Arkansas folks speak up.........

[HallFamilyFarm]

Quote:
I thought the show was changed to May the 8th, but they never changed the online catalog. According to Ann Charles.

I called LR and the date is May 1.

 

[cbbantams]

I have noticed since joining the two Arkansas groups that there arent very many people on here that are into exhibiting poultry.I would like for the ones that are,to be able to talk and ask any questions that they might have.Usually the people that are showing have contacts for the type of brood stock needed to raise the quality of birds that you need to show.Also any upcoming shows,directions to the different shows,best motels,etc.This is my first year actually showing,but I have been attending every show that I could,and building up my brood stock over the last three years.We are going into this to be the best that we can.I know alot of folks just want to show at one or two shows a year,and thats great but they could use a group of people to talk with if they need some help or information.I have a friend that is a Master Exhibitor and has forgotten more about breeding birds than I will ever know,but he has helped me more than anything.Not everyone has someone like this to talk with,so I would like for this to be a place that anyone could talk or ask for help exhibiting.If I could share any information that I have I would be glad to help.I'm far from an expert but I have learned a few things.

 

[Chicky Tocks]

Thank you cbbantams

My question is basicallly a reflection on my above comment. Do most quarantine after a show for the recommended 30 days? And if so, how easy is it to reintroduce the birds to the flock?

Or do those who show usually keep their birds in individual cages?

 

[cbbantams]

We show a male line only.We will seperate our males and females as soon as we can tell the difference in them out of the brooders.As soon as any of our males start showing potential ,then he is put in his own pen.They are kept seperate until the end of the show season,usually in January.After that they are either saved to be breeders for the next year or sold.Hope that answers your question.

 

[Chicky Tocks]

Yep.

That's an excellent answer and I can envision the setup. Thank you! I can also imagine a nicely relaxed flock of hens.

 

[cbbantams]

Yeah,we will keep 10 or 15 pullets together until we decide who's going to be breeders and who's going to be sold.We have three different blood lines so we can pair them up at the end of the year and not sell people brothers and sisters.

 

[bigstack]

At what age can you begin to show birds? I wanted to enter the pine bluff show but my birds are still young. But the size ofsome of the JG's ( couldn't have been mature) at the show makes me think I might have missed out. I have some beautiful birds already showing great prommis. I am still very new. I am just going on what I have read as to breed perfection standards. They aren't perfect but looking very good! I just thought they had to be mature?

Thanks and God bless!

 

[cbbantams]

I know on our OE Bantams we shoot for six months old.I'm not sure on Large Fowl,I dont know if people wait longer to show them or not.Maybe someone else can answer that for you.

 

[rodriguezpoultry]

cbbantams, nice to see you helping promote the fancy!

Do you show any largefowl?


My own personal flock is small and not very well maintained at the moment. That being said, I have won BB and some C. Largefowl once or twice. I'm more for breeding and growing my flock, but birds that look good, have no faults and are not torn up all to heck are eligible for me to show. Thanks to time constraints, I can't keep my birds in show condition, but having the Langshans make it hard to keep them in condition anyway.

My females are usually in better condition than the male. The male gets his tail torn up in the cage, when breeding etc. My females have yet to have one feather torn out by the male, even though there's only two. I know it's just a fluke, but awesome nonetheless.

I try to not make biosecurity a huge ordeal with my flock. The birds are tested yearly. I look at the birds in the cages, luckily most superintendents will remove sick birds, some simply won't. If there was a sick bird in the vicinity of my bird, I will isolate that bird for 2 weeks. Otherwise, they all go back into the pens. I have yet to have a disease issue in 12 years of showing. It's not long in the showing world, but I hope to continue the fancy for quite a while.

If you're looking for an excellent show, go to the Shawnee show in Shawnee, OK as a fun weekend. I believe there's a Fayetteville show that will be held in the Washington County Fairgrounds soon, but I need to check the dates.

 

[rodriguezpoultry]

Quote:
It depends on the breed, but a minimum age, in my opinion is 9 months at least. I usually show earlier so that the birds will get acclimated to the showing atmosphere, but I never expect to place with those. Some breeds can take up to a year. My Langshans aren't even, in my opinion, close to showing until almost 10 months, but I'll show them around 6 months (at shows that are nearby) just to get them calm for later in life.