The BANTAM ORPINGTON Thread

[gootziecat]

Roger, are the Eng bantams larger than the Am. Orp bantams?

 

[rebel yell]

Roger, are the Eng bantams larger than the Am. Orp bantams?

My Choc. pair seems to be a little bit bigger but my splits seem to be about the right size.

 

[fowlman01]

They're not in the UK standard either. I was just curious if they needed a guide to judge the variety on.

Any info you can supply the judge on color would be helpful. I am currently showing a non standard breed. (Ko Shamo's) and we bring a little sheet with the description ....it is not a "Standard" yet, just so that the judge has an idea of what to look for while judging. It has been read by all the judges I have given it to and by and large they did a good job judging them. With Ko Shamo's it is REQUIRED that they have a split wings, so you have to educate the judges.

I think most judges would be open to understanding choc Orps. It will be a Standard color here in the US at some point.

Walt

 

[BamaChicken]

Don sorry I had to take this through the fence but wanted everyone to see this boy you sent me. His color is fantastic. He has decided I am not going to kill him if walk up the pen he is in. Treats have helped. I haven't seen him breeding the girls yet but I a watching.

Here is one of the girls

 

[aveca]

they are beautiful Julie..i think the cocolate bantams will probably be one of the first inducted into the standard..everyone loves them..they tell me they are the freindliest bird alive and they sell themselves....every year they grow in popularity.

 

[aveca]

Even if a person does not want to show, seeing the birds in a show with 1000 birds or more is a good thing. The people will be helpful..... at least that is the what I have seen.
Entries seem to be up out here. The show last weekend usually has 8-900 birds and this time it had 1100. You never really8 know what you have unless you go to a show and see what is out there. Pictures on the net are very misleading sometimes.

Walt

on another thread, somone said they had just come back from a show and how sad it was, the LF classes were pretty empty..i think theres no better way than get your feet wet..try it out..98% of the show are people there learning , first timers..in the middle group, linemen and the handful on champion row are the hard old time breeders..if that wrre the case..just champion row guys could show up and everyone else coukd just stay home..6 de uccles are hardly a record

 

[aveca]

sorry walt this tablet, touch it and it skips all over and enters post befor im ready..trying to say during the 40s and 50s classes were huge..i was looking at old show books on the free library, it was nothing to see 50 buff orps, now your lucky to see 3 or 4..on agood day you might see 10. just trying to keep you in job security.

i wonder if judges today could even face a class of 60 buff orps. sounds daunting.

 

[fowlman01]

sorry walt this tablet, touch it and it skips all over and enters post befor im ready..trying to say during the 40s and 50s classes were huge..i was looking at old show books on the free library, it was nothing to see 50 buff orps, now your lucky to see 3 or 4..on agood day you might see 10. just trying to keep you in job security.

i wonder if judges today could even face a class of 60 buff orps. sounds daunting.

You are correct about the large fowl. I didn't show any and a lot of others didn't because they are not quite ready to show yet. I will be showing Shamo's and New hamps from this next show on. The large fowl are behind yhou guys out here. Most just aren't ready to show yet. I was just talking about show numbers in general.
Good judges have not trouble in classes of 100 each pullets, hens, C and K classes.100 each....not orps, but I have judged those kinds of classes in LF Leghorns. Langshans and lots of bantams.. I dissect them. Body, head, tail, color and condition. The cream rises to the top. I flip up every card with five check marks and that is usually less than 10. Then I use the points to break those few down. I also move them if I want a better comparison. I never move just one bird. I move both and then go do something for a while until I come back and make the final decision.

Each judge has a variation of that...or whatever way they chose to do it. It is easy to get lost in a large group of good birds if you don't have a check system.

I don't think we will ever see the large fowl classes of the 40-70's again.

Walt

 

[Don Chandler]

I remember when feed cost $5. a 50 lb bag, now $16 and up. It also takes alot more room. In the late 60's I hatched 250 to 300 std buffs, this year I hatched 75 and thought I needed to get my head checked when I buy feed. I will always have a few stds. Bantams are more fun because there is alot more at the show to show against.

 

[aveca]

the horse people used to say ponys are like potatoe chips, hard to have only one...i think its going to be like that with these chocolate orp bantams. im not a bantam person, when i think orpington, i think big...im scared that somone is going to give me one of these and that will be it......hooked.

that don and Julie have the midas touch with orpingtons..every one they show a picture of just so wonderful

Walt i dont have to say good luck to you showing, you know your beans.. its interesting to hear how you keep track of the judging session..i wondered how they kept track of all of those australorp at the last show..very big class, they all looked like they were cut out with a cookie cutter , every one groomed perfectly..the cream rose to the top..you will read about it in poultry press..im in there somewhere too..was reading about how ray connor judges in australia, he said pretty much what you did..first he walks the line, looking for anything obvious, double checks that , then gives it a break, goes back starts handeling the rest..
the days of 60 in a class are gone indeed, its a different world today..those big classes were in the day befor mcdonalds and fast food and women out in the work field.. today chicken comes under plastic wrap at the grocery store..

people are far removed from farming today..one of the ladys i work with said ..." i cant stand those farm animals...they poop" ...i said.... and all this time i thought those eggs you feed your kids grew right in the carton...you woud be suprised at how many peope think like that..