show quality speckled sussex ??

[snowbird]

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I agree 100%. Also some people have the hardness to be breeders of Poultry and others have the constitution to be keepers of poultry,

 

[math ace]

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I don't like spending BUCKS on stuff I haven't seen or know is worth it. My recommendation is that you go to your library and ask them to find the book for you. My library had to borrow it from another COUNTY.... that is a different process than borrowing it from a library in the the same county.

So, I reserved the book and it was sent to me as soon as it was available. I had 3 or 4 weeks to long through it and decide what I thought.

 

[Orange Ribbon]

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Thanks Lauralou, Yep, that made sense to me, and I don't even know the difference between the different type genes you mentioned. lol. But I do see what you mean. Very good, simple explanation. I appreciate you taking the time to share that.

The study of genetics would be fascinating, but I'd need an expert to go over it with me one on one so I could ask a bajillion crazy questions before I would have a chance understand it properly. I've tried out some of the chicken gene calculators and I don't understand them at all. Then again, I never was too good at using a regular calculator! I think I got either a bad dominant or recessive gene in the math department.

 

[fowlman01]

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I don't like spending BUCKS on stuff I haven't seen or know is worth it. My recommendation is that you go to your library and ask them to find the book for you. My library had to borrow it from another COUNTY.... that is a different process than borrowing it from a library in the the same county.

So, I reserved the book and it was sent to me as soon as it was available. I had 3 or 4 weeks to long through it and decide what I thought.

If they have an APA SOP at the library it is going to be at least ten yours old...probably older. The new SOP (2010) has just been out a few months. $59.00 shipped.

If anyone wants to spend lots for a SOP, bid on this one. It will go for over $1k ....it's at $800.00 now. There are ten more........
http://www.featherauction.com/detail.asp?id=1910&n=APA-Standard-of-Perfection-Limited-Edition-1

Walt

 

[cashdl]

I think if your serious about your choosen breed and are looking to have show quality birds or birds that are true to what the standards says they should be, then it is worth the money to buy the current SOP. I have mine and am constantly referring to it when I am evaluating my birds. I just purchased a speckled sussex pair and the SOP was the first thing I turned to when I got home.

I also look at the other breeds in there and evaluate their colors. I love my book, and while it was an expensive purchase, I find it well worth the money I spent. I have been told repeatedly by various breeders, that if you are serious about breeding and showing, you need to have a copy of the standard.


Walt, It was a pleasure meeting you, congrats on your award.


Lanae

 

[verlaj]

If they have an APA SOP at the library it is going to be at least ten yours old...probably older. The new SOP (2010) has just been out a few months. $59.00 shipped.

I think if your serious about your choosen breed and are looking to have show quality birds or birds that are true to what the standards says they should be, then it is worth the money to buy the current SOP.

I'm curious - how much does the standard change over ten years or even longer? I would have expected the standard to be essentially unchanged over time. If the standard changes periodically, how can you breed to it?

I just checked the University of Florida holdings - their latest copy is 1980.​

 

[cpartist]

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I think if your serious about your choosen breed and are looking to have show quality birds or birds that are true to what the standards says they should be, then it is worth the money to buy the current SOP.

I'm curious - how much does the standard change over ten years or even longer? I would have expected the standard to be essentially unchanged over time. If the standard changes periodically, how can you breed to it?

I just checked the University of Florida holdings - their latest copy is 1980.​

Since you are in Alachua County you can get the the 2001 SOP at the local library.
They have enough copies that I was able to check one out for 3 months by renewing.
I've since bought the 2010 edition and the only change I can see are some of the illustrations
are new by a very good artist...unfortunately none were changed of the breeds I am interested in.

 

[verlaj]

Thanks for the info, cpartist. I really am interested in the question prompted by the admonition to have a new SOP. That is, the SOP changes over time? Why? How can you breed to it if it does? I'm not up on it, but I'm thinking that some dog breed standards might have relaxed in the US to allow uncropped ears in some breeds. What changes for chickens?

 

[cashdl]

The preface on the new one says " This printing of the 2010 revision of the American Standard of Perfection is the culmination of scientific facts and the result of knowledge and the experience gained during the more than one hundred and thirty years that the american Poultry Association has been compiling and publishing a Standard for domestic poultry. The Standard Revision Committee has submitted changes and corrections in the description of species, breeds and varieties of various domestic poultry to practical poultry producers, qualified poultry judges, specialty breed clubs, poultry geneticists and research authorities on poultry anatomy and breeding".

It also has a dedication to a chairperson that says " Through his vision, efforts and coordination the first Color Section of the American Standard of Perfection was made possible in 1983".

Its not that the standard changes over time, it is that there is new info that may be relevant to your breed.

I always thought it was too expensive to be worthwhile to me. But I decided to save for it and I am happy that I did. I was so upset when I went to a show last week and couldn't find my SOP to take with me. I am a visual person, so I need to see pictures or a bird along with the breed description to begin to understand what I am looking at.

It is up to each person to determin if the new SOP is worth the money. I am the type that likes to make notes in my book and turn down pages (gasp)LOL! Mine is only 5 months old and is regularly thumbed. I figured I wanted to have the latest most relevant info and I didn't want to have to give it back when I was done looking at it.

Lanae

 

[fowlman01]

Quote:

I think if your serious about your choosen breed and are looking to have show quality birds or birds that are true to what the standards says they should be, then it is worth the money to buy the current SOP.

I'm curious - how much does the standard change over ten years or even longer? I would have expected the standard to be essentially unchanged over time. If the standard changes periodically, how can you breed to it?

I just checked the University of Florida holdings - their latest copy is 1980.​

The SOP changes very little most of the time. The 2010 version happens be a revision. In this new edition, because it is a revision there are some significant changes. Several new breeds are recognized and wording has been changed in some places to clarify descriptions. If you have an old version and you are looking at a long established breed the chances are that the info in whatever breed you have is still valid.

As an example Frizzles are now recognized in all breeds and there is no Frizzle class. Frizzles will be judged as a variety of a breed. Pages 3-37 remain unchanged, other pages may or may not have changes. Some minor, some not. there were a lot of changes and the SOP now has 396 numbered pages. The 2001 has 372 pages.

The SOP changes slightly to clarify meanings when it is found that the description is not clear. As an example we found an error that was 50 years old that no one ever noticed. The SS description remains unchanged.

Walt