediate – 12-14 years of
age; and Senior – 15-18 years of age. All ages are as of January 1 of the current year.
9. Members must show their own project during showmanship. The winner of senior showmanship is
eligible to show in the Showman of Showmen Contest, Friday, of the fair, 6:00 p.m., in the Livestock
Show Arena.
10. Refer to “Jr. Fair Livestock Special Rules & Regulations” and “General 4-H Breeding and Market
Animal Rules” for other rules pertaining to these projects.
11. Exhibitors are limited one entry per class.

FANCY POULTRY RULES:

1. All fancy poultry must be in the 4-H member’s ownership, possession, and continual care by May 1.
2. All fancy chickens must be blood tested for pollurum prior to fair. All poultry must be free of evidence
of contagious or infectious disease. Animals declared unworthy of show will be dismissed from the
grounds.

3. At fair check-in, fancy poultry, etc. will be classed by sex, breed, and variety.
4. Classes and order of show will be posted Sunday night of the fair.
5. 4-H members must be present for judging and will carry their project to the tables for judging. If
assistance is needed, only another 4-H member may help.
6. Exhibitor must exhibit and show a pair (male & female) of the same breed.

PULLET PROJECT RULES:

1. Each 4-H member should raise their pullets from chicks.
2. Pullets should be of recognized laying breed type (i.e. Leghorn, Minorcas, Plymouth Rocks, Rhode
Islands, etc.).
3. 4-H’ers will exhibit two birds at the fair. Birds should be as similar in type, size, and appearance as
possible.
4. Birds must be a minimum of 4 months old and a maximum of 7 months old at fair time and must be in
the member’s ownership, possession and continual care by these specified project guidelines.
5. 4-H members must be present for judging and will carry their project to the tables for judging. If
assistance is needed, only another 4-H member may help.

MARKET POULTRY RULES:

1. All 4-H members must complete a market chicken registration/order forming order to obtain birds
through the Extension Office for this project. Full payment by check or money order must be made at
time of ordering.
2. All market chick order forms must be received by the Market & Breeding Animal Committee Treasurer
NO LATER THAN MAY 1 to be eligible to order receive market chickens. Only forms postmarked by
May 1 or earlier will be considered. If postmarked later, or received without payment, members will be
ineligible to receive market chicken projects.
3. Only chicks ordered from the Extension office will be eligible to be exhibited, shown, and sold as
market chickens at the fair.
4. Any chickens not purchased this way, or exemplifying non-broiler characteristics, will be disqualified
from exhibition, show and sale.
5. Six chicks will be ordered per project. More than one member cannot share a project of six. Members
must maintain the ownership, possession, and continual care of their birds according to project
guidelines.
6. Members must pick up their own projects at the Extension office on the SPECIFIED CHICK PICK-UP
DATE AND TIME IN JUNE or forfeit their money and the project. Please see pre-fair schedule for
exact date in June. Any exception must be cleared through the Extension office.
7. All 4-H’ers wishing to exhibit a market poultry project at the fair must be verified as attending a Scioto

County Quality Assurance (Q.A.) Session for the current year. Session information is available at the
Extension Office or from club advisors. Youth who do not attend a Q.A. session for the current year are
not eligible to exhibit and compete at the Scioto County Fair during that year. It is the 4-H’er’s (and
their parent or guardian’s) responsibility to see that they attend a session. No make-up sessions will be
offered.
8. Members must select a pen-of-two to bring to the fair.
9. Market poultry will be banded for identification at time of check-in.
10. Poultry judging will be Monday of the fair, 9:00 a.m.
11. 4-H members must be present for judging and will carry their pen-of-two to the tables for judging. If
assistance is needed, only another 4-H member may help.
12. Market poultry will be randomly divided into five (5) classes.
13. The grand champion and reserve champion pen will sell first and second respectivelyduring the Sale of
Champions. The next twenty-three (23) meat pens will sell in the order as placed by the judgeonline
sale following the fair.
14. Market pens not placing to sell and fancy poultry projects may not be removed until midnight, Friday of
the fair. They must be checked out with the barn superintendent. If not removed from midnight Friday
to 6:00 a.m. Saturday, animals must be picked up by 12:00 noon the Sunday immediately following the
fair.
15. The Market Poultry and Rabbit Sale will be held Thursday of the fair, 6:00 p.m. The order of sale will
rotate on a yearly basis.
16. 4-H members selling poultry are not permitted to wear any type of advertisement
(including sports) during the sale. Clothing should be tasteful and free of vulgar language and/or photos.
Members wearing inappropriate attire will be asked to change if they do not follow these guidelines so
parents and advisors should monitor this policy accordingly.
17. All meat pens of poultry which sell are terminal. Immediately following the sale, the animals will be
loaded and taken to a processing facility. No animals will be returned to the barn. All animals will be
processed. No live animals will be returned to anyone.
18. A sale commission will be deducted from each 4-H member’s sale check to cover promotional,
management and handling costs.
19. All Junior Fair sale checks will be sent as soon as all buyers make full payment. Member checks must
be cashed within thirty (30) days after date of issue.

