Silkie breeding, genetics & showing

[destiny_56085]

This is a blue hen that I still have... She get's knocked every time for size, but I think as far as type and color, she's my ideal too for blue.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Quote: I really dislike stacking cages on top of each other. One level or the other always looses out. Sometimes the top level is so high that you can't really get a good overall view of the birds, and all too often the bottom tier doesn't have enough lighting to see them well. Too many showrooms are insufficiently lit, and/or the lighting is cheap fluorescents that noticibly change the appearance of colours.

I am impressed with the idea of checking birds appearance under different lighting conditions to determine which ones to take to a show. Of course, you need to know the conditions of the showroom in advance for that...

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Quote: I have seen judges take a bird outside to check in natural light. Just be aware that sometimes the weather doesn't cooperate with that (cold, snow, rain, heat). When you don;t understand a placement or a comment on the card, the best thing to do is to politely ask the judge (when they are finished judging). If the bird looked likt the bottom photo, the judge was probably looking for the darker head and hackles of a blue. But they might also have seen some foreign colouring or brassiness or ...

 

[thedragonlady]

This is what I think of when I look at a properly colored blue cock/cockerel:

YES !! That is a proper Blue !

 

[Adoravachick]

YES !! That is a proper Blue !

ah, yes, there it is....

 

[Adoravachick]

This is what I think of when I look at a properly colored blue cock/cockerel:

Gorgeous!!!

 

[redrocketrooster]

Judges are human. They can only judge what they see. There should be contrast between a Blue bird's head and hackle, and it's breast. Lighting does make a huge difference in colored birds. I showed Silver Laced Wyandotte Lf and bantams for years. If they were cooped on a bottom tier, they almost disappeared behind the wire. My Columbians would beat them every time for CH. RCCL, as they were more visible.

This does not change the fact that there are too many people showing who do not read the Standard. It's all very well to call a bird a color, but if it cannot be seen in the showroom that the bird is the required color, it will not win. Your post is VERY relevant.

I'm so glad chinchillas cannot be stacked! My beige and whites would look sullen and lack any sheen.

Is it possible to politely ask a judge to take a bird outside into the light if there is any question? I am going to be bringing Icelynn again this year and if the lighting is the same i'm wondering if the same thing might happen. The sheen on her feathers reflects the lighting from florescent lights and makes her look like a completely different bird

added note, this bird along with another older bird the same color both lost out to much darker birds like Adorava's. I was talking with a well known local breeder and she said she was also wondering why. The judge wrote COLOR on their coop cards

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sonoran Silkies

I really dislike stacking cages on top of each other. One level or the other always looses out. Sometimes the top level is so high that you can't really get a good overall view of the birds, and all too often the bottom tier doesn't have enough lighting to see them well. Too many showrooms are insufficiently lit, and/or the lighting is cheap fluorescents that noticibly change the appearance of colours.

I am impressed with the idea of checking birds appearance under different lighting conditions to determine which ones to take to a show. Of course, you need to know the conditions of the showroom in advance for that..

Chicken shows sound...cold and slightly impersonal. At chinchilla shows judges request all comments and questions be held till the end of a round. After the round is complete any person may request the judges re-visit any animal in more detail. Even animals that do not belong to them. During rounds the judges try their best to make precise comments for each chinchilla. Such as, "Clarity is down, bar is muddy, too small, fur slips and discoloration." Many breeders request judges take a look at animals that weren't even shown at the event when they have time. Like a new purchase or a young animal that traveled with. I have never had a judge take an animal into a different lighting during show. They will use a smaller portable fixture if they are having a hard time seeing the fur. I have seen breeders request the judge see the animal after the show in their preferred lighting. While this does not change the show results it does give the breeder an opportunity to hear a judges comments on the animal's better side. Or so to speak.

You need minimal research to predict show lights. Call around to the show coordinator or the building manger and question what type of lighting is used. Or you can be crazy paranoid like me and place your animals in several different lights and then judge them personally in each one. Take photos and then flip the image horizontally on the computer. It makes your animal less recognizable and allow you to see flaws that were originally missed when the animal was in front of you. Artists use this skill when painting!

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Quote:

Chicken shows sound...cold and slightly impersonal. At chinchilla shows judges request all comments and questions be held till the end of a round. After the round is complete any person may request the judges re-visit any animal in more detail. Even animals that do not belong to them. During rounds the judges try their best to make precise comments for each chinchilla. Such as, "Clarity is down, bar is muddy, too small, fur slips and discoloration." Many breeders request judges take a look at animals that weren't even shown at the event when they have time. Like a new purchase or a young animal that traveled with. I have never had a judge take an animal into a different lighting during show. They will use a smaller portable fixture if they are having a hard time seeing the fur. I have seen breeders request the judge see the animal after the show in their preferred lighting. While this does not change the show results it does give the breeder an opportunity to hear a judges comments on the animal's better side. Or so to speak.

You need minimal research to predict show lights. Call around to the show coordinator or the building manger and question what type of lighting is used. Or you can be crazy paranoid like me and place your animals in several different lights and then judge them personally in each one. Take photos and then flip the image horizontally on the computer. It makes your animal less recognizable and allow you to see flaws that were originally missed when the animal was in front of you. Artists use this skill when painting!

I would not say that chicken shows are cold. Just obviously different than chinchilla shows. Judging is not a spectator event, although it is very common for exhibitors t hang out the next row over to watch how their birds are placed. Some judges will talk a bit more loudly when commenting to the clerk. I've never had difficulty getting a judge to look at birds and answer questions. You just have to wait until they are finished judging. Depending on the number of birds entered and the number of judges, they are often kept pretty busy for most of the day. I've known folks to ask a judge to help them select between sale birds, but that is usually if they are new to chickens or that breed.

 

[PaintedFeathers]

I would not say that chicken shows are cold. Just obviously different than chinchilla shows. Judging is not a spectator event, although it is very common for exhibitors t hang out the next row over to watch how their birds are placed. Some judges will talk a bit more loudly when commenting to the clerk. I've never had difficulty getting a judge to look at birds and answer questions. You just have to wait until they are finished judging. Depending on the number of birds entered and the number of judges, they are often kept pretty busy for most of the day. I've known folks to ask a judge to help them select between sale birds, but that is usually if they are new to chickens or that breed.

I've never been able to get a hold of a judge after showing is over, they high tail it out of there

 

[Adoravachick]

I've never been able to get a hold of a judge after showing is over, they high tail it out of there

Yes, I've seen that on more than one occasion. Last year, I had one judge act very annoyed with me for asking him to review my bird and the one next to it that won (I came in second). He was helpful, but I could tell he wasn't happy with me. The way that I feel, if you are here to judge birds, be present and open with exhibitors.
When showing horses, we could always get judge comments after the fact, and ask questions. It is very helpful to know the negative and positives about your animal. I just would love to see judges be more receptive to questions and give me an honest answer. I would not be offended by a judge being very frank with me. I worked hard to hatch and raise that bird, help me out a bit to do better for next time. We all want to breed up.