Hopeful Hatch Grow-along

[tviss711]

Hi friends! The weeks are going by and sadly I am preparing my heart to send Winchester off to his new home this Sunday. But I have seen the pictures of his new home, and it is a veritable chicken heaven, so I honestly am very grateful. I am worried he will be very nervous at first since he is used to the companionship of his siblings, but I think he will adjust. He has a great personality, and will have an adult hen as a companion (and hopefully, she will correct him if he ever tries to be impolite!), and the new owner is currently raising some pullets that will later become his ladies. Ideal scenario! Now, to hopefully find the same for the other 2! (providing Cayenne isn't a male- her comb remains pink, while Chili's is bright red as are his wattles... waiting impatiently to see what she will be!!)

I will share some pictures later - they are all turning out to be quite lovely looking birds! And Mabel's legs and feet are grey, which surprised me as neither parent had grey feet - both had yellow/pink, and all her siblings do as well. I wonder why!

I also wanted to ask if any of you have experience showing birds. I am aware that it is highly likely that 0 of my birds are show quality, as the ones I've hatched myself are cross breeds, and the other pure breds are hatchery stock. I've read mixed reviews about certain people getting lucky with their hatchery birds and actually winning shows for them. I was looking to get the APA standards of perfection book, but on Amazon it was literally 2,000 dollars??? So that seemed crazy to me. Ebay has some used ones for 80 dollars which is much more reasonable. My friend and I were looking into learning how to do this (just as a hobby, not trying to win anything serious, but it offers another way of interacting with my birds that could be fun. I also have an incubator and can work towards breeding better birds, and my friend does have some show quality seramas she's been working on too.)

ANYWAY, what would I need to know about getting started? What would be a good breed to start with, if I did pick it up as a hobby? I know @horselover1999 you mentioned you showed and bred Anconas (I have heard to not start out with patterned birds as it is so much easier to see imperfections in the bird). Or should I just... not? lol. It seems fun though, and its definitely something I would get hooked on if I got started... Knowing my personality. I tend to laser focus and obsess a little bit. I tried to look into the "exhibition" forums a little bit, but most of the threads seem to be about genetics and breeding advice. (which I'm sure would come in handy down the road!)

 

[Slothinc]

Hi friends! The weeks are going by and sadly I am preparing my heart to send Winchester off to his new home this Sunday. But I have seen the pictures of his new home, and it is a veritable chicken heaven, so I honestly am very grateful. I am worried he will be very nervous at first since he is used to the companionship of his siblings, but I think he will adjust. He has a great personality, and will have an adult hen as a companion (and hopefully, she will correct him if he ever tries to be impolite!), and the new owner is currently raising some pullets that will later become his ladies. Ideal scenario! Now, to hopefully find the same for the other 2! (providing Cayenne isn't a male- her comb remains pink, while Chili's is bright red as are his wattles... waiting impatiently to see what she will be!!)

I will share some pictures later - they are all turning out to be quite lovely looking birds! And Mabel's legs and feet are grey, which surprised me as neither parent had grey feet - both had yellow/pink, and all her siblings do as well. I wonder why!

I also wanted to ask if any of you have experience showing birds. I am aware that it is highly likely that 0 of my birds are show quality, as the ones I've hatched myself are cross breeds, and the other pure breds are hatchery stock. I've read mixed reviews about certain people getting lucky with their hatchery birds and actually winning shows for them. I was looking to get the APA standards of perfection book, but on Amazon it was literally 2,000 dollars??? So that seemed crazy to me. Ebay has some used ones for 80 dollars which is much more reasonable. My friend and I were looking into learning how to do this (just as a hobby, not trying to win anything serious, but it offers another way of interacting with my birds that could be fun. I also have an incubator and can work towards breeding better birds, and my friend does have some show quality seramas she's been working on too.)

