Blue Laced Red Wyandotte THREAD!

[Farmer Viola]

nothing says you can't go to the show and observe... there's a lot to learn just by looking at the other birds and comparing them to what you have, or think you have.

that's a really good point.. I would have so much fun now that I know what to look for

You should always worry about bringing home disease..it is a huge risk when you take your birds out of your yard. A bit of precaution and you will be fine..

You must have the birds tested before showing. You have to send in your paperwork with entries. You need to keep copies with you at all times at bird shows and have them at entrance(check in) in some shows.
I keep my birds in condition pens for showing..they are away from the general flock..when I get home they go back in those pens. If I have a bird that did not cut it at the shows and the Judge tells me it is not breeder quality I just cull it when I get home. They stay in those pens for the remainder of show season or 30 days. I feed them differently and give them added herbs and fermented feeds to keep them safe from cocci stress of traveling.

I retest all birds before I put them back with my flock and I add one of my flock birds to the show birds the last two weeks of confinement.

Wow, that is quite the process, thank you for sharing. Really gives me an idea of what I will need to have set up in order to do that (individual pens, etc). I also like that you keep them in the pens for the entire 30 days AND that you retest before putting them back with your flock. Realistically, that is more of a 1 or 2 year goal for me, I think.

What is the testing process? do you test at home or do you have to send that off to a lab or something? I imagine that would get expensive?

What do you get if you WIN a show (other than the best bird around)? $$? just curious?

 

[delisha]

Quote: Many people test their flocks..I recommend it even if you do not show. Most States have a LAB. I took a few tests and I can test birds. You can also take the test and test your own birds. After you test your birds a State tech comes to your home and inspects your flock, equipment, the way you dispose of birds, all kinds of things. Each State costs different prices i would think. Many are free and most are reasonable. The Antigen is a small investment and it works great if you have people who live close and you split the costs.

..The cost of entry is a few dollars a bird..if you win..the feeling you get is more money than they give you. Some prizes can be cages, trophies, money, books, and knowledge. You can never win enough money to make it worth it. I bring extra birds and sell them at the shows. If I enter 10 pullets and need only 5 I sell the ones I do not need at the show to off set the cost. I always bring extra birds. I usually sell all the extras if I remember to mark the cages after the last staging of the show. Pullets are easy to sell..cockerels..not so much. I have sold breeding Trios too.

Testing process:
Call your State and ask what you need to do..
http://www.aphis.usda.gov/animal_health/animal_dis_spec/poultry/participants.shtml
This link will tell you all you need to do too.
Purchase Antigen and equipment
make appointment with tester (you pay the tester or get certified to test yourself)
confine your birds for testing on testing day (clean your coops and get paper work in order before)
Testing involves blood.....some tests are a simple smear on a test table..and other tests..blood is drawn into test tubes. The first year they test all your birds..every year after they test a portion if you have a large amount.
You do not pay for an inspection..the inspection is included in the price of your license.( I am pretty sure this is standard for all States..but I could be wrong)

 

[delisha]

Showing is very exciting..It is a place to meet like minded people who are so very wonderful and like to brag and share information. I love chicken people..

 

[Countrypunk92]

Yea, I got it now. Iindentation is a fault, but side sprigs and iverted are DQs...

I do have a roo with side sprigs, but hens have nice tight combs, he has the lacing I need so hoping it will give a few good breeders.

 

[Countrypunk92]

Many people test their flocks..I recommend it even if you do not show. Most States have a LAB. I took a few tests and I can test birds. You can also take the test and test your own birds. After you test your birds a State tech comes to your home and inspects your flock, equipment, the way you dispose of birds, all kinds of things. Each State costs different prices i would think. Many are free and most are reasonable. The Antigen is a small investment and it works great if you have people who live close and you split the costs.

