Tell me everything about the APA

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this is a really good post, thank you sonoran. Puppy mill tho? HECK NO! i simply LOVE my birds. I really want to show, and to me "i thought" if i went to these shows being a member off APA ,ABA, and all of my birds are NPIP tested then that would at least give me the image not only i would like to see for myself, but for other people to see too. As far as making money goes.." once i did the work and got a few shows under me" then i would most likely look into selling hatching eggs and chicks. I am basically starting from scratch as of now, but i know it takes time and hard work to get where i want to get. I have a few adult birds of what i want to start working with...but not much from there. As far as offspring that i would not use, i am absolutely going to have to suck it up and learn how to cull. I always told myself i would never do it, but the more and more serious i want to get with this, the more and more i realize that culling is a must if i want to raise SQ birds. My motives for wanting to raise, show, and sell are very simple.

For 10 years i did 4-H not ever showing chicken's....always wanted to but never did, it was hog's and cattle for me. My 10th year was in 2005. After that i guess you can say i just didn't feel right not competing every july like i did for the last 10 years. Not because i wanted to win, not because i wanted money, but for the experience, for that one moment of happiness you got from seeing something you worked SO hard on finally pay off in the end. Sure you can work hard a the office, or work hard at home, but for me there's nothing like taking another creatures life in your own hands and working with it to achieve that moment of happiness. I can do that again with these chicken's. Before i had a HUGE barn with everything i ever needed for the cows and hogs, now that im out i didn't have the correct facilities to even THINK about showing any type of animal. hen i had an Aumsh man build me a coop, then i raised some day old layer chicks, THEN i started hatching egg's, THEN!!!! i got into silkies and a few other show bantam's. I never thought i could do this...ever, but i am and im love'in every second of it! I missed talking to the other 4-h'ers that grew up alongside of me about their animals, i missed our rich conversations about every aspect of our topic animal at that moment, it was dialog that my college buddies and old high school friends could not speak or understand with me. Simply put i just never knew i could love a farm stock animal ever again like i use to until i found chickens. I love my birds...and call me crazy but i think they love me right back
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well said fellow hoosier! By no means am i going to start selling ANYTHING untill i get my vergin show chicken butt out there and get that experience that i obviously need. I like this point system thing with the APA. Makes me glad to know that you get at least something to show for when you got to shows. thanks for the post


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i would very much like that! i hope we don't live too far away from each other tho.
 
hope you take all the advice to heart and i hope to see you at some shows im going to one in april one in may and one in october plus the 4H shows like the fair and the state fair
 
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Thats what everyone is trying to tell you. Its not just about getting a few shows under you're belt. A true breeder/exhibitor doesn't do it to sell eggs and chicks. A true breeder/exhibitor does it for the love of their chosen breed, and usually does it for YEARS before they even sell a bird.

The only people who set up shop and start selling hatching eggs and chicks are hatcheries, and you know what kind of reputation they have.
 
I have a question. If I'm attending and showing at an APA show this upcoming weekend, could I purchase a membership tonight/tomorrow and accumulate points at that show? ( That's if my birds place
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Thats what everyone is trying to tell you. Its not just about getting a few shows under you're belt. A true breeder/exhibitor doesn't do it to sell eggs and chicks. A true breeder/exhibitor does it for the love of their chosen breed, and usually does it for YEARS before they even sell a bird.

The only people who set up shop and start selling hatching eggs and chicks are hatcheries, and you know what kind of reputation they have.

Well said. When i got my show oegb's i asked the breeder how much he wanted for the pair, since he knew i was a teenager just getting into chickens he said he didn't want money and instead wanted me to pay him back by showing and breeding and continuing the hobby to the next generation. The first show i entered, north east poultry congress, i got champion english in the jr. division. These were beautiful birds, he could have sold them, instead he gave them to somebody he hoped would carry on the passion for the rest of their life, thats what being a breeder is about, not $$.
 
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Thats what everyone is trying to tell you. Its not just about getting a few shows under you're belt. A true breeder/exhibitor doesn't do it to sell eggs and chicks. A true breeder/exhibitor does it for the love of their chosen breed, and usually does it for YEARS before they even sell a bird.

The only people who set up shop and start selling hatching eggs and chicks are hatcheries, and you know what kind of reputation they have.

Well said. When i got my show oegb's i asked the breeder how much he wanted for the pair, since he knew i was a teenager just getting into chickens he said he didn't want money and instead wanted me to pay him back by showing and breeding and continuing the hobby to the next generation. The first show i entered, north east poultry congress, i got champion english in the jr. division. These were beautiful birds, he could have sold them, instead he gave them to somebody he hoped would carry on the passion for the rest of their life, thats what being a breeder is about, not $$.

man lucky you! im glad you did so well with them
 
it's not about doing well, it's nice to win, but i do it because i love the birds and strive to perfect them through breeding, and i feel this is the attitude people should have going into the show. That was the only placement i'v ever taken at a show, and i still go and have fun, i know people who have shown birds for 10 years and have never done better than best of variety, and they have very nice birds.
 
One thing to add. Cull means remove from your breeding stock--that can be by selling to someone who wants yard candy/pest patrol/eating eggs/natural alarm clock/etc.

I give away many of my birds that do not make the grade to neighbors or sell them at the feed store. I have never deliberately killed a bird for any reason.
 
i couldnt imagin killing anothrer living creature because it doesnt meet a standard that bird cna lead a very productive long happy life with someone just because it make the grade doesnt mean it should be killed im my book! love this thread
 

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