Show Off Your Games!

[Chief]

Well, I'll just have to cross my fingers. We will be moving everything on the 14th. They are just 3 months old at this point. Hatched May 1st. Hopefully they will tolerate each other until we get situated up there. So far they have gotten along better than my Americans typically do. So I know I am pushing my luck. My American strains only make it to about 6 or 8 weeks as a group then I have to start singling the bully's out. My wife has been doing a great job while I'm away and is out there with them quite a few times a day. Thanks again for all the advice. These are my first batch of Oriental games. I really like them. They are not near as "flighty" as my American games are at this age and I can not believe the difference in Muscle density and bone structure.

 

[Missy3b]

I posted elsewhere but thought some of you might know the answer. How do you go about dubbing roos. My son showed a mature BB Red bantam that was not dubbed. Though the judge said he was beautiful, he could not win without being to standard (dubbed). My son has 2 BB Red bantam roos(only a couple months old) and the judge at our county fair said they have to be dubbed to win.

Anyone have instructions? Thanks.

 

[Greybear23]

Check the BYC library, I know there was an instructional video or write up done about this in last year by some BYC members, one of them was on the Okies from the BYC forum!!!! Will see if I can find it also in the meantime, Lynn

 

[Lollipop]

This might help. The only thing I might add is to give them a vitamin K tablet a half hour befor you start to cut down on bleeding.........Pop



Dubbing Advice - How To Dubb A Rooster. For Show Fowl, Gamefowl and OEG's
Chickens - Dubbing Tips For Show Fowl - OEG's

I've dubbed hundreds of OEs and gamefowl and the only part of dubbing I look forward to is the way they look when they're all healed, it changes their appearance dramatically. All you will need is some SHARP scissors or dubbing scissors, something to wrap the rooster in ( a slightly damp towel works good ), blood stop powder ( just in case ), a roll of paper towels, alcohol and a clean bucket of cool water. Clean the scissors and wipe them down with the alcohol, snugly wrap the rooster in the damp towel and if your lucky enough to have a good helper have them hold the bird and keep the head still by holding the comb.

I start with the wattles, pull the wattle down stretching slightly and as close the beak as you can starting from the front working your way back towards the earlobe, remove the wattle getting ALL folds and wrinkles. When the wattle is removed go to the earlobe and pinch up all you can with your off hand, WATCH HIS EAR and remove as much as you can. Repeat the procedure on the other side. I try to leave a thin strip of skin between where the wattles were, if you don't it'll look like you cut his throat, But it's OK, it'll heal. Now the comb, take your time and decide how much to leave, too little or too much and the bird will not look as good as he could have. These little roosters have a natural line that runs horizontally in their comb, use that as a guide ( I usually cut slightly above the line ).

The first thing I remove is the back part of the comb ( the blade ), cutting as close to the comb's base as you can, cut it off ( straight up and down ). Then starting at the front ( some start from the back ) as close to the beak as you can begin making the cut ( some like a straight cut, some like a slightly curved cut ). KEEP IN MIND YOU CAN'T PUT IT BACK IF YOU CUT TOO MUCH OFF. When you've completed cutting you should have a point at the back, round it off, slightly. Look him over real good to see if you need to go back and trim anything you may have missed. A good clean dubbing job makes a lot of difference at the shows.TIPS,DON'T DUB IN HOT WEATHER, their blood is thin and the game birds bleed a lot heavier.

I dub my roosters at night but early enough that I can watch them for a few hours. They are easier to catch and they settle down quicker in the dark.Sometimes you'll have one that bleeds a little heavy, when that happens I pull a downy feather from under his vent and put it over the comb and sprinkle the blood stop powder over it.TAKE YOUR TIME, it's a chore you'll want to be over and done with, BUT, poor dubbing hurts your chances at the shows.

 

[cicene mete]

Crap! My handsome little Hennie boy was taken by a hawk.

All the others are safe, so I guess he did what he was built to do, died defending his flock. I'm proud of him, but I'll miss the little bugger. This is the first time I've let chickens free range, so I've never had a predator take one before. I guess that's the trade-off. They seem a lot more engaged and happy running around on the grass and the ones I have been a very large enclosed dirt pen, so I guess I have to decide if it's worth it.

Also, I wish I hadn't given away all four of the other boys. Oh well, live and learn.

 

[Chief]

Quote:
Also I would like to add that I always watch the zodiac. They really do tend to bleed less when the "sign is in the feet"

 

[Chris09]

Quote:
Also I would like to add that I always watch the zodiac. They really do tend to bleed less when the "sign is in the feet"

On the dark of the moon (New Moon) and in Pisces ( The Feet )...

Chris

 

[Lollipop]

Quote:
Ratz, it`s true that predators always take the ones you like the best. Fellow I knew years ago used to tell me that hen raised chicks were the smartest and even then, some get eaten. The real smart ones make it and that is all he`s interrested in anyway. Sorry you lost your bird.........Pop

 

[Lollipop]

Quote:
Also I would like to add that I always watch the zodiac. They really do tend to bleed less when the "sign is in the feet"

On the dark of the moon (New Moon) and in Pisces ( The Feet )...

Chris

This is true. Glad ya`ll mentioned that. Guess it slipped my mind as I`ve always had sort of a mental block about moon phases. I liked it when the Gamefowl Journals listed dubbing dates. Made it simple for me, even though I was seldom able to get it together on those dates. Duhhh, lol........Pop

 

[nnbreeder]

Watch the red stripe on the legs if they have light colored legs. When the stripe is at the brightest the old-timers said that the blood was "in the legs" and would dub birds then.