So, the show. I am happy and sad.
Happy: 7 1st place out of 12 birds
Sad: I was the only one showing any of my varieties. There were a pair of black mottled there from Shady Oaks Bantams and that was it. Their hen took BB.
Happy: TNB got RV, one of my new millies got BV & RB, despite a note about poor middle toe feathering.
Sad: I should've removed TN's spurs sooner.
But the saddest part of all was watching the judge walk away with my white roo, Orion, and consult a judge and the SOP before DQ'ing him. He has a split feather on a secondary wing feather. It was the second layer, it looked to me, and I thought about arguing and then bit my tongue. The judge did talk to me about it after that, so I was glad I was well-mannered. He said Orion is perfect form, good toe feathers, and that he would keep breeding him. I just need to watch and see if it's genetic. It might be a trauma thing, where the feather was messed with while growing in, but the judge doesn't think so. I guess I'll just keep him home and keep an eye on it. And keep breeding him. But if I ever notice that feather is missing, I will show him again (post molt).
I won't pull it. DH thought I should, and enter him again. But I won't. The white hen and pullet both got good marks, despite the hen getting ticked on poorer middle toe feathers, so I will breed a bunch of white chicks and see if I ever encounter this particular defect again.
But I still wanted to
because he is otherwise perfect and sooooooooooooo pretty!!
All morning long I watched my lavender girl pull shavings around her, and throw them onto her back, so I knew she'd lay an egg. I was watching for it! But I still missed the actual moment. I heard folks squeal and laugh, and turned as she was picking shavings off it. I know she'd have pulled it under her and set on it, so I snagged it right away and put it in a safe place. It is now in the bator.
BTW, the bator was peeping. The first white x lav chick has pipped
And the project girls are squatting for me
I'll clean the coop and add 'Keeper' to them this week, plus put the nest boxes back in there. The girls are about 6 months old, so it's certainly about time for them to earn their keep!
So, my happy/ sad day ended on a very upbeat note, with birds finally ready to breed, a new egg for the bator, and a peep coming from the bator.
