2024-2025 Show Season

[RossAcres]

My older ones are growing wise to my catching methods, so Potato is our lovely volunteer for today.

You'll need both hands to catch the bird originally, so put your tools where you want to be (I find a dry, flat piece of ground and just go on my elbows and knees. You might want a towel so you don't get them dirty or ruin their chest feathers if they decide to try and move) and then grab the duck. I fill a feed bowl and just grab them when they first start eating. Bring them over to your tools, and gently pull the legs behind so they're resting on their stomach. Unlike chickens, they don't really use their wings to try and escape unless they're really panicked, they just rest there and complain.
View attachment 3948193
It looks uncomfortable, but Potato didn't seem to mind apart from being mad I was messing with him. Hold enough that they can't pull away and they generally stop trying after a few kicks don't get anywhere.

View attachment 3948194Use a finger (I have tiny hands so I have to use my middle just to reach enough) to curl the toes of one foot so the nails are pointing up. Helps to see the quicks a bit easier, I've learned. I forgot to take a picture of the dewclaws, you just put your thumb between the foot and the back toe to lift it up amd snip.

View attachment 3948195Repeat with the second foot, usually you'll have to set the clippers down and readjust your hold a bit. This is when I tend to have escapees if I do.

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Lifted his legs a bit more than intended with this shot, but he still didnt make a single complaint. You can see how my pinky is curved to lift up the foot enough to get the nails where I want them.

I hold them the same way when trimming wings, just plop them down, spread the wing, put your foot between the wing and body and snip snip. Takes like 3 minutes a bird tops once you figure out how to do it comfortably

Thanks so much for this! I ended up wrapping him in a towel this time. I will try your method next time!

 

[RossAcres]

How'd you do?? I had a few friends show at the Davvy Classic and they said it was a good time!

It was great! Definitely well ran for a first time show. Two of my favorite judges were there and did a great job judging.

 

[RossAcres]

Davy Classic Report!
Wins:
1st Card - Reserve RCCL White Wyandotte cockerel
- Champion Bantam Duck
- BB call duck white old drake
- RB call duck grey young drake
2nd Card - Champion RCCL White Wyandotte cockerel
- Champion Bantam Duck
- BB call duck white old drake
- RB call duck white old hen

This was a pretty good show! The judges were two of my favorites, Tater Britt and Ben Porter. The show was efficient and had a decent setup. One thing that bothered me a little bit was the handling of awards. Usually, all of the winners of classes go to Champion Row where the judges can see just those birds to judge for Champion. They didn't do this for some reason. That means the judges didn't look at the birds next to each other. One other thing is that they didn't announce the winners like I'm used to at other shows. They just laid the awards on top of the cages. So I don't know half of the winners because they didn't do a group huddle like normal. Other than that, it was a good show!

 

[RossAcres]

This upcoming weekend is the Alabama Bantam Club Fall Show in Anniston, Alabama. This show used to be in Clanton, Alabama, but they have moved it to Anniston due to funds. So far, I plan on entering the following birds:

• 3 Partridge Wyandotte Bantam Pullets
• 2 White Wyandottes (cockerel and pullet)
• Pastel Call Duck Young Drake
• Grey Call Duck Young Drake and Young Female
• White Call Duck Old Hen

This is my first time at this show. I go to Anniston for other shows but this is their first time hosting the show in Anniston. It's usually a quad show, meaning a double show on Friday night and a double show on Saturday morning. But since this is a new venue, they are just doing a Saturday Double show.

 

[RossAcres]

Here’s a picture of my buff drake at the Davey Classic. It was his first show! Judge liked his head width and shape but said he was a little dark.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

It was great! Definitely well ran for a first time show. Two of my favorite judges were there and did a great job judging.

I love when favorite judges are doing the shows. There was a pair of ARBA judges I loved that did a lot of shows. Even covered my 4H shows a few years since they were friends with my 4H leader

 

[RossAcres]

I love when favorite judges are doing the shows. There was a pair of ARBA judges I loved that did a lot of shows. Even covered my 4H shows a few years since they were friends with my 4H leader

What is crazy to me is that the judges knew me by name. I'm not as surprised by Mr. Porter knowing my name since I've seen him recently. But Mr. Britt hasn't seen me in about a year and even then I haven't conversed much with him. There were also so many people who ran into me and knew me but I could not for the life of me remember who they were I'm going to have to go through my FB friends list and remind myself who's who lol.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

What is crazy to me is that the judges knew me by name. I'm not as surprised by Mr. Porter knowing my name since I've seen him recently. But Mr. Britt hasn't seen me in about a year and even then I haven't conversed much with him. There were also so many people who ran into me and knew me but I could not for the life of me remember who they were I'm going to have to go through my FB friends list and remind myself who's who lol.

I know that feeling, lol. Happens all the time at fiber sales. Everyone knows me bylecause of mom and grandma, I know no one because I'm an angry hermit who's bad at names

 

[JacinLarkwell]

View attachment 3950016
Here’s a picture of my buff drake at the Davey Classic. It was his first show! Judge liked his head width and shape but said he was a little dark.

Dark over all or just the buff part?

 

[RossAcres]

Dark over all or just the buff part?

Just the buff part. Like his chest area. He may lighten up after a few molts. The females are lighter but are currently molting, so I didn't show them.