Silkie breeding, genetics & showing

[chickendales]

Honestly, I looked like the crazy chicken diva because I actually cared how my birds looked and I fussed over them. Actually, I was tickled at the crew that brought in the sebrights, they were pros. You could tell that they were competitors and this wasn't their first rodeo (so to speak). They were a group of retired guys and they took alot of care with their little peeps. They did sooo much grooming and I had a great time watching them!
This show was not really the experience that I had hoped for, I was expecting more, and I was disappointed. My husband was very excited and was totally supportive, but after a couple of hours, I was cold, wet, and bored. When I got home that night, I had to confess that I didn't have very much fun. There were people there to show for fun and then there were those that were showing and selling birds for the money. There were some shifty characters there. I am hoping that the next show will be a better experience.

dont feel bad i was sick the day of show went home early before silkie judging and didnt get meet any of the silkie breeders that entered witch is sad sence this largerst silkie entery in years

 

[aoxa]

Honestly, I looked like the crazy chicken diva because I actually cared how my birds looked and I fussed over them.  Actually, I was tickled at the crew that brought in the sebrights, they were pros.  You could tell that they were competitors and this wasn't their first rodeo  (so to speak).  They were a group of retired guys and they took alot of care with their little peeps.  They did sooo much grooming and I had a great time watching them! 
This show was not really the experience that I had hoped for, I was expecting more, and I was disappointed.  My husband was very excited and was totally supportive, but after a couple of hours, I was cold, wet, and bored.  When I got home that night, I had to confess that I didn't have very much fun.  There were people there to show for fun and then there were those that were showing and selling birds for the money.  There were some shifty characters there.  I am hoping that the next show will be a better experience. :/

I'm sorry you had such a terrible experience I had such a great time at my first show - which was the fair. We were left to watch over the birds (ie: feed, water and make sure kids kept their hands to themselves) and we really enjoyed doing it. There are a lot of people that don't care. For example, one had a bird that died during transport, and didn't care at all. I found that very sad. They had crammed them all in little cages while mine were all in dog kennels and never more than 4 per cage (and that was for the biggest kennel - the XXL dog Kennel). Also, I really REALLY hate how they handle the birds. It really bothers me when they carry a goose in by their neck.

Almost everyone showing there were retired older men. There were women showing and we made good friends with a few of them. I've made quite a few friends through showing. I wouldn't trade that for anything

 

[Adoravachick]

I'm sorry you had such a terrible experience

I had such a great time at my first show - which was the fair. We were left to watch over the birds (ie: feed, water and make sure kids kept their hands to themselves) and we really enjoyed doing it. There are a lot of people that don't care. For example, one had a bird that died during transport, and didn't care at all. I found that very sad. They had crammed them all in little cages while mine were all in dog kennels and never more than 4 per cage (and that was for the biggest kennel - the XXL dog Kennel). Also, I really REALLY hate how they handle the birds. It really bothers me when they carry a goose in by their neck.

Almost everyone showing there were retired older men. There were women showing and we made good friends with a few of them. I've made quite a few friends through showing. I wouldn't trade that for anything

Thanks, I have been trying very hard to not let the experience sour me. One thing that really bothered, I met one of the other exhibitionists that had birds for sale(I was very excited to meet her and actually sought her out) , she helped me look over her birds an I had picked out a splash pullet to purchase. She felt that the birds face was crooked, I said "It looks like it's just the way the feathers are laying", so she fixed the feathers and said "oh, she doesn't look crooked now." I told her I would take the bird and that I needed to run and get my money out of the car. She said "I'll set her off to the side for you". I went to grab my money and I then I couldn't find her, once I saw her back over with her birds, I went over to collect my new pullet. She told me that she waited around for me to come back and that another woman came along and bought the bird. I said "oh, I thought you said that you would hold her while I went to the car?" She said "Oh, I don't hold birds for people." I was angry and I thought that was very poor form. I have bought from her before, I have spent alot of money with her, so it's not like I was blowing smoke saying "oh, I'll be back" and then never return. I saw her put that bird in a crate in the bed of her truck to "set her aside" for me. Honestly, I think that she changed her mind once she realized that there was NOTHING wrong with that bird. I would have taken it better if she had just said that she had reconsidered selling the pullet. I can understand that.