 

DUCKS, GEESE & TURKEYS & MARKET DUCK, GEESE & TURKEY PROJECTS:

1. Members should own, brood and care for at least six hatchlings of waterfowl or turkeys. Must be in 4-
H’ers ownership, possession and continual care by May 1.
2. 4-H’ers should complete their respective project books. They should also keep accurate feed,
medication, egg and miscellaneous costs and marketing records. Member may utilize the livestock feed
records available at the Extension Office.

3. Member should develop educational posters or a scrapbook. These items may be displayed in the club’s
4-H booth or shared with other members during a club meeting.
4. 4-H’ers may exhibit a single goose or turkey at the county fair but must provide their own coop.
Exhibitors must notify the barn superintendent of these animals by noting them on their advisor’s pen
reservation form.
5. Birds will be shown during the Poultry Show.
6. All birds are subject to general health guidelines and requirements and should be free of infectious
diseases. All turkeys must make arrangements to have a pollurum test one month prior to the Fair. Only
turkeys with negative pollurum test results will be permitted to be exhibited. Appropriate paperwork on
negative pollurum tests must be presented at the time of check-in.
7. Birds may not be removed until midnight on Friday to 6:00 a.m. Saturday of the fair. Market pens not
placing to sell, waterfowl and fancy poultry projects may not be removed until midnight, Friday of the
fair. They must be checked out with the barn superintendent. If not removed from midnight Friday to
6:00 a.m. Saturday, animals must be picked up by 12:00 noon on the Sunday immediately following the
fair.
All Market Tom Turkeys must be cane trained.

 

BREEDING DUCK, GEESE & TURKEY PROJECTS:

1. All waterfowl and turkeys must be in the 4-H member’s ownership, possession and continual care by
May 1.
2. All waterfowl and turkeys must be blood tested for pollurum prior to fair. All poultry and waterfowl
must be free of evidence of contagious or infectious disease. Animals declared unworthy of show will
be dismissed from the grounds. All turkeys must make arrangements to have a pollurum test one month
prior to the Fair. Only turkeys with negative pollurum test results will be permitted to be exhibited.
Appropriate paperwork on negative pollurum tests must be presented at the time of check-in.
3. At fair check-in, ducks, geese and turkeys will be classed by sex, breed, and variety. Classes may be
combined or divided due to numbers.
4. Classes and order of show will be posted Sunday night of the fair.
5. 4-H members must be present for judging and will carry their project to the tables for judging. If
assistance is needed, only another 4-H member may help.
6. Duck project members must maintain a breeding pair at home. Duck project exhibitors must exhibit and
show a pair (male & female) of the same breed at the fair.
7. Geese project exhibitors must maintain a breeding pair at home. Geese and turkey project exhibitors
must exhibit one bird of that breeding pair at the fair. Exhibitors must provide their own coop.
8. Turkey project exhibitors must maintain a breeding pair at home. Turkey project exhibitors must exhibit
one bird of that breeding pair at the fair. Exhibitors must provide their own coop.

CLASSES:

1. Market Poultry
2. Large Fowl Fancy Poultry
3. Bantam Fancy Poultry
4. Pullets
5. Market Waterfowl
6. Market Turkey
7. Breeding Waterfowl
8. Breeding Turkeys
9. Senior Showmanship (15-18 Years)
10. Intermediate Showmanship (12-14 Years)
11. Junior Showmanship (8-11 Years)

SKILLATHON and OUTSTANDING EXHIBITOR

All livestock project members are encouraged to participate in the livestock skillathon. Specific date
information is located on the pre-fair schedule.
One Outstanding Exhibitor will be selected in each specie area each year. This person is selected based upon
their scores in the skillathon contest, showmanship and a project class. Therefore, 4-H’ers must participate in
all of these events in order to compete for this award.
For complete rules, dates and guidelines on these programs, refer to the Educational Livestock Event and
Activities section of the county project requirements.