ANYWAY, what would I need to know about getting started? What would be a good breed to start with, if I did pick it up as a hobby? I know @horselover1999 you mentioned you showed and bred Anconas (I have heard to not start out with patterned birds as it is so much easier to see imperfections in the bird). Or should I just... not? lol. It seems fun though, and its definitely something I would get hooked on if I got started... Knowing my personality. I tend to laser focus and obsess a little bit. I tried to look into the "exhibition" forums a little bit, but most of the threads seem to be about genetics and breeding advice. (which I'm sure would come in handy down the road!)

I am so happy you have found a great home for Winchester! He will love his new girls, that is for sure!!

About showing, I have never done it but would love to some day. I used to show dogs and it was such a fun hobby. Lots of politics involved though - not sure if poultry shows have the same issue. The main reason that I have not showed any of my chickens yet is because I’m a little bit scared of picking up mareks or another disease at a show. Never worried about diseases with dogs - but they don’t tend to have things floating around that can kill them off easily. Granted, I know tons of amazing breeders go to shows, and their birds probably all have the most amazing immune systems ever! So it could potentially be a good thing. I just kind of worry for my little flock because I don’t vax for mareks that they could get sick and I would be devastated if I knew that I exposed them to that.

But don’t let my fears affect you at all - I seriously think it would be so fun if you start showing!!! And I think it is just so good for people to work towards breeding better birds and shows are just such a fun environment and such a good learning experience.

I don’t know for sure but I think most of not all of the breeds have their SOPs posted online, probably on the parent sites for each breed. So you may not need to buy that very expensive book. I remember I looked into getting it a long time ago and then just decided I would look at them online and print off if I needed a physical copy.

If you show a less common breed, you will have less competition. That is probably where I would start. I believe they have classes for mixes as well, which would be really fun.

If you haven’t yet, watch the documentary “Chicken People”! It is so much fun and gives an insight to what goes on behind the scenes of showing. It is so similar to dogs, I loved watching that video. It also reminded my of my favorite movie ever, the Mockumentary “Best In Show.”

Keep us posted, it would be really fun to have an exhibitor on this forum!!!

 

[tviss711]

I am so happy you have found a great home for Winchester! He will love his new girls, that is for sure!!

About showing, I have never done it but would love to some day. I used to show dogs and it was such a fun hobby. Lots of politics involved though - not sure if poultry shows have the same issue. The main reason that I have not showed any of my chickens yet is because I’m a little bit scared of picking up mareks or another disease at a show. Never worried about diseases with dogs - but they don’t tend to have things floating around that can kill them off easily. Granted, I know tons of amazing breeders go to shows, and their birds probably all have the most amazing immune systems ever! So it could potentially be a good thing. I just kind of worry for my little flock because I don’t vax for mareks that they could get sick and I would be devastated if I knew that I exposed them to that.

But don’t let my fears affect you at all - I seriously think it would be so fun if you start showing!!! And I think it is just so good for people to work towards breeding better birds and shows are just such a fun environment and such a good learning experience.

I don’t know for sure but I think most of not all of the breeds have their SOPs posted online, probably on the parent sites for each breed. So you may not need to buy that very expensive book. I remember I looked into getting it a long time ago and then just decided I would look at them online and print off if I needed a physical copy.

If you show a less common breed, you will have less competition. That is probably where I would start. I believe they have classes for mixes as well, which would be really fun.

If you haven’t yet, watch the documentary “Chicken People”! It is so much fun and gives an insight to what goes on behind the scenes of showing. It is so similar to dogs, I loved watching that video. It also reminded my of my favorite movie ever, the Mockumentary “Best In Show.”

Keep us posted, it would be really fun to have an exhibitor on this forum!!!

