So other than being a Red chicken with Yellow legs how else does production reds meet the APA SOP?
Well let me see...
My mature cocks are between 8 & 9 lbs, my hens average 6 1/2 lbs, my cockerels are all over 6 1/2 lbs at 32 weeks, my pullets average 5 lbs.
My Roster's head is of medium size and breadth, his beak is short, slightly curved and reddish-horn, he has prominent, red eyes, he has a bright red, single comb of medium size set firmly on his head, straight and up right he has even well defined serrations with those in the front and rear being smaller than those in the middle. His waddles are bright red and of medium size and equal in length and moderately rounded. His ear-lobes are bright red, rather small, almond shaped and fine in texture. his neck is of medium length. He has abundant hackels that flow over his shoulders. His neck is also not too loosely feathered. His back is broad, long and carried nearly horizontal with a slightly concave sweep to the tail. His saddle feathers are of medium length and abundant. He has a deep, full, well rounded breast. his body is broad, deep and long. His keel-bone is long, straight and is extended well forward giving his body an oblong appearance. his feathers are carried close to his body and his Fluff is moderately full. His wings are of good size, well folded and carried horizontally. The lower web of his primaries are black with the upper being red. The secondaries;the lower web are red with the uppers black. The wing coverts are black with the wing-bows being free of black. His tail is of medium length, well spread and carried at an angle close to 40 degrees from horizontal which increases his apparent length. The main tail feathers and sickle feathers are black with a greenish sheen. the tail-coverts are mainly black and becoming red as they approach the saddle. His sickles are of medium length and extend slightly beyond the main tail feathers. His lesser sickles and tail-coverts are of medium length and fairly abundant. His thighs are of medium length, large and well covered with soft feathers. His shanks are of medium length, well rounded, smooth and yellow with a line of red pigment showing down the side. His toes are of medium length, straight, strong, well spread and reddish-horn. His shanks and toes are free of feathers and down. His plumage is a harmoniously blended rich brilliant red except where black is specified and presents a glossed appearance. He is free of shafting or of a mealy appearance. His under color is red and he is free of smut. His face is bright red.
The hens present the same characteristics except: Hackles which are moderately full, Back, which is long and carried nearly horizontal, Breast which is broad, deep, and full rounded, Wings which are rather large, well folded with the fronts well covered by breast feathers and the flights carried nearly horizontal, Tail feathers which are rather short, moderately spread, carried nearly 35 degrees from horizontal and black with some of the top feathers being red, Shanks which are of medium length, set well apart at the knee joints, well rounded and smooth, Plumage which does not appear glossy.
First off a breeder that breeds for Show Quality has more respect for the breed that they are breeding and showing than you could ever believe.
This is an opinion that I do not agree with, but it is an opinion and you are entitled to it.
So do you know the breeder that your birds came from [not the hatchery] the Breeder. Have you talked to them? Have you seen there farm? Do you know what line/'s they have? Do you know how long the breeder has been raising the breed? Was he/she a master breeder of the breed? Is he/she a licensed APA/ABA poultry judge?
I look to the hatchery as a broker. I rely on the broker to ensure they are using quality breeders. I do not believe there is any requirement to be a master breeder (which is a title you receive for wining show points) to breed chickens or any other species. There certainly is no requirement to be a judge. If that were the case, there would be very few breeders.
Let's just say that I went to the individual farm where my birds were laid, and I spoke to the breeder, and he told me what lines he was breeding, and he was in fact a Master Breeder and APA judge, would that then make it better even though I bought the exact same chicks? Would my birds be more RIR by me doing that?
You didn't answer any of my novice questions.
