Showing Hatchery chickens

[digginchicks]

Yeah I am in love with my chickens and just got them for their eggs at first but now i am getting into it and wondering if I should've investigated more. I ordered mine from randalburkly and I think they look great, but I dont wanna look like an idiot if i go to a fair and get a NSQ. How much does that book cost?

 

[Yontz710]

I ordered bantams from Ideal,
red, black and white frizzles, also some Milli Fleur d Uccles.
I also ordered from McMurrays:
BLACK AUSTRALORPS
ARAUCANAS
SPECKELED SUSSEX
PARTRIDGE ROCK
We also will get roasters and broilers through the club.
We ordered them because we like the way the looked. They were the hatcheries recommended by our club and the ones that they use to place orders. I just ordered on my own.
We show hogs, feeder calves and beef, so we know something about showing. But chickens are new to us. In the other areas we buy the best we can, and the kids work their butts off to make them better. Don't know how much we can do with chickens, but we are game to try. I'd take any an all help and advice.
Thanks so much.

 

[cariboujaguar]

Maybe you could post pics here for people to judge for you before you show?

 

[Yontz710]

Quote:
I looked on Amazon and it is pretty pricey, unless I'm looking at the wrong thing.

 

[rodriguezpoultry]

The website of the American Poultry Association has both Black and White versions (which I own, the 1996 version) and it is $14.00. Another version, the 2001 version is in color and I believe is around $50.00.

http://www.amerpoultryassn.com/APA_ShoppingMall3.htm

Here is the link to the APA Standard of Perfection purchase page.

 

[tiki244]

I have heard of people getting McMurray birds and showing them. There is a kid in town here who has done pretty good with MM birds. If your kids go to 4H they are not as strict either. They judge on showmanship alot I think.

 

[cariboujaguar]

what about showing outside of 4-h and FFA, would MCMurry be good enough?

 

[poltroon]

I was able to request the APA standard book from the local library via interlibrary loan.

I am starting to understand a tiny bit what judges are looking for after reading it. (I come from horses; I understand those.) The book is beautiful, but the pictures of each breed are all paintings, and just like horses, the paintings have a certain lack of reality to them. However, as I am starting to see a larger variety of pictures of a particular breed from other sources and looking at the text, that helped quite a bit to at least get some of the basics down.

 

[tiki244]

The kid I am thinking of showed in Open class at our fair and he did pretty good. It all depends on what you get from MM. You take your chances on the quality as I believe MM gets from several different breeders. I heard someone talking on here about showing some banty cochins from MM. But again its a chance on what quality birds they send you. You never know. I think some fairs if you get some of MMs better stock would be ok to show in. But not real big shows. Get that SOP book at the library too. Try to join a poultry club in your area. You could go to the fair and ask around the people that have the birds at the fair.

 

[Tailfeathers]

Quote:
When it comes to fairs, it all depends on whether it's an APA sanctioned event and who the judge is. At the Evergreen State Fair this past year the judge awarded Best of Breed (BB) to an overwhelmingly obvious Easter Egger over 9 of my top Ameraucanas. At first I couldn't believe it and was sort of upset. But then later I learned that the bird belonged to a handicapped boy and who was thrilled to have won the award so I was really happy for him.

For the record, I wasn't upset at whoever brought the EE but rather that the judge didn't know any better. Anyways, I have heard many times that the Standard is not really adhered to or even considered at the county and state fairs.

At an APA sanctioned poultry show however, you're in for a much different story. If you really want to show, my some good birds from a breeder. All the other comments towards that are spot on. Besides that, keep in mind that it costs the same to feed a really good breeder's bird as it does a poor quality hatchery bird and there's just no telling what kind of quality you will get from a hatchery.

Now that's not to bash hatcheries, it just a fact. There is no QC in hatchery birds.

With regard to the APA SOP, getting a copy from the library for now is a good choice because I was told by either Pat or Sam with the APA that the new Standard will be out this Spring.

Hope that helps.

God Bless,