Contest! Judge This White Leghorn

[drjcooper]

I always get a kick out of doing this. It's a great way to learn and even play devils advocate, feel free to kindly debate if you disagree. The key is to be as objective as possible. I will announce the winner in 7 days, sorry no prize money or gifts. Your prize will be that your name will be found on this BYC thread as the champion chicken judger for time and eternity. If you are a novice, jump in as well, the pros will set you straight and you will learn. Let's have some fun!!!!

 

[Weber Girls]

I'll give it a go:
Feather Condition: Body feathers are good, I would like to see better, fuller tail feathers
Color: Good coloring
Face: Would like to see a straighter comb. Would like to see fuller earlobes. Good wattles
Overall conformation: I would like to see a more upright posture, but perhaps it is just the way the chicken is standing that makes him look lower. I would like to see a shorter back
Best features: good body color, good wattles
Overall, a decent bird, but not quite show quality

 

[ChickyGirl12]

I do Poultry Judging in 4-H. It would be easier to tell if there were more pics of her though

.
Anyway from what I can tell:
her legs are yellow, which shows that she is no longer a layer, as layers have white feet, proper word for "White feet" being "bleached". If a hens feet are yellow, all the coloring that is supposed to be going to making the egg is going to the feet.

(NOT good)
The comb, along with the wattles, are very nice! Being big, large and flopped over.
the eyes, (from what I can tell.) Are clear and alert looking.
The beak is yellow, again meaning she is probably not a very good layer.
She is a very sharp looking hen, with "Every feather in place" meaning (again) that she is not a very good layer, think about it! If you laid an egg every day would you look that nice?! No a hen that's a good layer is often ragged looking.
I could judge her better if I could take a pubic and kill bone measurements, (a good spread being 4-5 fingers)
FIY the "Bleaching order" is, vent, eye ring, earlobe, beak (base to tip), bottom of feet, front of shank, rear of shank, hocks, tops and toes.
All of this info is from:
https://utextension.tennessee.edu/c...ultry/PoultryJudging [Compatibility Mode].pdf

 

[drjcooper]

Being a Rooster, he indeed is a poor layer.
PS these are not my birds, so be as open as you would like !

 

[drjcooper]

Is there a difference between show quality and show ready?
As a rooster I believe with some game bird feed I could get enough blood flow going through his comb to make it erect. One could provide different ointments and such to the comb to make it more alert and healthy. He looks like a working rooster, which means his tail feathers and such could easily be damaged by the environment. If I were the owner considering exhibiting, I would isolate him, feed him high protein with omega 3s , then nurture that comb. Does anyone have any advice on keeping your hens and roosters exhibition ready , but letting them breed and lay? Or is this just not in the cards on a large scale?

 

[ChickyGirl12]

LOL!!!! I did not see the spurs!!! What kind of chicken person am I?! Whoops.....

 

[drjcooper]

No big deal we all do silly things from tint to time