Heritage Poultry Exibition Thread

[kathyinmo]

Oh, I love this thread! Thank you all so much for teaching me this. I had no idea! Man, it is alot of work to show a bird, I would say.

 

[Chris09]

Quote:
It is a 24 hour a day, 365 days a year job.

But this is what you are working for http://www.ohionational.org/virtualshow.html

Taking some good worthy birds to a show like that makes all worth it.

Chris

 

[OSUman]

So if you are breeding to show you have to have two solid seasons? Breeding and showing? Wouldnt that wast the prime eggs from the hens that hatched in late winter the year before?

 

[lildinkem]

I have been told to AI my best pullet/hens to avoid them getting damaged before big shows like the Ohio Nationals. And I was shown how to AI a bird from APA judge Paul Montieth. Let's just say his technique is up close and personal. He said to use an eye dropper to suck in the seminal fluids and then he would rush it over to his hen's cage to squeeze out into the pullet/hen's vent. He squeezed the eye dropper with his teeth to assure he had a firm control of the cockerel and hen. Left me with the thought I hope I don't have to do that too much. Paul said he practiced for a long time before laying season to get the cocks use to him handling them that way. Great idea for those of us who highly value each and every egg from our best hens/pullets.

 

[OSUman]

Quote:
That is a great idea I didnt even think about it. Thanks

 

[Mrs. Turbo]

Quote:
Can you video tape that for us to see.....now that is hardcore!
We breed all of our show hens....absolutely, who wouldn’t want to get eggs from them. If we have a hen we want to show and breed we let the "rooster" visit her about every other day. You can do that with the call ducks too. A couple weeks before the big fall shows we don’t let the hens breed at all….and if they are not laying this time of year we don’t bother with the rooster.

 

[lildinkem]

It was a very interesting demonstration by Paul. He vividly described the routine. He grabbed the Buff cockerel I showed and flipped him over, as I remember the head is facing forward, upside down ofcourse inbetween his legs while sitting, he has a firm grip on the cockerels feet while craddling the cock inbetween his legs and then the eye dropper in his teeth to finish off the job. And this is done after one firm gripped stroke by hand from head to tail down his back. I guess that gets the siminal fluids going out to the vent. There is several interesting YOUTUBE vids I have watched. Not like this though. Paul says he is use to doing it despite the visuals he has to endure.

One more note of interest. As i am now preparing for the Crossroads Show in 2011. I was able to sneak one more small batch of eggs in the bator to hatch as close as possible to Nov 1st. So these will be able to be entered as cockerel/pullet. Here is one Buff from one of my original Buff Orpington hens. I can only hope this little one will be close to mom's quality.
Hatched today 11/10/10

plus I have one Black from my best Black cock "Feran" and the number one pen's girls.
This little Black hatched yesterday

 

[NYREDS]

I used to raise Black Cochin Bantams. I worked on them for a few years & in the last couple of years had poor fertility because they had developed to the point that their feathering was inhibiting successful natural mating. I tried clipping feathers around the vent. That helped fertility but meant I couldn't show those birds untill they molted. The only remaining option was AI. I sold the Cochins as I didn't care to be that intimately involved with my chickens.

 

[Gallusfarm]

Quote:
I just love these old poultry books. The tasks are so elaborate and well thought out. This meat mix sounds delicious!


Thanks for the thread - I've found it very helpful!

 

[Robert Blosl]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=5108428#p5108428

some guy started another thread.bob