What are your thoughts on entering and attending a poultry show?

The future of poultry shows is in bringing new fanciers in. Which of these describes your feelings about entering poultry shows?

Schipperkesue wrote:The future of poultry shows is in bringing new fanciers in. Which of these describes your feelings about entering poultry shows?

Hi

I would suggest another choice

I would prefer to enter a Saturday, Sunday show due to travel time and expenses. Coop up to be Friday night. Coop out by 1 pm on Sunday.

That would give people working time to coop up Friday night. It would be even be great for people travelling long distances. To get their by noon on Friday to be cooped in I have to leave by at least 3 in the morning (3 a.m.) or leave the night before which makes for 4 nights in a hotel. If coop in was Friday evening after 5, I could leave at 8 or 9 pm and be there by 5. I would have all daylight driving to get there. Could cut it from 4 nights hotel to 2. The birds would be less stressed and I think more people would show.

Perryschofield wrote:

Schipperkesue wrote:The future of poultry shows is in bringing new fanciers in. Which of these describes your feelings about entering poultry shows?

Hi

I would suggest another choice

I would prefer to enter a Saturday, Sunday show due to travel time and expenses. Coop up to be Friday night. Coop out by 1 pm on Sunday.

That would give people working time to coop up Friday night. It would be even be great for people travelling long distances. To get their by noon on Friday to be cooped in I have to leave by at least 3 in the morning (3 a.m.) or leave the night before which makes for 4 nights in a hotel. If coop in was Friday evening after 5, I could leave at 8 or 9 pm and be there by 5. I would have all daylight driving to get there. Could cut it from 4 nights hotel to 2. The birds would be less stressed and I think more people would show.

Perry, poll questions 4,5 and 6 suggest a Saturday and Sunday choice that you would find convenient. You would be able to coop in Friday night.

Hi

They all show a Saturday/Sunday show but all have other reasons attached to them that don 't apply to me. I don't have kids, I am not a student, and do have a flexible work schedule. It is the cost for extra nights at hotels and travel time. If I had been able to show like I planned to , without my eye problem cropping up, I would had to leave Thursday night to be there to coop in Friday morning. I would had been looking at 3 nights in a hotel (Thursday, Friday, and Saturday) at between $300-$350. Add on a third day of meals' say at $40 a day, 3 days would cost $100-120. For the trip I would be looking at around $425 - $500 for expenses. That is without gas to get there. Cut the third day off and I save $125 -150 in expenses which would be enough to cover my gas (actual gas for trio was $155). At a Saturday/Sunday show it looks doable - but it is a toss up every time I consider a three day show.


That is why I would like to see another choice with travel time and expense being a reason.

Perry

I know there are lots of fanciers in your position, Perry. Unfortunately we have to go to the shows and they cannot come to us! Darn it anyway! Because the locations of the shows are set I did not include distance and cost as a factor for attending or not attending. Cost/time is also an issue for me as well since I need to travel back and forth to care for the animals left behind.

Glad you wrote a blurb to make your situation clear!

I have to work for a living, and that means going to work Mon-Fri with not much flexibility.

I have a kennel and hobby farm, getting care for them on Fridays is difficult, but for weekends is easier.

I can be away from the farm/kennels for a day or two, but three days means a lot of extra prep, after work and it is difficult to find a sitter for the required days.

One night in a hotel, plus meals, is definitly less money than two or three nights in a hotel plus meals.

For me, it is a matter of work schedule primarily. If I was independently wealthy then this would not be an issue. I would looooove to attend more shows, but am excluded by Friday's obligations.