I did watch that documentary a year or so ago with my husband after we caught the chicken bug!! It was funny but also totally relatable! I think my husband is afraid I'm going to start keeping hundreds of birds now (I literally cannot do that - but I CAN hatch some each year, keeping the best and selling the rest!). I think that would be a manageable way to do that. I just think it would be such a fun project, and something I can get my niece and nephew (we've adopted them) involved in, as they enjoy the birds too. We are in a very agricultural town/county, so I'm sure there are lots of local resources and breeders I just haven't found yet. I really want to show speckled Sussex (I just adore the breed... so much!!) but I am not sure if they are a good place to start as they are patterned. Maybe starting with a solid breed, and I hadn't even thought of the rare breed thing too which is a great idea!!

 

[horselover1999]

Hi friends! The weeks are going by and sadly I am preparing my heart to send Winchester off to his new home this Sunday. But I have seen the pictures of his new home, and it is a veritable chicken heaven, so I honestly am very grateful. I am worried he will be very nervous at first since he is used to the companionship of his siblings, but I think he will adjust. He has a great personality, and will have an adult hen as a companion (and hopefully, she will correct him if he ever tries to be impolite!), and the new owner is currently raising some pullets that will later become his ladies. Ideal scenario! Now, to hopefully find the same for the other 2! (providing Cayenne isn't a male- her comb remains pink, while Chili's is bright red as are his wattles... waiting impatiently to see what she will be!!)

I will share some pictures later - they are all turning out to be quite lovely looking birds! And Mabel's legs and feet are grey, which surprised me as neither parent had grey feet - both had yellow/pink, and all her siblings do as well. I wonder why!

I also wanted to ask if any of you have experience showing birds. I am aware that it is highly likely that 0 of my birds are show quality, as the ones I've hatched myself are cross breeds, and the other pure breds are hatchery stock. I've read mixed reviews about certain people getting lucky with their hatchery birds and actually winning shows for them. I was looking to get the APA standards of perfection book, but on Amazon it was literally 2,000 dollars??? So that seemed crazy to me. Ebay has some used ones for 80 dollars which is much more reasonable. My friend and I were looking into learning how to do this (just as a hobby, not trying to win anything serious, but it offers another way of interacting with my birds that could be fun. I also have an incubator and can work towards breeding better birds, and my friend does have some show quality seramas she's been working on too.)

ANYWAY, what would I need to know about getting started? What would be a good breed to start with, if I did pick it up as a hobby? I know @horselover1999 you mentioned you showed and bred Anconas (I have heard to not start out with patterned birds as it is so much easier to see imperfections in the bird). Or should I just... not? lol. It seems fun though, and its definitely something I would get hooked on if I got started... Knowing my personality. I tend to laser focus and obsess a little bit. I tried to look into the "exhibition" forums a little bit, but most of the threads seem to be about genetics and breeding advice. (which I'm sure would come in handy down the road!)

Yes, definitely! The chicks you hatched are crossbred, so are not show quality, and wouldn’t have a category to show in.
I would suggest going to a poultry show just to observe and talk to people. You could find out what breeds you like and what is available close to you. All shows have a sales area, so you might be able to buy some birds there. You can find a list of poultry shows in your area on poultryshowcentral.com
As for the SOP, you don’t necessarily need the latest version. They only update parts of it with each new version, and you can ask other people to share what the updates are or I think you can find them online somewhere. I won mine in a raffle at a show for $20 of tickets.
Patterned birds are harder than solid birds, but some solids are very hard to maintain. One of the hardest colors to breed for is buff. I have also heard that blue is hard to keep consistent from generation to generation because it’s heterozygous, and a blue from a blue x black is different from a blue from a blue x splash mating. Patterns just add white to that, and using barred as an example, shouldn’t have more than 2 solid black feathers in the body. I think it’s the same for white feathers on Anconas and Speckled Sussex.
There are politics, but it’s easy not to get involved in that. I found out that the show coordinator that I had been friends with for years was kicked out of the APA while I was in college for some reason, no idea why.
Use the SOP and go to a show to help determine what breed you want, and start with one breed. I started with Black Langshans, and loved them. I didn’t get Anconas until later. You can find hatching eggs on several exhibition poultry Facebook groups. Most people won’t bring or be selling hatching eggs at a show. Be sure to know that there isn’t a guarantee of a quality bird from any hatching egg from an exhibition quality mating. The whole point is to keep improving the breed with each mating, many breeders hatch 100 and keep 10, but that doesn’t mean that those 90 culls aren’t good show birds.

