There are several things you need to consider before showing small animals at the Jackson County fair.

If you're showing chickens, it's important to delouse them. If you bring ducks, you shouldn't give them all the water they can drink. And if rabbits are more your speed, it's important to know how to sex them when having them judged.

4-H'ers learned such lessons July 12 at the third and final installment of small animal clinics aimed at getting young fairgoers - and their animals - into shape.

"It's fun to show how much you know and what you've worked hard on," said Valerie Ponterio, 16, of showing small animals at the fair. Ponterio, of Melrose, was one of about two dozen in attendance.

The event was held at the Doug and Erica Pozanc farm in Melrose. It drew 4-H members from Melrose, Hixton and Taylor ranging in age and experience from Cloverbuds to a few old enough to drive there themselves.

Organizers said learning how to take care of the animals teaches kids lessons that go beyond feeding and watering. Although this clinic's focus was on small animals - poultry, goats, sheep, rabbits and llamas - learning how to care for any size animal will someday make kids better farmers or, perhaps even, better people.

The July 12 clinic dealt mostly with animal judging while the two previous sessions, held at other area farms, covered animal husbandry and conditioning. Small animal experts explained the ins and outs of preparing and handling the animals both at the fair and prior to.

On the Pozanc farm amid the rolling hills near the Black River, chickens clucked in their small coops. Rabbits poked their noses through the wire mesh of their hutches and sniffed.

One of the Pozanc's llamas touched noses with a much smaller and agitated white goat.

The dog collared-goat was being led on a leash by 14-year-old Angela Garbers of Melrose.

Garbers said along with the goat, she'll be showing poultry, rabbits and dairy at this year's fair. She likes rabbits most and admits having 24 of the critters at her family farm.

Margaret Burnett of Taylor, superintendent of rabbits for the fair, gave a thorough explanation of 19 things judges will be looking for when judging rabbits. She stressed the importance of knowing about each individual rabbit being shown. Burnett said that the ability to pose rabbits comes with time and training.

"You have to work with them," she said.

Small animal barn superintendent Rene Rommel of Melrose gave a demonstration on chickens and other poultry.

Unlike clinics for those showing large animals, this clinic was optional. Rommel said the aim is to make it a requirement by next year.

"The judge won't be terribly impressed if you take them out by the back legs and bring them to the judging table," said Rommel, explaining the proper way to hold and carry a chicken.

Rommel said that each judge looks for slightly different things.

"It depends on the judge," he said. "Know what bird you're bringing out, what duck, what chicken, what goose. He's not only judging the bird … he's judging you."

In preparing chickens for the fair, Rommel said to look for scaly leg mites, check for lice around the vent area, to wash chickens the day before, not to water broilers the morning or they'll feel too soft.

To prevent water-logging and "a river running down the middle of the barn by the end of the day," Rommel suggested restricting ducks' access to water.

Adults who spoke all stressed the importance of appearance when showing animals.

"Don't chew gum while you're showing," Margaret Burnett said.

Ponterio has been showing animals at the county fair since third grade. Over the years she's shown goats, sheep, pigs, rabbits and poultry.

"Pretty much everything except cows," said Ponterio, noting the irony that she lives on a dairy farm. The person responsible for giving the presentation on goats was a no-show. Falling on her experience, Ponterio offered up a concise presentation on preparing and showing goats.

"I think it gives them a sense of responsibility," said Erica Pozanc. "It educates them and shows them how to take care of something."

The amount of time kids spend preparing their animals varies. Some spend an hour or more each day. Others spend much less.

"It shows," Pozanc said.

Kim Ponterio, Valerie's mother and secretary of the small animal committee, said learning how to take care of the smaller animals does translate into taking better care of larger ones, like a dairy herd.

"I suppose you learn to do chores," Valerie Ponterio said. "The fair's just fun, that's it."

In past years, the Pozancs have offered their llamas to others wishing to show them.

Pozanc covered a wide range of llama-related topics, fielding questions from curious parents. Her daughter Jennifer, standing no taller than her llama's shoulder, led it around effortlessly.

Unlike large animals shown at the fair, you don't have to have a farm to raise and show small animals with the possible exception of llamas.

A growing number of Jackson County youngsters are raising rabbits and poultry in places no more rural than the city limits of Black River Falls, said Ray Burnett. The reason seems obvious when he explains it.

"You can't have a steer in the middle of Black River Falls," Burnett said.