Bob Blosl's Heritage Large Fowl Thread

[Arielle]

yeah, but poultry are flock creatures who only usually live about 5years, maybe less. That's kinda hard to pedigree.
Karen

Karen, I'm referring to the judges at chicken shows and how it would be helpful to have more information on the cards; they clearly have a scribe with them, and put as much effort into judging each chicken as at the horse shows--horses only get about 3-5 minutes in the ring for keurings. 5 if the horse has not shown well and the judges want to give it another chance to show what it has.

My point was also: compare to the ideal and knock off points, post the points publicly with reasons, and if none are of sufficient quality top ribbons are NOT given. Rather first premium, second premium and third premuim ribbons are given. If the best horse is only worth a second premium, it gets NO blue ribbon. AM I making sense?

Sorry I"m missing what 5 years lifetime has on providing more information to the exhibitor and the spectators? WHat did I miss?

 

[Arielle]

BOb, I don't like showing, I get TOO nervous. THe reason I bring my horses is to get to an experienced judge who can tell me if I am on the right track. These judges are brought in from Holland.

RE Poultry Shows --I suspect that if I can't see the points broken down for at least the best of the birds, I cannot learn very much at the poultry shows; and if I showed one of my own birds, I will never know where the deductions occurred. Hard for a newbie to learn.

As this is showing season, FOwlman and NYreds are probably very busy.

 

[NYREDS]

I'm not sure exactly when or why the point system fell out of use. I suspect it was mostly the time factor. Many people lament the passing ofthis system but I'm not convinved it makes all that much difference really. Despite the fact that there's a standard, interpreting that standard still involves some subjective elements. That same subjectivity would apply in the point system.
Many judges, including myself, will make written comments on the coop tag in the case of a particularly egregious problem or in the case of a particularly strong bird. I know this doesn't equal a point score but it's somethig.
The APA Standard does allow a judge to not award a first place if there is no bird in the class deserving of such a placement. I've used this & I suspect most other judges have as well. I have, on more than one occasion, awarded a second place in a one bird class. I don't ever do this in a Junior Show however. When I'm judging a Junior Show I encourage the children to be there when I'm judging their birds. I tell them the bird's faults & explain why it wouldn't place as well in an open show but I still let the child go home with a ribbon.

 

[catdaddyfro]

WHY in the WORLD are poultry shows held at the end of the year when chickens/poultry are in molt IDK?

Is this another obstacle to tackle, by keeping them in feather for some odd reason?

Just curious?

Jeff

 

[NYREDS]

BOb, I don't like showing, I get TOO nervous. THe reason I bring my horses is to get to an experienced judge who can tell me if I am on the right track. These judges are brought in from Holland.

RE Poultry Shows --I suspect that if I can't see the points broken down for at least the best of the birds, I cannot learn very much at the poultry shows; and if I showed one of my own birds, I will never know where the deductions occurred. Hard for a newbie to learn.

As this is showing season, FOwlman and NYreds are probably very busy.

There's still a lot to be learned at a poultry Show. Study & learn the standard for your bird: take the Standard with you to the show: compre the winning birds to the Standard to help you to learn to interpret the Standard. Talk to people breeding birds you're showing. Often breeders will have as good or better an understanding of their breed as does the judge. Lastly approach the judge after judging is completed, tell him/her that you're a beginner & ask for some feedback. Most judges are happy to talk with you about your birds. Just be aware that the judge has been on his/her feet allday judging & may have a long drive home. Be concise in your questioning & don't take up too much time, there may be others wanting to ask questions as well.

 

[cgmccary]

Quote:
Chicks hatched in the late Winter or early Spring mature at this time (cockerels & pullets) so the Fall Shows are actually coordinated to poultry's natural cycle. For Cocks and Hens, you can cause them to go into molt early (feeding nothing but whole oats for a week or two) so they can be in new feather for the shows.

 

[Arielle]

Quote: THank you!!!! You made my day.

 

[fowlman01]

Karen, I'm referring to the judges at chicken shows and how it would be helpful to have more information on the cards; they clearly have a scribe with them, and put as much effort into judging each chicken as at the horse shows--horses only get about 3-5 minutes in the ring for keurings. 5 if the horse has not shown well and the judges want to give it another chance to show what it has.

My point was also: compare to the ideal and knock off points, post the points publicly with reasons, and if none are of sufficient quality top ribbons are NOT given. Rather first premium, second premium and third premuim ribbons are given. If the best horse is only worth a second premium, it gets NO blue ribbon. AM I making sense?

Sorry I"m missing what 5 years lifetime has on providing more information to the exhibitor and the spectators? WHat did I miss?

Poultry judges have to judge 400-500 birds in a day. At Columbus a couple years ago I had to judge almost 700 birds...it does not leave a lot of time to write notes, although some of us do for the important parts. In large classes I make marks that help me keep on track as I judge and I can and do share that with exhibitors, but if judges don't get their workload done during the show, they may not be asked to judge again. Most judges are very good about going over the classes if asked by the exhibitors. Animal judges don't usually have the numbers of animals we have.

Walt

 

[Arielle]

I'm not sure exactly when or why the point system fell out of use. I suspect it was mostly the time factor. Many people lament the passing ofthis system but I'm not convinved it makes all that much difference really. Despite the fact that there's a standard, interpreting that standard still involves some subjective elements. That same subjectivity would apply in the point system.
Many judges, including myself, will make written comments on the coop tag in the case of a particularly egregious problem or in the case of a particularly strong bird. I know this doesn't equal a point score but it's somethig.
The APA Standard does allow a judge to not award a first place if there is no bird in the class deserving of such a placement. I've used this & I suspect most other judges have as well. I have, on more than one occasion, awarded a second place in a one bird class. I don't ever do this in a Junior Show however. When I'm judging a Junior Show I encourage the children to be there when I'm judging their birds. I tell them the bird's faults & explain why it wouldn't place as well in an open show but I still let the child go home with a ribbon.

Always good to encourage the kids-- the next generation of poultry breeders, potentially.

Specific notes are helpful; sorry there isn't enough time to write at least the final points ( the total) on each card.

Thank you for chiming in! I struggle to learn just a few breeds.

 

[fowlman01]

Chicks hatched in the late Winter or early Spring mature at this time (cockerels & pullets) so the Fall Shows are actually coordinated to poultry's natural cycle. For Cocks and Hens, you can cause them to go into molt early (feeding nothing but whole oats for a week or two) so they can be in new feather for the shows.

Our show season starts at the beginning of Sept and runs through March. My waterfowl are ready for the first few shows and the chickens are ready shortly after that. I also hatch for specific shows. As an example the ABA national will be here in Cali at the end of January. I hatched birds specifically for that show, so I still have a lot of young birds that are growing out. In the east and midwest they have to finish their show season before it starts snowing, so they have a slightly different show season.

For those of you that are new to showing...there is a lot more to it than sticking the bird in the show coop. Timing your birds to be ready for specific shows is also something serious exhibitors do. Each breed matures a bit differently so you need to know about when your bird is going to be at their best. As cgmccary notes there are a number of ways to promote a molt so that the older birds are ready to show.

Walt