Department 8: Poultry, Pigeons, Waterfowl

DUE TO AVIAN INFLUENZA, THERE WILL BE NO POULTRY EXHIBITS AT THE 2023 HARFORD FAIR. THIS INCLUDES EGGS. 

Contact Name Phone Email
Co-SuperintendentJenny Frantz570-878-0272[email protected]
Co-SuperintendentDaniel Frantz570-351-5220[email protected]

Department Rules

Exhibitors must adhere to the General Rules for the Harford Fair listed here.

Exhibitors must adhere to the IAFE Code of Ethics which can be found here.​

  1. To enter: go to www.harfordfair.com, click on the link and follow the instructions to enter online or use the Poultry Entry Blank below or in online Harford Fair Premium Book and submit with the entry fee of $1.00 per animal.
  2. Section 7 – Egg Entries are displayed and judged in Vegetable Hall. Enter online or use a separate Poultry Entry Blank for egg entries.
  3. Birds hatched before January 1 of this year will be classed as cocks or hens. Those hatched after that date will be classed as cockerels or pullets.
  4. Only three (3) birds allowed in each class, per exhibitor.
  5. All birds are subject to the Poultry Health Rules as listed in the online Harford Fair Premium Book. Blood test papers and other required documents must accompany the entry to the Fairgrounds at drop off.
  6. The Poultry Superintendent will check birds upon arrival and refuse entry to birds with visible signs of disease, mites, lice, molt, etc. Birds may not be put in a coop until checked by a Superintendent.
  7. The Poultry Superintendents reserve the right to reduce number of entries per exhibitor, if the pens are filled.
  8. Entries may not be changed or substitutions made after August 1.
  9. All birds must wear an individual identification leg band to be accepted for exhibition.
  10. Poultry exhibits will be single cooped for their own health and safety.
  11. Poultry must be properly named and meritorious (more than ordinary standard and quality) to be entitled to an award.
  12. Poultry can be sold, but CANNOT leave the fairgrounds until 10:00 PM, Saturday, August 20, 2022.
  13. All judging shall be by the latest edition of the American Standard of Perfection, copyrighted by the American Poultry Association, and can be found at www.amerpoultryassn.com.

Department 8 - Poultry, Pigeons, Waterfowl, & Eggs - 2022 Health Rules

Requirements for Pennsylvania Poultry, Pigeons, & Waterfowl Entering the Fairgrounds:

1) All Pennsylvania poultry, including chickens, turkeys, waterfowl, upland game birds entering an exhibition must bear an unique official PDA-issued leg band (official state-issued leg bands are required for pullorum-tested poultry). Ratites must be identified with a neckband or an electronic implant device (the exhibitor must supply a reader). Pigeons/doves must bear an unique individual leg band but do not have to have an official PDA leg band.

2) An Owner-Endorsed Health Certificate or Certificate of Veterinary Inspection must accompany all Pennsylvania poultry, pigeons, and waterfowl and must include the following: a) Name and location of exhibition; and b) Name, address and telephone number of the owner; and c) A statement that their entries and their flock of origin are free of evidence of contagious disease; and d) Owner signature and date of that signature.

3) Avian Influenza Clean Testing and Verification (all samples must be collected by a Certified Poultry Technician or Category II Accredited Veterinarian): All poultry, including chickens, turkeys, waterfowl, upland game birds, and ratites,(pigeons/doves excluded), and their hatching eggs for exhibition must originate from a flock in which a random, representative sample of a minimum of 30 birds, 3 weeks of age or older, were tested for avian influenza within the 30 days prior to opening date of the exhibition. The birds or hatching eggs must be accompanied by the most recent test report (copy acceptable).  Test results must be negative.  If there are fewer than 30 birds in the flock, test all birds.  For waterfowl, cloacal swab samples must be collected for testing instead of blood samples, and the swabs may be tested using PCR techniques. Swabs from geese and ducks may not be combined in the same tube for testing. Untested birds shall not be comingled with or added to the tested flock after negative samples have been collected and before the show.

4) Pullorum-Typhoid Clean Testing and Verification (pigeons and waterfowl excluded; all samples must be collected by a Certified Poultry Technician or Category II Accredited Veterinarian): a) Poultry, including chickens, turkeys, upland game birds and ratites (pigeons/doves and waterfowl excluded) and their hatching eggs must originate from a flock in good standing on the NPIP Pullorum-typhoid Clean Program (and there was no break in the chain of ownership by NPIP participants) or from a flock in good standing on the PA Pullorum Equivalent Program. The birds or hatching eggs must be accompanied by the most recent test report (copy acceptable). Test results must be negative. If the rapid whole-blood plate agglutination test was done, the most recent NPIP 9-2 form or state equivalent form must accompany the birds or hatching eggs (copy acceptable). Test results must be negative.  If birds are less than one year of age and all originate from an NPIP Clean hatchery, they do not have to be tested for pullorum-typhoid if they are accompanied by an NPIP 9-3 form from that hatchery and any additions to the flock were also from NPIP Clean sources. The NPIP number must be noted on the report for NPIP Pullorum-typhoid Clean flocks.

