How do I actually use the APA SOP book?

[RuffIedFeathers]

So I have, have tried familiarizing myself with it and find it to be extremely difficult to utilize. Maybe I'm just stupid. For example, if I wanted to take an Ameraucana I have and use the book to go over everything a judge would be looking for, I don't even know where to begin. I've tried searching for YouTube videos, but haven't found anything helpful. How do I learn to compare birds to the SOP? How do I utilize this book? I feel so lost.

 

[Pyxis]

Can you post a few pictures of your Ameraucana? They're not my breed, but I can take a look and maybe see if I can give you some pointers and get you on the right track for understanding what the SOP is looking for.

 

[Amer]

When you judge a bird the first thing you need to know is overall type and what you would see on the bird in profile. In Ameraucanas the type is mostly medium. Medium size, medium length, medium tail, etc. But you should read the Standard to get a picture in your mind of what the ideal would look like and then see if your bird matches that criteria. If you have this picture it is easy to compare each of the bird’s traits to the Standard without spending too much time, but make sure you do know the specifics as well even more so if you are breeding than just judging. (Breeders will generally know their breed a little better than a judge though the judge’s knowledge is impressive because they are breeding and weighing their birds.)
Fluff really effects a bird’s profile. In Ameraucanas, excess fluff is a problem. Her fluff should be tucked up around the abdomen.
MAKE SURE the legs are straight and widely set. Knock-knees are a danger to her breed!
You also need to handle her. Examine the head, make sure it is nice and wide. Feel the breast and fleshing. She should have firm, substantial muscling (it doesn’t matter the breed, a healthy bird has good muscling and is well filled out but not fat. The amount of this muscling will be different but it means the bird is in good health. The keel (her breastbone) must be straight (otherwise a severe defect in her breed). If it’s not, it feels off. Draw your fingers along it to make sure it is straight. Go to her vent. Put your fingers between her pubic bones. If she is in lay you should be able to fit AT LEAST two fingers between them I think. Otherwise she won’t make a great layer.
Check for straight toes.
Draw out each wing and make sure it is not split and ensure the feathers are adequately wide.
Other things to consider: color. Don’t forget about undercolor but don’t give it undue emphasis.
Feathers condition. Obviously she should have a good diet and facilities. How she’s looking at the moment though is important to the show scene and not her personal qualities unless she has some issues caused by genetics and not the environment.

 

[kurby22]

When you judge a bird the first thing you need to know is overall type and what you would see on the bird in profile. In Ameraucanas the type is mostly medium. Medium size, medium length, medium tail, etc. But you should read the Standard to get a picture in your mind of what the ideal would look like and then see if your bird matches that criteria. If you have this picture it is easy to compare each of the bird’s traits to the Standard without spending too much time, but make sure you do know the specifics as well even more so if you are breeding than just judging. (Breeders will generally know their breed a little better than a judge though the judge’s knowledge is impressive because they are breeding and weighing their birds.)
Fluff really effects a bird’s profile. In Ameraucanas, excess fluff is a problem. Her fluff should be tucked up around the abdomen.
MAKE SURE the legs are straight and widely set. Knock-knees are a danger to her breed!
You also need to handle her. Examine the head, make sure it is nice and wide. Feel the breast and fleshing. She should have firm, substantial muscling (it doesn’t matter the breed, a healthy bird has good muscling and is well filled out but not fat. The amount of this muscling will be different but it means the bird is in good health. The keel (her breastbone) must be straight (otherwise a severe defect in her breed). If it’s not, it feels off. Draw your fingers along it to make sure it is straight. Go to her vent. Put your fingers between her pubic bones. If she is in lay you should be able to fit AT LEAST two fingers between them I think. Otherwise she won’t make a great layer.
Check for straight toes.
Draw out each wing and make sure it is not split and ensure the feathers are adequately wide.
Other things to consider: color. Don’t forget about undercolor but don’t give it undue emphasis.
Feathers condition. Obviously she should have a good diet and facilities. How she’s looking at the moment though is important to the show scene and not her personal qualities unless she has some issues caused by genetics and not the environment.

This was super helpful and thorough! Thanks Amer!

 

[3KillerBs]

In Ameraucanas the type is mostly medium. Medium size, medium length, medium tail, etc.

I've been having trouble with this in re: my Australorps. When everything is "medium" it's hard to figure out what, exactly, comprises the distinctive look of the breed.

 

[Amer]

I've been having trouble with this in re: my Australorps. When everything is "medium" it's hard to figure out what, exactly, comprises the distinctive look of the breed.

Ig you have to compare to other breeds. I think it’s easy to understand that medium is neither short nor long. I think more breeds generally are described to have “long” backs than medium though because people are trying to enhance production or just like how it looks, idk.

 

[Amer]

To calculate the “mediumness” I think you have to look at the bird as a whole and compare it to the 3D picture of the ideal in your head rather than go through the Standard like a checklist and mark off boxes.
Also, one thing I forgot to add is a lot of times the standard says a broad back. You need to feel with your index finger and thumb and draw them along the sides. It should be substantially wide, never narrowing at the end (unless the Standard says otherwise.) A narrow skeleton=unproductive.

 

[3KillerBs]

Ig you have to compare to other breeds.

Unfortunately, I don't get to see a lot of other live chickens. The county fair had only a few 4H bantams when I went and I didn't get to go to the state fair.