I have heard stories like that from other people about her, so I wasn't completely shocked. I don't plan on buying from her anymore, it really turned me off. I ended up finding another splash, but that really bothered me. Not too much bothers me, but it just rubbed me the wrong way.

 

[aoxa]

Thanks, I have been trying very hard to not let the experience sour me.  One thing that really bothered, I met one of the other exhibitionists that had birds for sale(I was very excited to meet her and actually sought her out) , she helped me look over her birds an I had picked out a splash pullet to purchase.  She felt that the birds face was crooked, I said "It looks like it's just the way the feathers are laying", so she fixed the feathers and said "oh, she doesn't look crooked now."  I told her I would take the bird and that I needed to run and get my money out of the car.  She said "I'll set her off to the side for you".  I went to grab my money and I then I couldn't find her, once I saw her back over with her birds, I went over to collect my new pullet.  She told me that she waited around for me to come back and that another woman came along and bought the bird.  I said "oh, I thought you said that you would hold her while I went to the car?"  She said "Oh, I don't hold birds for people."  I was angry and I thought that was very poor form.   I have bought from her before, I have spent alot of money with her, so it's not like I was blowing smoke saying "oh, I'll be back" and then never return.  I saw her put that bird in a crate in the bed of her truck to "set her aside" for me.  Honestly, I think that she changed her mind once she realized that there was NOTHING wrong with that bird.  I would have taken it better if she had just said that she had reconsidered selling the pullet.  I can understand that. 

I have heard stories like that from other people about her, so I wasn't completely shocked.  I don't plan on buying from her anymore, it really turned me off.  I ended up finding another splash, but that really bothered me.  Not too much bothers me, but it just rubbed me the wrong way.

That's really unprofessional in my opinion. I would NEVER do that to someone. I would expect the same courtesy from others. I wouldn't hold a bird for someone unless I knew them personally. I would hold a bird that was paid for (or a deposit was made). How long were you gone? A few hours makes sense.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Quote: A LOT of breeders do not consider a bird sold until money is in hand. There have been too many times they have been told "oh, I am going to purchase this for me; let me go get the cash" and they hold the bird, even though others come by wanting to purchase, and then the one for whom they are holding it comes back and says "I changed my mind." And so a bird they did not intend to keep does not get sold. I have had this happen to me more than once, and it always seems to be the people that seem really nice that do this (maybe because I wouldn't agree to hold it for someone that didn't seem really nice?)

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Quote: How long did hte person expect you to be gone? If I expected 15-20 minutes, and a few hours had passed, I don't think I would necessarily be expecting you to show back up; I'd think you had changed your mind.

 

[aoxa]

A LOT of breeders do not consider a bird sold until money is in hand.  There have been too many times they have been told "oh, I am going to purchase this for me; let me go get the cash" and they hold the bird, even though others come by wanting to purchase, and then the one for whom they are holding it comes back and says "I changed my mind."  And so a bird they did not intend to keep does not get sold.  I have had this happen to me more than once, and it always seems to be the people that seem really nice that do this (maybe because I wouldn't agree to hold it for someone that didn't seem really nice?)

That all makes sense. I have had lots of no shows, but I never held the birds for anyone that I didn't know. Everyone paid me first, and then I set the birds aside until they were ready to get them.

 

[Adoravachick]

That's really unprofessional in my opinion. I would NEVER do that to someone. I would expect the same courtesy from others. I wouldn't hold a bird for someone unless I knew them personally. I would hold a bird that was paid for (or a deposit was made). How long were you gone? A few hours makes sense.

I would completely understand....but it was maybe 20 minutes....at the most. I am a realist, I wouldn't expect hours to go by.

 

[Adoravachick]

A LOT of breeders do not consider a bird sold until money is in hand. There have been too many times they have been told "oh, I am going to purchase this for me; let me go get the cash" and they hold the bird, even though others come by wanting to purchase, and then the one for whom they are holding it comes back and says "I changed my mind." And so a bird they did not intend to keep does not get sold. I have had this happen to me more than once, and it always seems to be the people that seem really nice that do this (maybe because I wouldn't agree to hold it for someone that didn't seem really nice?)

My bird was cooped next to hers...the whole thing was just weird.

 

[Adoravachick]

My whole problem, why set the bird aside for me and agree to hold the bird if you aren't really going to do it? In any case, I won't do that again.