 

[tviss711]

Yes, definitely! The chicks you hatched are crossbred, so are not show quality, and wouldn’t have a category to show in.
I would suggest going to a poultry show just to observe and talk to people. You could find out what breeds you like and what is available close to you. All shows have a sales area, so you might be able to buy some birds there. You can find a list of poultry shows in your area on poultryshowcentral.com
As for the SOP, you don’t necessarily need the latest version. They only update parts of it with each new version, and you can ask other people to share what the updates are or I think you can find them online somewhere. I won mine in a raffle at a show for $20 of tickets.
Patterned birds are harder than solid birds, but some solids are very hard to maintain. One of the hardest colors to breed for is buff. I have also heard that blue is hard to keep consistent from generation to generation because it’s heterozygous, and a blue from a blue x black is different from a blue from a blue x splash mating. Patterns just add white to that, and using barred as an example, shouldn’t have more than 2 solid black feathers in the body. I think it’s the same for white feathers on Anconas and Speckled Sussex.
There are politics, but it’s easy not to get involved in that. I found out that the show coordinator that I had been friends with for years was kicked out of the APA while I was in college for some reason, no idea why.
Use the SOP and go to a show to help determine what breed you want, and start with one breed. I started with Black Langshans, and loved them. I didn’t get Anconas until later. You can find hatching eggs on several exhibition poultry Facebook groups. Most people won’t bring or be selling hatching eggs at a show. Be sure to know that there isn’t a guarantee of a quality bird from any hatching egg from an exhibition quality mating. The whole point is to keep improving the breed with each mating, many breeders hatch 100 and keep 10, but that doesn’t mean that those 90 culls aren’t good show birds.

Thanks for all of this!! I really wanted to go to a show as that is what I hear is the best way to get involved, get started and maybe even find a mentor. Unfortunately in my state all the poultry shows were canceled for this year due to Avian Flu, which I totally understand but am a little sad about lol.

 

[horselover1999]

Thanks for all of this!! I really wanted to go to a show as that is what I hear is the best way to get involved, get started and maybe even find a mentor. Unfortunately in my state all the poultry shows were canceled for this year due to Avian Flu, which I totally understand but am a little sad about lol.

Luckily, my state has only had 2 cases in the past year, and none in my county or the immediate surrounding counties.

 

[tviss711]

Wow, you guys. I am so happy that Winchester is going to a great home, don’t get me wrong. They sent me pictures of their setup and the coop and run and everything and it’s seriously wonderful, so much enrichment and very safe. They came to pick him up just now. As soon as they left I started crying and I didn’t think I would. I purposefully have tried to not bond with him, but it was hard to take him away from all his siblings (they were all dust bathing in the sun) and hear him crying and trying to get to them through the carrier because he couldn’t understand what’s going on. I know he will adjust and I know he will be fine. It’s just hard to do that to them and not be able to explain what’s happening and why. Maybe I do just need to keep a small bachelor flock. I was not at all expecting to react this way.

They are going to be naming him “The Boss” which I think is awesome and will probably be very fitting, since he’s the largest of his siblings and will not be a small bird by any stretch of the imagination. Her kids (middle-school age) have been so excited to have him and waited so patiently for him. I really couldn’t have asked for a better scenario.

