Minnesota!

[ejb3810]

I have seen the placings from the National Call Breeders segment of the Minnesota State show, but wondering if any attendees can inform as to what breeds and breeders did well in the chicken placings?

 

[schoenherr]

Your new addition is adorable. I know you will love them for we love our chickens and they are just egg layers. They do not require a lot of care.

 

[Bogtown Chick]

Thank you Schoenherr. We're looking forward to new fun experiences with the Silkies and introducing them to our yard. Today I showed them to Roger our rooster and he immediately started dancing around their crate...LOL. I stepped away for about 5-10 minutes and looked back out there and he had his head still staring inside the crate. He's got 9 other hens to distract him so I'm hoping he cuts these girls some slack.

You are so Welcome Triplell for the Pie. It's the least I could do. I'm sure glad it turned out. I was lucky to have a few apples left from our Honey Crisp Tree. It was the "down" year for our tree--next year should be better...but boy they have some good flavor. Had to make two of them Saturday..as DH wouldn't have let me take that one out the door if there wasn't another...LOL.
I'm still envisioning those Black Cochins out there in their little Pasture shimmerin'.....

 

[Minniechickmama]

I have seen the placings from the National Call Breeders segment of the Minnesota State show, but wondering if any attendees can inform as to what breeds and breeders did well in the chicken placings?

Which classes were you most interested in? I know some of what placed.

 

[Minniechickmama]

If any of you have kids in FFA and 4-H, then you should look at attending shows like this to find out who the breeders are in the breeds you are interested in. There were breeders from Florida, Wisconsin, Kansas, Oklahoma, Iowa, South Dakota and all over Minnesota. These are the people you want to buy from if you want to do well in shows! Hatcheries are great for if you just want some backyard birds to look at and lay eggs, but if you want to show and do well, you need to find a breeder who will work with you, knows the standard for the breed and will be honest in their sales and assistance. Being a breeder and 4-H leader, I am more than happy to help out kids in getting started with what they need to be successful. Face it, if we show it is to win, not to sit at the end of the row.
That being said, there is a lot to LEARN at shows like this. There were 2822 birds at the Hutchinson show. That is a whole lot of eye candy!!!! But they are birds of the kind of quality you want to see to really find out what a breed is supposed to look like. I am not saying every bird there was perfect, obviously not. But it is a great learning experience for all ages who are new to poultry or just wanting to improve your stock.
There are shows coming up in 2014 in our neighboring states as well, but this was the last one in Minnesota for a while.

I got Best of Breed and Reserve of Breed with my Buckeyes, but even though that sounds great, they were the only two there. However, I was able to talk to the judge after and get his opinion on the birds to see what he thought of them as representatives of the breed. That is worth more than a ribbon to me, how I can do better.

Kids/Parents of junior showman, start looking NOW to find your birds for the 2014 show season. You want them hatched as early in the year as possible after January 1st so that they are developed enough by show time to compete. A half grown bird will never take champion, start them early and grow them well.

Hopping off the soapbox now

 

[ejb3810]

Minniechickmama,
Would be interested to know about Chanteclers, Brahmas, Hamburgs, Polish. I am interested in knowing about any really, except that I have no interest in Silkies, Seramas or Naked Necks.

 

[Minniechickmama]

Sorry first answer was on the wrong post. Silly me!

 

[schoenherr]

We had a Silver Laced Wyndotte rooster we named Jacque. He was very timid and the hens did not seem to like him too much. He hadn't crowed and maybe that is why. We gave him to some friends that did not have any roosters. When we turned him loose with the hens he did a happy dance to see all the hens. The last time I talked to them they love Jacque. He is very good with their children, for it is the children and the wife who feeds the chickens. Jacque crows now and has a very deep throated crow. The hens still love him and the Mrs. told me he would bring food to his hens.

We also gave them a Golden Laced Polish rooster. He was real timid also but at least he crowed at the time we gave him to them. He could not see where he was going because of his feathers in front of his eyes. It was not usual for him, Tom Jones to run into a wall.

We kept the White Crested Black Polish. He is beautiful and named Prince. He use to be timid but now he is very protective over his hens. Usually daily he charges me or trys to attack me. He is starting to look like walking chicken soup to me.

 

[Minniechickmama]

Light Brahma trio was best Asiatic from Petersons. They had almost all the Brahmas and took top in their respective classes
Did not see Chanteclers if they were there.
Don't know on Polish.
There were only about six Hamburgs, all Silver Spangled. I believe all entered by the same exhibitor, but can't remember exact, but the BV/BB was a pullet, and I think the second was a pullet from the trio.

 

[cochins1088]

I had a great time at the poultry show last weekend. I met lots of great people and I learned a ton. I also came home with a beautiful pair of black cochin bantams and a trio of butterscotch call ducks.

Here are my new cochins. Please excuse the mess, they are being quarantined in the attic of the old farm house.