WV MD PA VA Chickenstock TSC Sat. April 23,2011

[Msbear]

WOW! Great ideas. Let's do the farm swap the 3rd week in june. It'll be just like going to a MD show as to the testing regs. AND, I really really like doing a small show .. wow, that's done.

So, farm swap in June. Gower's swap in July and TSC in the fall. I'll start a new thread for the farm swap then, once we get a bit closer we can open a new thread for the summerstock. post a link soon.

Tammy

can you help me organize the show. This can be like a test run for one we can have at the fair. I'll talk with our local ag. dept and see whom would be qualified to judge but, we'll need pens... do you think jeff. co. would let us use theirs???? for a small donation??? hmm

 

[Soaring Chicks]

Thanks Tammy as you know I want to get started showing and something like that would help more then me out give us a starting point without getting over our heads and it be a neg. instead of positive thing.
It need not be a real show maybe a clinic on how to get into showing and have a few gifts for the top winners.
If we did something like that I would do the "clinics " first and then do the sales.
That way everyone can get set up they way the have always wanted too

.
People can look around at all the differant breeds and know what is there maybe learn about the breed they are buying or thinking about.
They more the new buyers know the happier the chicks you sell them will be.
Tammy that would give y'all the chance to do a speech about starting a club and the pos & neg that come with all of it.
There just is not alot of info out there on it.
I have no problem getting the papers I would need to swap/show in md.
I would help you with it if I ever get yo learn myself.
I will help in anyway needed.



Erin I need turkey eggs if you still have any for sale.

 

[Majestic Lane Poultry]

I am going with clinic vs. an actual show. That way we won't have to pay for a judge. As it is we will need volunteers to supply us with sawhorses, plywood tops, etc. People could use wire dog(type) kennels instead of show cages. So many ideas. We need a planning session.

 

[Fourgirlsoneboy]

These all sound like great ideas. Is there any way we can set dates for all of the swaps/stocks soon so I can put them on my calendar? Please don't make the summer stock the last weekend in July as it will confilct with the Berkeley Co fair check in.

 

[Chicken Junkies]

Well, we are there. Would love clinics... have people with special breeds (like Rosecombs) show and talk about their birds and their history during the day. Also, people just having a clinic about how to hatch or raise chicks. Classes on genetics. Educational stuff. We have a ton of chairs, tables, tent, etc. if ya need it. Cages too. How about getting a pit bbq guy to serve bbq chicken. Make pickled eggs. Just everything chicken. Sounds like great fun and I can sure drive traffic to your website for ya. Whoo Hoo! WHEN???

 

[Majestic Lane Poultry]

I volunteer to keep the list updated. Everyone PM me with your name, your farm or BYC name, what you can contribute, and what you will have to sell.

Also, what about a covered dish list for Friday night bonfire and camping???? Erin, are you overwhelmed yet?

 

[Soaring Chicks]

Off topic ,but Tammy did you get my pm about the eggs?

 

[Majestic Lane Poultry]

Quote:
I did. Last night and forgot completely about it, sorry. For some reason, my cellphone doesn't respond to pm's very well. So, by this morning, my mind had already forgotten it. Thanks for the update. That tally isn't too bad. As for the cochins. I am happy. I still didn't do too much butt trimming but last hatch I was 2 for 22. Thankfully, those two did hatch. I don't want to artificially inseminate if I don't have too.

Thanks again.

Off to a doctor's appt. I'll check back in later.

 

[Orpygal]

I think this shindig at Erin's sounds wonderful! I am not a breeder/shower but I love seeing different, unusual breeds and adding to my flock. The 'stocks are always crowded and move at lightning speed so this would (hopefully) provide a slower pace and time to chat.

 

[Msbear]

I've been going crazy with ideas and have been fortunate to get a hold of an extremely helpful agricultural dept. One girl would like to put on a demonstration of proper butchering techniqes. Another will be setting up a booth and give a "lesson in biosecurity" She will have leaflets and help educate both newbies and old timers of the potential threats and how to protect our birds. She will also be testing in the morning. ...all non npip folks. Anyone who's npip, just bring your badge and you're cool.... no need for AI in stater or outstater (I think! After an hour on the phone, Im STILL not 100% sure of the rules and I don't think she is either) Im beginning to wonder if law and want they want are two different things. I think we may test random birds of non npipers for AI and that's it... it's this new kind of test that gives results in 15 minutes.

I think I will take you up on that tent, CJ as we can have our show clinic there. Anyone who can loan dog crates would be greatly appreciated. I think I have ten. Rusty could probably whip up some chicken wire and pine boxes as well. I will contact local 4h leaders and invite them to our show clinic. They can email me their name, breed and variety of bird they wish to show and have a limited space for 50 or so birds. We can have a judge and give some awards... like a bags of feed or gift certificates to TSC. Tammy, would you like to help me with this one? When would coop in be? I was thinking the judge could be a real judge... of some sort that could explain briefly what he is looking for in his winners. maybe we could attack show quality vs. hatchery quality. We could maybe have a board explaining the sequence of event. ..have appropriate testing done on your flock, pay entry, chose birds with proper breed type and whom are in best show condition, bathe bird a few days ahead of time to allow essential oils to return while enhancing feather quality, clean and trim nails, trim beak if overgrown, pluck broken or frayed feathers, lightly oil comb and waddles for shine, coop in and wait... did I miss something?

I was planning on inviting other coop builders and have Rus whip up a few of our models to have a coop tour. This would just be a display and would be on autopilot.

one more thing... and I would need someone to take this on. "Chicken Keeping 101" This booth would focus on all the things we take for granted and give some insider tips; best breeds, best feeds, what is dual purpose? where to butcher? what bedding to use. How often to clean, composting. I would be happy to help put the pieces together and organize.. just would need help with a direction to go with this. I doubt anyone would like to sit in a booth all day but, maybe we can have it be more of an autopilot booth where the "top ten breeds" are listed accompanied by a brief explanative. A board on egg producing and a board for broilers could list some pointers for how to best keep the different birds. I dunno.. this is still just a thought...

So, you see this will be more of a poultry fair with a large sales area. I think the ag. dept would give me a list of npip participants in MD and I would be happy to send them all an invite. We could advertise at the poultry shows and in the chicken magazines. I think this could be a big hit with newbies looking to get started as well as growers looking to buy/sell/trade

Tell me, am I going over the deep end or does this all sound doable?