OR

  1. b) All individual birds (pigeons/doves and waterfowl excluded) for exhibition and birds providing hatching eggs (maximum of 300) must have had a pullorum-typhoid test within the 90 days prior to the opening date of the exhibition. The birds must be accompanied by the most recent test report, or state equivalent form for the rapid test (copies acceptable). Test results must be negative. The following age restrictions apply:
  • Chickens shall be tested at 4 months of age or older.
  • Turkeys shall be tested at 12 weeks of age or older.
  • Game birds shall be tested at 4 months of age or older, or upon sexual maturity, whichever comes first.
  • Ratites shall be tested at 12 months of age or older.
  • All birds not meeting these age restrictions at the time of sampling are exempt from pullorum-typhoid testing requirements.
  • If all of the birds going to the exhibit are below the minimum testing age for pullorum-typhoid, at least 10% of birds of testing age in the flock shall be tested within the 90 days prior to the opening date of the exhibition. (Maximum 300 birds.)
  1. c) Sample collectors and testers must maintain records of animal identification, approved rapid testing, and any other records required by the Domestic Animal Law, and any order issued by the Department for a minimum of two years and must make records available to the Department upon request.
  2. d) National Animal Health Laboratory Network (NAHLN) protocols for sample collection, including the number of swabs/tubes of viral transport media, and testing shall be followed. All samples must be tested at a NAHLN laboratory. (excluding the Pullorum-typhoid rapid whole blood plate agglutination test that may be conducted at farm)

Requirements for Out of State Poultry, Pigeons, and Waterfowl Entering the Fairgrounds (in addition to the above listed requirements):

1) Avian Influenza Clean Testing and Verification (all samples must be collected by a Certified Poultry Technician or a Category II Accredited Veterinarian). All poultry, including chickens, turkeys, waterfowl, upland game birds, and ratites, (pigeons/doves excluded), and their hatching eggs must originate from a flock in which a random, representative sample of a minimum of 30 birds, 3 weeks of age or older, were tested for avian influenza within the 30 days prior to the opening date of the exhibition. The birds or hatching eggs must be accompanied by the most recent test report (copy acceptable). Test results must be negative.  If there are fewer than 30 birds in the flock, test all birds. For waterfowl, cloacal swab samples must be collected for testing, and the swabs may be tested using PCR techniques. Swabs from geese and ducks may not be combined in the same tube for testing. Untested birds shall not be comingled with or added to the tested flock after negative samples have been collected and before the show.

2) Pullorem-Typhoid Clean Testing and Verification (pigeons and waterfowl excluded; all samples must be collected by a Certified Poultry Technician or a Category II Accredited Veterinarian): a) All poultry, including upland chickens, turkeys, upland game birds, waterfowl, and ratites (pigeons/doves excluded) and hatching eggs must come from NPIP Pullorum-typhoid Clean flocks in good standing with the program (and there was no break in the chain of ownership by NPIP participants) and the birds must be accompanied by an NPIP 9-3 form;

OR

  1. All individual birds (pigeons/doves excluded) and birds providing hatching eggs (maximum of 300) must have had a negative pullorum-typhoid test within the 30 days prior to the opening date of the exhibition. The birds must be accompanied by the most recent test report (copy acceptable). Test results must be negative. If the rapid whole-blood plate agglutination test was done, the most recent NPIP 9-2 form must accompany the birds (copy acceptable). Test results must be negative. The following age restrictions apply to comply with NPIP standards:
  • Chickens shall be tested at 4 months of age or older.
  • Turkeys shall be tested at 12 weeks of age or older.
  • Game birds shall be tested at 4 months of age or older, or upon sexual maturity, whichever comes first.
  • Ratites shall be tested at 12 months of age or older.
  • Waterfowl shall be tested at 4 months of age or older.
  • All birds not meeting these minimum age restrictions at the time of sampling must come from a flock in which all the test-eligible birds in the flock (up to 300) have been test negative within the 30 days prior to the opening date of the exhibition.
  1. Sample collectors and testers must maintain records of animal identification, approved rapid testing, and any other records required by the Domestic Animal Law, and any order issued by the Department for a minimum of two years and must make records available to the Department upon request.
  2. National Animal Health Laboratory Network (NAHLN) protocols for sample collection, including the number of swabs/tubes of viral transport media, and testing shall be followed. All samples must be tested at a NAHLN laboratory. (excluding the Pullorum-typhoid rapid whole blood plate agglutination test that may be conducted at farm)