The fashions at the Poultry Barn often go unnoticed — until now. Here we pause to admire the fluffy legs, wild mullets, brilliant red combs, soft downy breasts, sharp eyes and glossy wings of the farmyard. These top specimens hail from Waconia, Minneapolis, Monticello, Prior Lake, St. Paul, Stacy, Hudson, Wis., and White Bear Lake, shown by newcomers like Kitty Berg of St. Paul and old hands like Adrian Rademacher, in his 52nd year showing. Besides their good looks, the roosters can raise a raucous racket — check out the State Fair crowing contest — and the hens deliver what we need for a delicious breakfast. If you missed the parade of poultry pulchritude this year, be sure and add it to your schedule of events for the 2023 fair. Until then, keep learning, eat well, and do blue-ribbon work.
A Plymouth Rock cockerel shown by Adrian Rademacher of Waconia.
Anthony Souffle, Star Tribune
A blue silkie cockerel shown by Ellianna Hink, 12, of Minneapolis.
Anthony Souffle, Star Tribune
A Serama cockerel shown by Nancy Kimmer of Monticello.
Anthony Souffle, Star Tribune
A Polish cockerel shown by Adrian Rademacher of Waconia.
Anthony Souffle, Star Tribune
A Rhode Island Red cockerel shown by Adrian Rademacher of Waconia.
Anthony Souffle, Star Tribune
A Cochin chicken shown by Clark Dutton of Hudson, Wis.
Anthony Souffle, Star Tribune
A Brahma hen shown by Ian Ulvin of Stacy.
Anthony Souffle, Star Tribune
A Cochin chicken shown by Clark Dutton of Hudson, Wis.
Anthony Souffle, Star Tribune
A Marans pullet shown by Kitty Berg of St. Paul.
Anthony Souffle, Star Tribune
A Polish cockerel shown by Michelle Ulvin of Stacy.
Anthony Souffle, Star Tribune
A Sebright shown by Bryan Anderson of White Bear Lake.
Anthony Souffle, Star Tribune
A Cochin cockerel shown by Rick Klehr of Prior Lake.
Anthony Souffle, Star Tribune
A Cochin pullet shown by Laura Anderson of White Bear Lake.
Anthony Souffle, Star Tribune
A Cochin cockerel shown by Rick Klehr of Prior Lake.