Black Copper Marans discussion thread

[upthecreek]

(this is in response to those who were talking about judges that do not know what a Marans is - sorry-guess i should have chosen a different way to post this)


One of you with good knowledge should clerk for these judges ..(have your APA standards with you)..... of course you would not want to be showing birds the day you clerk .
The clubs will be happy to have known(make yourself known to the club's officers) Clerk Volunteers . As it's a JOB that many run from and the clubs often have trouble finding people to clerk-much less find knowledgeable people to clerk .
Shannon South Alabama

 

[xlboergoats]

(this is in response to those who were talking about judges that do not know what a Marans is - sorry-guess i should have chosen a different way to post this)


One of you with good knowledge should clerk for these judges ..(have your APA standards with you)..... of course you would not want to be showing birds the day you clerk .
The clubs will be happy to have known(make yourself known to the club's officers) Clerk Volunteers . As it's a JOB that many run from and the clubs often have trouble finding people to clerk-much less find knowledgeable people to clerk .
Shannon South Alabama

Clerking is a tough job just like judging is a tough job. As I stated earlier, some of the judges come and ask us questions concerning the breed and the Standards. After all, we spend more time working with this breed than most of the judges. I feel that these are judges who are trying to get an understanding of the breed. Many of the judges will stay in the barns after judging and visit. This is a great time for us to learn from each other.

When we are at shows, we are showing. We have to travel too far to shows just to go and watch. I would love to clerk for any of the judges who judge the shows that we attend, but we are too busy on show day. We are usually working right up until the judge gets to our breed.

HiHo, HiHo, it's off to the Bluebonnet Classic we go. Safe travels everyone. If anyone is planning on attending the show, please look us up. We would love to meet you face to face and visit with you.

Regards,
Ernie Haire
Arp, Texas
www.Marans2XL.com

 

[ashandvine]

This pullet I am referring to with the white ear is the most camera shy thing I have come across... except the Dorking cockerel. I can't get near him for much of anything unless its in the dark barn where not pic can be taken anyway.

I have pullets here who should be at pol and yet... no eggs, not even one. Its terribly cold here and only a few birds of the many are laying but I have to ask again just to reassure myself: Marans pol is typically when? I keep seeing everyone else's avatar pics of incredibly chocolatey eggs (as opposed to the terra cotta which are also lovely) and I think I have egg envy. Why the difference in terra cotta and chocolate? I have heard some of the varieties lay darker than others. Is there truth to this?

 

[Wynette]

I have an opinion on showing any variety of Marans. I had entries in nine APA sanctioned shows. I show blue and silver/blue birchen. I have seen judges that took the time to remove birds from the cage and really look them over,and I have seen some judges that went through the class without opening a single cage. We are supposed to be able to learn from these judges what faults our birds have so as to improve our breeds,not just the Marans. After watching some of these judges work I can say anyone trying to show Marans has a very steep uphill battle,regardless of variety. For those of us who were at Ohio nationals and knows what happened with the black copper it was obvious he did not care about the outcome of his work. There were some Marans that were in the wrong class,these were not a recognized variety so they were judged and as listed and move on. I do not show black copper,but I'm going to start in 2013 and right now I'm not sure what to take,if you go by the S O P I have some nice pullets,but that judge also has to go by that same S O P or I just have chickens. A long uphill battle,but I guess that's why we are in it. Just my opinion.

Hi, friends! It's been forever since I've been on the thread, it's just been a super busy time in my life lately, but I've missed y'all!

I was at the show you mentioned above, and I think what I took away from it is that you can't always count on every judge to judge the way you think they ought to. Most of the Marans folks there felt their birds got the shaft in the judging, and I personally agree. However, I think the wrong thing to do in a situation like this is to make a big stink about it at the show (I'm not saying that you did at all - I don't even know you). It's important for us all to remember that the acceptance of the Black Copper was precarious at best...that said, I believe we (and when I say "we" I mean folks breeding for showing) are being watched closely in how we are moving the breed forward, and even how we conduct ourselves. I was disappointed in the results of that particular show, and I felt badly for those who weren't, in m opinion, given a fair shake, so to speak. But...I guess we just breed to what we feel the SOP says, and move on, hoping that next time, the judging will reflect our hard work.

 

[marquisella]

Quote: Clerking takes up the whole day, and not many of us have the time. I know I am usually sitting at the egg show table to promote the breed. I used to hang a copy of the standard on one of my cages before they were accepted. I don't do that now so not to offend the judge, but yes, sometimes they need to have a copy there. The best judges I've seen actually have a copy of the sop & carry it around for reference; Unfortunately Marans aren't in it yet.

