Approximately how old should chickens be before you can properly assess them for SOP?

[Florida Bullfrog]

I’m no expert on showing. I have two lines I am attempting to breed to the SOP, and I have found that when it comes to persnickety details, some flaws or positive traits are not apparent until after 18 months. The chicken body goes through a lot of changes between 6 months and 18 months.

 

[RuffIedFeathers]

I’m no expert on showing. I have two lines I am attempting to breed to the SOP, and I have found that when it comes to persnickety details, some flaws or positive traits are not apparent until after 18 months. The chicken body goes through a lot of changes between 6 months and 18 months.

Thank you! Do you have any examples of traits that you need to wait longer for to see? I'm learning, so I'm genuinely interested.

 

[sdm111]

Thank you! Do you have any examples of traits that you need to wait longer for to see? I'm learning, so I'm genuinely interested.

I don't know about regular chicken but games aren't considered show able till 2 years. Even 1.5 is on the close end I should have said 2.

 

[Florida Bullfrog]

Thank you! Do you have any examples of traits that you need to wait longer for to see? I'm learning, so I'm genuinely interested.

Stance. My American game bantams are supposed to have the tip of their beaks line up with the tip of their breasts during a normal stance. I’ve seen that come and go with age.

Same with tail carriage. I’ve seen some roosters hold their tail high until their 18 month molt and drop it afterward and visa versa.

 

[Amer]

Stance. My American game bantams are supposed to have the tip of their beaks line up with the tip of their breasts during a normal stance. I’ve seen that come and go with age.

Same with tail carriage. I’ve seen some roosters hold their tail high until their 18 month molt and drop it afterward and visa versa.

So true! My d’Anvers hen won a lot 2 years ago and now she drops her tail all the time, except when angry. However, her sister, who never did so well as a young bird now wins consistently because she does show a lot nowadays. And my pullet also started to shine when that one molted. I’m still going to use them all for breeding, but I think they might have different effects. Or it might just be influenced by their personality. They all have unique personalities and that definitely plays a roll in how birds show.
A lot of folks wait until a hen’s molt due to the complexity of coloring.

 

[3KillerBs]

Same with tail carriage. I’ve seen some roosters hold their tail high until their 18 month molt and drop it afterward and visa versa.

Which makes me wonder if chickens get arthritis and change their posture from it like humans do.

 

[Amer]

Maybe, but it also seems like a general trend that the type “settles” with age, probably because the birds fill out more.

 

[HaikuHeritageFarm]

I start assessing at hatch and the process is ongoing for the life of the bird. It's in constant competition with everything else I have available to work with and if at any point it shows itself to be conclusively inferior to something else I have available to work with, it's culled.