Held at the Shepparton Showgrounds for the first time, as part of the Soft Feathered Poultry Show, Hamish’s white Wyandotte Pullet won Best White Female, Best Large White, Champion Large and Best Bird in Show, the latter earning him the Gary Sheppard Memorial Sash in a competition of 170.
This is the second time that Hamish has bred and exhibited the Best Bird in Show at the Wyandotte Club of Victoria event and the fourth occasion that Hamish has bred and exhibited the Best Large Wyandotte.
Hamish, who is a member of the Shepparton and Goulburn Valley Poultry Club, has had an interest in poultry since he was eight and explained what went into showing poultry.
‘‘I like to see them nice and clean,’’ Hamish said.
‘‘I wash them with shampoo. I also use conditioner to keep them tight in the feather.
‘‘Then I put oil on their legs, beaks, combs and wattles to make them shine.
‘‘After breeding 100 chooks per season, you select the best five or so and it is really good to see how they compare to other chooks at the show.
‘‘It is interesting to see how the birds develop from when they hatch in the spring to when they are shown in the winter.
‘‘At the show, I also like looking at the other Wyandotte varieties of various colours and markings.’’
The Shepparton and Goulburn Valley Poultry Club will hold its annual show at the Kyabram Showgrounds on Sunday, August 4.