 

[Slothinc]

Wow, you guys. I am so happy that Winchester is going to a great home, don’t get me wrong. They sent me pictures of their setup and the coop and run and everything and it’s seriously wonderful, so much enrichment and very safe. They came to pick him up just now. As soon as they left I started crying and I didn’t think I would. I purposefully have tried to not bond with him, but it was hard to take him away from all his siblings (they were all dust bathing in the sun) and hear him crying and trying to get to them through the carrier because he couldn’t understand what’s going on. I know he will adjust and I know he will be fine. It’s just hard to do that to them and not be able to explain what’s happening and why. Maybe I do just need to keep a small bachelor flock. I was not at all expecting to react this way.

They are going to be naming him “The Boss” which I think is awesome and will probably be very fitting, since he’s the largest of his siblings and will not be a small bird by any stretch of the imagination. Her kids (middle-school age) have been so excited to have him and waited so patiently for him. I really couldn’t have asked for a better scenario.

I am so happy that he was able to go to such a wonderful new home!!!! You did such a very good thing for him and he will have a fabulous life. It is okay to be sad though, I always feel like I have a hole left in my heart when I send a new baby to a new home. It is just so hard not to be so attached to these sweet little babies

 

[tviss711]

Well, I had to emergency rehome Trapper, Chili, and Cayenne this evening too. Trapper started to fight with Cayenne and Potter, and it got really ugly. Everyone settled down except for Trapper, I had to make an SOS rehoming post on FB, and a local guy responded willing to take all 3. I’m sad but I knew this had to be done because it was really a bad brawl and Potter’s poor face is really beat up. I’m glad we were home because if we weren’t then we would have come home to a dead cockerel or two.

The person who took them in has 5 acres for them to free range, but he does process some of his roosters. I’m having a hard time with that, but I also knew it was going to be a long shot trying to find a loving home for 4 cockerels. They will have wonderful lives free ranging, maybe having some ladies of their own, and maybe someday feeding his family if it comes down to it. I know that’s the way it goes, and if he wasn’t able to take them they would have met an untimely and more painful demise brawling with each other.

It’s definitely bittersweet, especially saying goodbye to Chili and Cayenne who were really my golden boys. They were always side by side, so in some ways I’m glad they were able to go to a home together, and will have so much space to roam and be roosters together for however long they have left.

But, we have Colonel Potter and Mabel left, and 5 little pullets that will be introduced soon to the gang. I really wish I had hatched more females. But that’s the gamble you take with hatching I guess. A heavy heart for me this evening.

 

[Slothinc]

Well, I had to emergency rehome Trapper, Chili, and Cayenne this evening too. Trapper started to fight with Cayenne and Potter, and it got really ugly. Everyone settled down except for Trapper, I had to make an SOS rehoming post on FB, and a local guy responded willing to take all 3. I’m sad but I knew this had to be done because it was really a bad brawl and Potter’s poor face is really beat up. I’m glad we were home because if we weren’t then we would have come home to a dead cockerel or two.

The person who took them in has 5 acres for them to free range, but he does process some of his roosters. I’m having a hard time with that, but I also knew it was going to be a long shot trying to find a loving home for 4 cockerels. They will have wonderful lives free ranging, maybe having some ladies of their own, and maybe someday feeding his family if it comes down to it. I know that’s the way it goes, and if he wasn’t able to take them they would have met an untimely and more painful demise brawling with each other.

It’s definitely bittersweet, especially saying goodbye to Chili and Cayenne who were really my golden boys. They were always side by side, so in some ways I’m glad they were able to go to a home together, and will have so much space to roam and be roosters together for however long they have left.

But, we have Colonel Potter and Mabel left, and 5 little pullets that will be introduced soon to the gang. I really wish I had hatched more females. But that’s the gamble you take with hatching I guess. A heavy heart for me this evening.

I am so sorry - I have followed this group from hatch and I know how special these babies are to you. You gave them the best start to life and you did them a service by sending all 3 together. I always love to rehome multiples if at all possible. It was so sad that so many of your hatch turned out to be boys but Im so glad you have your two cuties still. Hugs!