slwatson
Some people do a lot of show cage training before show season. I did it a little several years ago, but what I did was place a show cage inside a flight cage, fixed the door open, and then placed spray millet inside. I hoped to get the birds so used to going inside the show cages that they would be comfortable there--not! Obviously, I didn't do it long enough, as my birds were still silly about being in the show cage.
Birds are judged in part on how they behave in the show cage, with species like Zebras, Societies, and Gouldians being held to the highest standards as far as comportment, since they are so domesticated. Waxbills are expected to be flighty, so they get away with more.
The birds aren't left in show cages for weeks at a time. They may spend some time in there each day or for several days at a time, but I don't think most do more than that. Most of us in this area place our birds in the show cages the day before the show, and then they may spend the night in the cage after the show, depending on how late it is when they get home.
When we go to Nationals, that is the longest trip I have done with birds. For example, when we went to Nationals in St. Louis. I placed my birds in show cages Wednesday. Thursday we drove to St. Louis, and we entered our birds in the show that night. Friday was the show. Saturday was meetings and the final banquet, birds are released to their owners after the banquet. Sunday we drove home, and birds stayed in their cages that night too, since it was late when we got home. Monday morning the birds were let out of their cages. The birds got fresh water each day, and once the show was over, most of us offered treats such as spray millet, cucumber, fruit, etc. to our birds. None of the birds got sick, none seemed the worse for wear.
Some birds are simply better personalities about being in show cages, and will act like they have done this their entire lives, while others are silly the whole time they are in the cage. Usually the judge can tell which birds have had more show cage training, as the ones that stay at the bottom the whole time, or spend the entire time flying from perch to cage bars and back give it away. I think it was several years ago, one of my birds spent almost the whole show on the bottom of the cage peering out, so all you saw was the eyes and top of the head! That bird had never been in a show cage till the night before the show!
The Cleburne show is just #2 on the Texas circuit. We are very lucky in Texas to have so many shows, as most areas just have one a year, and they have to travel quite a bit to go to other shows. Of course, Texas is so big that it still involves some traveling. Seguin was the first show, then a week later Cleburne, then 3 weeks later Houston, and finally 4 weeks later Temple.
Our show was a regional, so we had a great turn-out. The placings were:
1st - Self chestnut Society
2nd - Blue-faced Parrot finch
3rd - Purple Grenadier
4th - Self chocolate Society
5th - Fawn Owl finch
6th - Silver Gouldian
7th - Blue-capped Cordon Bleu
8th - Yellow body w/purple breast Gouldian
9th - Self chestnut Society
10th - Mutation Star finch
The Gouldians and Societies were so beautiful that I fully expected them to take almost the whole Top Bench, so it was a pleasant surprise to see other species make it.
I've always said that bird shows are one of the best places to learn what constitutes a good bird. The judges are usually good about telling what they look for, what may be a show fault, how they judge. The smaller the show, the more time they have to talk, but they still try to use the show as an opportunity to educate.
P.S. Any time you want to try showing, we can usually find someone with some extra show cages to borrow. We are even thinking about buying a few cages for the Fort Worth Bird Club to rent out during show season.
