Poultry Judges please

[RedReiner]

when you are judging, is it acceptable to take a bird our for inspection and then hand it to some unknown 12 year old to hold and pet when it is not their bird?

 

[RedReiner]

and if there are no judges here, anyone familiar with rules on that? APA have a code of conduct ? cant find anything on the internet...

 

[NYREDS]

If I understand the question a judge hande your bird to a 12 year old while he had it out of the cage to judge & you're upset about that. There is no rule that speaks to that situation specifically. If the child was clerking for the judge or had asked a particular question about the breed the judge might have been using it as a teachable moment. If the judge simply let the 12 year old hold the bird to pet it I'm not sure it was a good idea. I often let children [usually much younger than 12] pet a bird while I'm holding it but I don't pass the bird off for that purpose. Again, there's no rule forbidding it but I wouldn't have done it just to allow the bird to be petted.
However, unless some harm came to the bird as a result of this it doesn't sound like a big deal to me.

 

[RedReiner]

If I understand the question a judge hande your bird to a 12 year old while he had it out of the cage to judge & you're upset about that. There is no rule that speaks to that situation specifically. If the child was clerking for the judge or had asked a particular question about the breed the judge might have been using it as a teachable moment. If the judge simply let the 12 year old hold the bird to pet it I'm not sure it was a good idea. I often let children [usually much younger than 12] pet a bird while I'm holding it but I don't pass the bird off for that purpose. Again, there's no rule forbidding it but I wouldn't have done it just to allow the bird to be petted.
However, unless some harm came to the bird as a result of this it doesn't sound like a big deal to me.

Thank You, the kid was with her mom and just a spectator, nothing to do with judging. I know the show rules state that unless it is your bird a person is not to open a cage and handle anyone elses bird without their permission. I dont think it was a good idea either. what an off the wall thing to do.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

I think your proper response would be to ask the judge why he/she did so. As stated, it might have been a teachable moment. I would also raise the question to the show superintendent--let him/her know your concerns. All that stated, having a judge handling one of my birds and hand it over to someone else is not quite in the same league of concern as some random person wandering down the row of cages and taking out birds at whim.

 

[RedReiner]

I think your proper response would be to ask the judge why he/she did so.  As stated, it might have been a teachable moment.  I would also raise the question to the show superintendent--let him/her know your concerns.  All that stated, having a judge handling one of my birds and hand it over to someone else is not quite in the same league of concern as some random person wandering down the row of cages and taking out birds at whim. 

I agree to a point. it was my bird, and I was watching, no teaching going on, kid just wanted to pet the fluffy bird, she hugged it and petted and he went on judging another bird before taking mine back and putting her in the cage. I did not ask him as he was judging, the pullet stressed out over this hugging and handling , and being handled for judging enough that I took her home. I figured she could deal with the judge handling her but the extra attention was to much.
handing my bird to some unknown kid is no different than random people picking her up and handling her. kid could have dropped her, hurt her, been touching other birds that were sick. she is a big pullet, so what if she struggled and got loose and out the doors? yes its a risk you take when the judge handles your bird but its necessary when being judged, being handled by some kid is not.
I just wanted to know if there were rules or a code of conduct. I find it somewhat unprofessional. should it ever happen again, which I doubt it does, I will step in and remove my bird from said kid and put her back in the cage...

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

One question I would ask is the size of the show, and whether it was APA/ABA sanctioned or not, and if not sanctioned, whether the judge was licensed. At smaller, unsanctioned shows with unlicensed judges, you are more likely to encounter that kind of problem than at a larger show with a licensed judge. In reality, no one except the judge and clerk and possibly a show official should even be in the aisle during judging.

 

[RedReiner]

One question I would ask is the size of the show, and whether it was APA/ABA sanctioned or not, and if not sanctioned, whether the judge was licensed.  At smaller, unsanctioned shows with unlicensed judges, you are more likely to encounter that kind of problem than at a larger show with a licensed judge.  In reality, no one except the judge and clerk and possibly a show official should even be in the aisle during judging.

sanctioned APA show, licensed judge. and I did wonder why the aisles were not roped off as usual.