Old and Rare Breeds

[ChickenCanoe]

This is true but a bird with a frostbite comb is also 'not showable.' Of course, you could enter such a bird in a show, but he wouldn't place well. Besides, exhibitions are for showing off the best we have. This is something many don't seem to understand about Shows. Condition means a whole lot when it comes to judging a bird.

I see folks who have never even been to a poultry show pick up some dirty old chicken, stuff it in a carrier and enter it in a show (and then wonder why their pet chicken didn't win). This is a ridiculous type of attitude.

I was suggesting dubbing because obviously this particular bird is not a show bird but a breeder. Frost-bit combs can/do affect breeding. Thus, my advice to dub.

And I do appreciate the advice.

The first show I went to as an adult, I saw the dirty old chickens to which you refer. I remember thinking that all my birds looked better than most of those being shown.
A couple years later the judge from that show bought some of my chickens. After examining each bird as he pulled them out of the cage, he said "you sure have some clean birds".
It made me feel pretty good.

 

[NYREDS]

A little bit of olive oil on the comb in the winter will inhibit frostbite. It also keeps you fingers warm when you have to do delicate tasks where gloves get in the way.

Maybe olive oil will inhibit frostbite in Tennessee but not here in northern New York where it gets down to 30 below zero.

 

[NYREDS]

to be honest its a bit mean to dub their combs so why not breed them for no combs instead

How exactly would one go about doing that?

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Perhaps raise breeds with pea and other small combs.

 

[NYREDS]

This is true but a bird with a frostbite comb is also 'not showable.' Of course, you could enter such a bird in a show, but he wouldn't place well. Besides, exhibitions are for showing off the best we have. This is something many don't seem to understand about Shows. Condition means a whole lot when it comes to judging a bird.

I see folks who have never even been to a poultry show pick up some dirty old chicken, stuff it in a carrier and enter it in a show (and then wonder why their pet chicken didn't win). This is a ridiculous type of attitude.

I was suggesting dubbing because obviously this particular bird is not a show bird but a breeder. Frost-bit combs can/do affect breeding. Thus, my advice to dub.

That is remarkable isn't it. A poultry show is nothing more than a beauty contest so it always surprises me when i see birds that are so far out of show condition being shown. I judged a show this past Sunday & there were some birds entered that I'd have been embarassed to have seen in my barn let alone in a show cage with my exhibitor number on it. They were present in every class i judged [and I saw some in other classes as well]. Birds that were filthy & caked with manure; birds with missing tails-not some missing tail feathers mind you-missing entire tails; birds with overgrown beaks; birds with all the points frozen off their comb; birds with every condition issue possible. Interestingly, the worst of them were all non-standard birds-you know the Lemon Cuckoos, the Lavenders, the "AOVs". In short, the kind of birds so popular here. It's bad enough when birds like this are seen in junior shows but the worst of them were in the open classes. And yes, I did overhear some of the owners of these birds complaing that their birds didn't fare well because the judges were in competent.

 

[Alaskan]

Maybe shows need to hand out "basic information about showing your birds" to all people who sign up o show a bird...even if the information is read after the bird is entered, the hope would be that they would know better for the next show.

 

[NYREDS]

Maybe shows need to hand out "basic information about showing your birds" to all people who sign up o show a bird...even if the information is read after the bird is entered, the hope would be that they would know better for the next show.

Maybe people who decide to show chickens [or undertake any other new activity] should do some homework first. That said, it would seem that the word "show" suggests the birds should be made to look their best.

 

[Alaskan]

I totally agree....but again, if you are doing a completely new activity, it isn't always very easy to find all of the required information.

I just think that a one page flier with the obvious basics, like "bring only clean, disease free birds, who are in good quality feather" or something like that, would help the ignorant who just need a little information.

Of course, there are I am sure, many who simply don't care, and will bring whatever. But, more information out there will be more helpful, and maybe help a few.

 

[Zanna]

That is remarkable isn't it. A poultry show is nothing more than a beauty contest so it always surprises me when i see birds that are so far out of show condition being shown. I judged a show this past Sunday & there were some birds entered that I'd have been embarassed to have seen in my barn let alone in a show cage with my exhibitor number on it. They were present in every class i judged [and I saw some in other classes as well]. Birds that were filthy & caked with manure; birds with missing tails-not some missing tail feathers mind you-missing entire tails; birds with overgrown beaks; birds with all the points frozen off their comb; birds with every condition issue possible. Interestingly, the worst of them were all non-standard birds-you know the Lemon Cuckoos, the Lavenders, the "AOVs". In short, the kind of birds so popular here. It's bad enough when birds like this are seen in junior shows but the worst of them were in the open classes. And yes, I did overhear some of the owners of these birds complaing that their birds didn't fare well because the judges were in competent.

I was at the Pacific Northwest Poultry Show this weekend in Washington observing. Gary Overton was one of the judges. An exhibitor brought 8 New Hampshires. Two were Cocks who were just coming out of molt, their feathers looked awfull. First thought I would be embarassed to bring these two birds to be judged. Second thought, molt is a natural occurence and these birds were clean and obviously well prepared. In this situation does the judge look at "type" and forgive the timing of the molt or is my first thought the right one?

 

[BGMatt]

I was at the Pacific Northwest Poultry Show this weekend in Washington observing.  Gary Overton was one of the judges.  An exhibitor brought 8 New Hampshires.  Two were Cocks who were just coming out of molt, their feathers looked awfull.  First thought I would be embarassed to bring these two birds to be judged.  Second thought, molt is a natural occurence and these birds were clean and obviously well prepared.  In this situation does the judge look at "type" and forgive the timing of the molt or is my first thought the right one?

In your standard look at the scale of points. It holds the answers to your questions.