 

[NYREDS]

Clerking takes up the whole day, and not many of us have the time. I know I am usually sitting at the egg show table to promote the breed. I used to hang a copy of the standard on one of my cages before they were accepted. I don't do that now so not to offend the judge, but yes, sometimes they need to have a copy there. The best judges I've seen actually have a copy of the sop & carry it around for reference; Unfortunately Marans aren't in it yet.

Clerking doesn't need to take up the whole day. I'm secretary for 2 different shows & we often rotate clerks throughout the day so that people have time to do other things.
Hanging a copy of the standard or anything else that calls attention to a particular bird is not permitted. If anything a copy of the standard might be hung at the beginning of a class on an unoccupied cage.
I can't imagine judging w/0 a standard available-my memory isn't that good especially when I come on a breed/variety rarely seen in the area I judge.
At this point 2 varieties of Marans have been admitted to the APA Standard: Black Copper & Wheaten.

 

[upthecreek]

Good Luck Ernie at the BlueBonnet Classic !!!

Yes anything worth doing is usually tough . That's why we need one person with knowledge "that's not showing" to take up the job ....... it is a real link to success for everyone .
Clerking is not so bad once a person does it for a short time and the things one can learn is forever valuable !!!

Clerking is a golden opportunity for that certain person and could also be for the breed .

Shannon Nelson .........
South Alabama

 

[Wynette]

Clerking doesn't need to take up the whole day. I'm secretary for 2 different shows & we often rotate clerks throughout the day so that people have time to do other things.
Hanging a copy of the standard or anything else that calls attention to a particular bird is not permitted. If anything a copy of the standard might be hung at the beginning of a class on an unoccupied cage.
I can't imagine judging w/0 a standard available-my memory isn't that good especially when I come on a breed/variety rarely seen in the area I judge.
At this point 2 varieties of Marans have been admitted to the APA Standard: Black Copper & Wheaten.

Hey, Bill! Would you mind briefly going over what the clerk's responsibilities are? I've seen them at shows, and it appears they jot down the judge's comments as they go down each row. I've also seen them ask judges questions along the way - I assume that's part of the "perks" of clerking. I've not noticed anything in the SOP that talks about clerking, but I confess I spend most of my time in the sections for my breeds and the front 38 pages.

 

[upthecreek]

I'm not Bill , but if my memory will let me i'll tell you what i remember about clerking .... it's been a few years ; basically the clerk records all of the placements that the judge makes ....... the clerk will have a form that has locations for each placement . If it is going real fast the clerk can takes the information that he needs from the coop cards .... as the judge will mark his placements on them .
When judging is finished for a class or variety the clerk will hand this sheet with info into the show secretary .

Hope this helps and if i've made mistakes someone do let us know. It's a job you can be proud of also and as stated usually you will get replacement s often giving you a break .

Shannon........
South Alabama

Hey, Bill!  Would you mind briefly going over what the clerk's responsibilities are?  I've seen them at shows, and it appears they jot down the judge's comments as they go down each row.  I've also seen them ask judges questions along the way - I assume that's part of the "perks" of clerking.  I've not noticed anything in the SOP that talks about clerking, but I confess I spend most of my time in the sections for my breeds and the front 38 pages. 

 

[flgardengirl]

I know, we have to pick out what we need to improve on. It always seems the best roo, with the black breast, has black ear tuffs...2 years ago I have very dark eggs, mostly 7 on our clubs chart. So I did what most people would do, I think, kept only those chicks who hatched from those eggs. The rooster who sired those chicks, had nice black breast, great combs, and probably were the best rooster I have produced. Am I complaining? Well, this year, I am getting fairly dark eggs, not as dark as before, but I am also getting clean legged chicks. That clean leg gene has obviously been concentrated in my flock and its rearinng its head now. What I'm taking from this is, I will definnitely keep any chick that has feathered legs, they should not have the recessive gene at all, I think..Unfortunately a fox killed 3 of my promising cockerels last fall, so I'm down to just 2 boys who will definitely go and not be used again due to the clean leg issue.

Its always something...breeding is so much fun!

I have roos with black breasts and copper ear lobes and decent shank/outer toe feathering and from uber dark eggs. One of the sons of one of the black breasted has just a few flecks of copper in his chest and also from dark egg gened parents. My main problem is that many of these roos also have shorter backs grrr. It is always something...eventually we will get everything just right lol.
I do have a few hens that have mostly nicely feathered shanks but then there will be about an half inch of space that does not have feathering the same as the rest of the shank. They are throwing chicks with appropriate feathering so that is good.

Clerking and judging does seem like a like of work. Do these people get paid or is it strictly volunteer? I hope I can do something like that some day but it will prob be a long long time before I ever get that kind of time to spare lol.