show quality?

[iluvmychicks]

And I think TYPE is the utmost priority in my breeding program.

You are 100% right! Without correct type you basically have nothing. A great conditioned bird with no type will go no where. I always enourage people that want to breed to get to know the standard for that specific breed......read and study When I first got into cochins and silkies I was sold many birds and eggs labled "show quality" I was many times led astray and very disappointed with the outcome. It wasn't until I read and understood the standard, talked to many, many breeders who bred cochins and silkies and went to shows did I truly understand what to look for. Be leary of folks representing their birds as "show quality" many times is just a ploy to sell eggs and or stock, look at Eggbid, it's full of auctions stating "show quality" not to say some birds aren't, I've seen some good ones on there, most of it's just a sales tactic and unfortunate for the buyer. Going to reputable breeders that have experience it the breed is always your best bet. Sorry to rant, just hate to see folks get taken advantage of, I've been there done that....

 

[Big Red]

Those are some beautiful birds> Keep up the good work.

 

[aveca]

I see it now, in my own book thanks., and I think you are missing the point tottaly..Sorry but I hear the lecture so often and the importance of feather quality, Birds not in good feather quality and condition will not be in good breeding condtion or egg laying condition, or disease fighting condition ect...that was the point and why they stress it to especially people who are new to show and beginning breeders. just last weekend I heard it three more times, he told three different people - good bird condition bad, bright them back in better condition, they will do better.. It is a high mark and if I had a dime for every time I have heard that I wouldnt have to work. I should have taken a couple pics of the really nice birds tht looked like they were just yanked from the breeding shed with cuts and bruises and feathers little more than ratty and comments on cards about condition. But I didnt take pictures of those, learned my lesson,, next time I will. obviously nice birds, but quite dirty and ratty looking. the one had a near perfect comb (and back)

most typey bird will always win, if it isnt in ratty condition

So select some decent birds
with nice straight feet suppose we could argue about that, but not worth arguing about. Its important also

According to the standard as close as possible for the breed you choose

Go to the show

and enjoy the rewards for your hard work when you get home. most of all have fun!

 

[Megs]

well ive officially entered the show! eek excited, i know my birds are not kept as most show birds probably are and im not expecting anything (not perfect feathers due to living in coop with outdoor runs etc), but its worth the entry fee to talk with the judge after the showing and see if my birds could produce quality offspring, and are of correct body type (and if not what i could breed in to fix it, or if i should start with new birds of that type etc).

we have a nice local chicken 4H in my area that i would LOVE to supply with quality chicks (they need at least 6 chicks of the same type for their spring projects) next spring! not that im having any trouble selling the ones i hatched this summer (as pet quality, as i dont know if they are 'show quality') but id rather not breed birds that go totally against the standards, as lots of these birds are getting harder to find (in my area at least) so breeding decent quality stock is one of my main goals.

 

[Pathfinders]

Generally speaking, in order to find breeders with good examples of a given breed, it's easiest to check with a given breed club. For example, if I wanted to purchase some Dutch Bantams, I would check with the American Dutch Bantam Society website, http://www.dutchbantamsocietyamerica.com/breeders/Breeders.html where there is a list of members by state with contact info.

So if there's a specific breed you're looking for, let us know and we'll see if we can find the breed club info for you, then you can find a breeder who is a member. Most members of breed clubs are more than happy to give a new breeder a helping hand with stock.

 

[Pathfinders]

Quote:
Yes, I agree that condition is important, no question there. But condition is not the most important thing a judge looks at. Bad condition can certainly knock a bird out of the running, but a bird in good condition but of terrible type does not deserve to win over a bird in not so good condition but excellent type.

And fwiw, we work extremely hard on condition here at Pathfinders Farm, as I state in my article, Conditioning & Prepping for Shows
http://www.pathfindersfarm.com/Prepping.html :

The first thing to remember about preparing to show your birds is that good feather quality doesn’t come overnight, it must be grown, and it takes six to ten weeks to grow new feathers. Proper feather growth is created by proper nutrients: food with the right balance of amino acids and proteins; and clean, abundant water, both to drink and to keep feathers clean and conditioned. Conditioning should happen all year long, there’s no way to take a bird with poor feathers and make him show ready in the space of a week.