..The cost of entry is a few dollars a bird..if you win..the feeling you get is more money than they give you. Some prizes can be cages, trophies, money, books, and knowledge. You can never win enough money to make it worth it. I bring extra birds and sell them at the shows. If I enter 10 pullets and need only 5 I sell the ones I do not need at the show to off set the cost. I always bring extra birds. I usually sell all the extras if I remember to mark the cages after the last staging of the show. Pullets are easy to sell..cockerels..not so much. I have sold breeding Trios too.

Testing process:
Call your State and ask what you need to do..
http://www.aphis.usda.gov/animal_health/animal_dis_spec/poultry/participants.shtml
This link will tell you all you need to do too.
Purchase Antigen and equipment
make appointment with tester (you pay the tester or get certified to test yourself)
confine your birds for testing on testing day (clean your coops and get paper work in order before)
Testing involves blood.....some tests are a simple smear on a test table..and other tests..blood is drawn into test tubes. The first year they test all your birds..every year after they test a portion if you have a large amount.
You do not pay for an inspection..the inspection is included in the price of your license.( I am pretty sure this is standard for all States..but I could be wrong)

Be sure, If you go to a show to show birds or to see eye candy, you take a shower and change clothes before going out to your birds, diseases can spread very easily.

 

[DMRippy]

Quote: Shoes.... don't forget about cleaning or changing shoes......

 

[Farmer Viola]

Testing

THANK YOU!!!!!

Shoes.... don't forget about cleaning or changing shoes......

Be sure, If you go to a show to show birds or to see eye candy, you take a shower and change clothes before going out to your birds, diseases can spread very easily.

really good points, thank you. I can feel the paranoia setting in already.

 

[DMRippy]

Wait till you see the sick birds at the shows.... you will get even more PARANOID. GRANTED I have not been to many REAL Shows but at the fairs and auctions it is BAD.

I could tell you the HORROR Story of one of my customers..... MG and culling her WHOLE FLOCK from birds she brought home..... better safe than sorry. They don't usually test for the REALLY BAD STUFF.... like MG.

I personally will NEVER show. I just am not set up to quarantine birds for 30 days once they come back home. I have heard one too many stories about sick birds at shows infecting flocks and having to close their flocks forever because of it. I just am not that much of a risk taker.

I will go to shows, but I will not show.

 

[Farmer Viola]

OMG

WHO would bring sick birds to a show? That is so cruel? wow... I mean by accident you can't be mad. but clearly sick?? that would make me so angry to see....

 

[delisha]

OMG

WHO would bring sick birds to a show? That is so cruel? wow... I mean by accident you can't be mad. but clearly sick?? that would make me so angry to see....

you see it at every show, swap, fair..

Not so much cruel as irresponsible.

when you go to a fair, swap, show, report all sick birds you see. Toleration is also part of the problem. Show Stewart's remove the birds..they will even tag cages for mites or dirty birds. The tags hang on the cage for all to see that the birds have mites..etc the show catalog tell you who belongs to the birds..it usually discourages people to repeat the offense and encourages people to take shows seriously enough to have birds in top condition.

Just do not ever bring your birds or buy birds unless you have quarantine quarters. Many tests are not required and many people do not test for everything.

Preparation and making your birds healthy and strong to resist disease should be everyone goal. Taking precautions and having a plan should be the goal..not fear.

Going to the feed store is more of a risk than going to a show. Everyone who has birds enters a feed store..most do not test.they ware the same shoes to the store as in the coop..you bring it home on your car tires, cloths and shoes.

Use the same procedures to take care of your birds..
ware the same shoes and cloths just for chickens and do not ware them off your property. (I have a different pair for each coop)
I never take care of new chicks with the same cloths I ware outdoors(chicks I hatch)
I never touch chicks with my hands unless washed and sanitized. I have a million more bacteria on my hands than a chicken has.
chicks hatched outside under a broody get antibodies from mom by eating her poo the first few days..chicks hatched indoors are usually scrubbed clean and we don't offer the same protection. (I do bring in a handful of deep litter and add it to the brooder box)

It works for me and there are several options.