Best place to find SOP?

[WooingWyandotte]

I am sorry this is probably a very dumb question! Is there a place on BYC to find the SOP for any and all chicken breeds? Or do I need to purchase it? As a youth I remember there being some Standard of Perfection book that came out every year or something but it cost some money to purchase it. Is there no free resource for this?

 

[MysteryChicken]

I am sorry this is probably a very dumb question! Is there a place on BYC to find the SOP for any and all chicken breeds? Or do I need to purchase it? As a youth I remember there being some Standard of Perfection book that came out every year or something but it cost some money to purchase it. Is there no free resource for this?

Can be purchased at Amazon, or at Meyer's hatchery. Costs less through the hatchery.

 

[3KillerBs]

The cost of the SOP is why I'm using the Australian standards: http://www.openpoultrystandards.com/Main_Page

I'm not planning on showing, just keeping my birds as good representatives of their breed, so I figured that would be close enough.

 

[JedJackson]

I've gotten older ones at Goodwill for cheap. Maybe check Ebay or Amazon to see if there are any deals.

The SOP doesn't cover any and all breeds, only the breeds/varieties they have chosen to admit. You can go on their website to see which breeds are currently admitted.

If there is a specific breed you need info on, you can ask questions in here.

 

[WooingWyandotte]

The cost of the SOP is why I'm using the Australian standards: http://www.openpoultrystandards.com/Main_Page

I'm not planning on showing, just keeping my birds as good representatives of their breed, so I figured that would be close enough.

Thank you! I will check this out. I would like to show someday so I might just purchase it soon. But I definitely think I can attain some level of decency without it so I'll definitely read up on the Aussie version.

 

[WooingWyandotte]

I've gotten older ones at Goodwill for cheap. Maybe check Ebay or Amazon to see if there are any deals.

The SOP doesn't cover any and all breeds, only the breeds/varieties they have chosen to admit. You can go on their website to see which breeds are currently admitted.

If there is a specific breed you need info on, you can ask questions in here.

Oh good idea! I have two pens right now as that is all my yard can fit! (I'm definitely over my legal limit for the city).But I have Wheaten Marans and a few Ameraucana's, so I'm hoping to read up on the breed standards for those!

 

[MysteryChicken]

Thank you! I will check this out. I would like to show someday so I might just purchase it soon. But I definitely think I can attain some level of decency without it so I'll definitely read up on the Aussie version.

I have the same goal to show someday.

 

[JedJackson]

Oh good idea! I have two pens right now as that is all my yard can fit! (I'm definitely over my legal limit for the city).But I have Wheaten Marans and a few Ameraucana's, so I'm hoping to read up on the breed standards for those!

Marans are pretty recent additions, so you'd need a new version of the SOP for them.

Ameraucanas were admitted in 1984, with 8 varieties, black, blue, blue wheaten, brown red, buff, silver, wheaten and white. I believe lavender has been added recently, too.

Cocks, 6.5 pounds, cockerels 5.5 pounds, hens 5.5 pounds, pullets 4.5 pounds. They can deviate a little but from standards weights but not too much.

All varieties should have slate blue legs. Black and lavender can have dark slate legs or black legs. Bottoms of feet should always be white, never yellow.

Those are some basics.

Google images searches are helpful. Look for photos of birds at poultry shows or show quality birds of the breed/variety you wish to see. Or go to poultry shows and see if they have your varieties. After judging, the tags with placement of best of breed, best of variety, and 2nd, 3rd and so on will remain on the cages until the show is over. That is a really good resource. Also, try to get acquainted with breeders of your chosen breeds so you can get advice. This forum is a good resource for that, but also online searches could lead you there.

Best of luck!

 

[3KillerBs]

Google images searches are helpful. Look for photos of birds at poultry shows or show quality birds of the breed/variety you wish to see.

I'm afraid that this can be very difficult.

It is weird to me, but it doesn't seem that the poultry associations make much effort to publicize champion birds from their shows so that the public would know what a really top quality bird looks like.

 

[JedJackson]

I'm afraid that this can be very difficult.

It is weird to me, but it doesn't seem that the poultry associations make much effort to publicize champion birds from their shows so that the public would know what a really top quality bird looks like.

That is true, but sometimes you get lucky. I really wish the APA would make more of an effort with that. It would be a great way to publicize and improve our breeds.