Best of luck to all of you with your shows.

 

[aveca]

Some things are so obvious like split comb or lop rosecomb that almost everyone knows that and getting past that, those are all things that you cannot do anything about. so dont show them. In my mind thats pretty simple. then you get into lesser things like a smudge on a feather. to me its all pretty straight foward.

Condition IS something you can do something about and it counts for a such high mark for that reason. I will take pics next time of coop cards with condition and we all know what that means written right on them. there was a fantastic red hen dont remember exactly what breed, I didnt linger cause she was pretty torn up .up there with that written on her card , pity too she was super nice bird from beak to tail, but really a mess., they are a little leaneant with the real skittish by nature birds, You know, those birds that just dont take to the whole idea. But it says someone needs to work on thier birdie a little more.another had a beak not trimmed and it was LONG and wasnt bathed again the judge himself worked with this person about everything they needed to do next time.. Didnt see any physical DQs , over all of the years I only remember seeing one leghorn with a split comb.

dont see any obvious DQs on the birds that are shown on the pics here. Not bad birds really, the sebrights maybe not so much. maybe the one hen back left of pic its hard to tell . But just by the picture, the australorps looks pretty good. They look like they could hold thier own....that leaves what I was trying to say:

OK you've got some decent birds, Now condition counts for HIGH mark so work at it now , If there is another bird same breed of equal or lesser value, you can edge out that bird if your condition os better..try to be the best and present the best. Is there anything wrong with that? Isnt always possible as in molt a month after you.ve entered. After all major faults are eliminated, I get excited for people showing and want them to do real well , trying to give them a tip or 2.been there , done that,

I was asked this week to condition and show some brown leghorns. Not sure if I want to take it on, Im thinking about it. they are good birds.

 

[rodriguezpoultry]

Quote:
In my book is shows that:
Back (12 pts.)
Conditioning and Vigor (10 pts.)
Breast (10 pts.)
Tail, Wings, Body and Fluff, Legs and Toes are all (8 pts.)
Next highest score is the Neck at (6 pts.)


Except for: Crested and Bearded varieties, Modern Games and malays. Hamburg and Rosecomb Bantams, and Japanese Bantams. For Waterfowl and Turkeys, see Special Scale of Points...

 

[rodriguezpoultry]

I agree, condition counts for alot, but without type, there is nothing.

My birds, until I can build my "perfect" place for my birds, will be in somewhat ratty condition. Not so awful as in "OMG I can't believe the bird lives like that" but in that the tails are not perfect as I'm breeding mainly, showing secondly. Later on, I can do differently, but right now, it's all I can do.

 

[aveca]

I think you can see by my pics that mine are out of the show ring right now for the year and getting a little raggity.

At the risk of repeating myself, The birds pictured here were not that bad....no obvious things stand out , sebrights maybe the rooster comb and a few odds and ends but the other birds could probably hold thier own out there.... so the point was, whats left? no split combs, no wry tails , overall not bad, in my excitment to see them do well, CONDITION is something you can do something about, Sorry if that is such an insult to yall. But its true. I used to practically live at these shows . Got boxes full of trophys. As well as husbands collection of antique egg weighers LOL. ,more than happy to share the photos of all of them but dont really like to toot the old horn much , I think its tackey really. So havnt dont that. And dont like to be like that,

If you show up at a show with 20 birds in your class, you'd better be on your toes if someone elses bird is better conditioned and ten birds all of equal quality, you will get passed over. .

Just trying to help someone with something you CAN do something about who has birds that look to me ,be not too bad really

I was only trying to help this person with some decent birds have an edge. depending on the show , they might need it. I get excited for other people and just want to help. MY BAD !.