The Official Forum of the Ameraucana Breeders Club > Exhibiting & Promoting
Feathers between toes
Tailfeathers:
Hi Folks,
It\'s been awhile and I\'m perusing the various threads to see what I\'ve missed out on. This is a great thread! Very thought provoking.
I must admit that several years ago I did show a Welsummer that had a few very small stubs in between her toes. This was from hatchery stock and I\'ve since gotten rid of all my hatchery stock so I\'ve not encountered the problem again. I\'m trying to recall and I\'m not sure but I think I may have gotten a few chicks the first year that were feather-legged. Again, I seem to have that problem fixed because I haven\'t had any in several years now.
I will have to give this topic some more thought. I see good points on both sides. My first inclination without more thought is to say that I think there is a substantial difference between a \"feather-legged\" bird and \"stubs\". Removing a line of feathers down the side of a leg seems to me to be a more serious attempt to fake or decieve whereas removing a few small stubs between the toes seems to me to be more of a \"conditioning\" effort.
Again, just my initial thoughts but I have to ask myself, \"Would you use this bird as a breeder?\" The answer for me is absolutely not in the case of a feather-legged bird. I don\'t care how good it is otherwise. Whereas I might use a bird with stubs if it had a significant trait or two that I was working on.
But should I show the bird? I must admit I will have to give that some prayerful consideration now.
As I close I just wanted to say how grateful I am to read on here that I have a couple of Brothers in the Family that I didn\'t know before. I look forward to getting to know you better on here and spending at least some time in all Eternity talking about our chickens!
God Bless,
Russ:
If pulling/plucking feathers is a dq. Why would they suggest to pull stray feathers in comb area, at a 4-H workshop I attended this past summer, as part of conditioning your bird? Is it like John say\'s been a practice that goes way back and most people accept it. I am very new at showing this actually was my kid\'s first year. I truly enjoy this topic, just wondering now if our first show was we faking or conditioning. Man the things that make you go HHMMMM. Well if nothing else I got a standard of perfection coming my way. Seems I better do some more research, I would hate to teach my children something to find out later it was all wrong Ahhhh. Look forward to what the expert\'s say God Bless
Guest:
--- Quote from: Russ ---If pulling/plucking feathers is a dq. Why would they suggest to pull stray feathers in comb area, at a 4-H workshop I attended this past summer, as part of conditioning your bird? Is it like John say\'s been a practice that goes way back and most people accept it. I am very new at showing this actually was my kid\'s first year. I truly enjoy this topic, just wondering now if our first show was we faking or conditioning. Man the things that make you go HHMMMM. Well if nothing else I got a standard of perfection coming my way. Seems I better do some more research, I would hate to teach my children something to find out later it was all wrong Ahhhh. Look forward to what the expert\'s say God Bless
--- End quote ---
I\'m not an expert, have never even entered a bird in a show.
My thinking is that there is no way to know why a feather was plucked; was it simply because it was damaged or unsightly, or was it off colored to the variety or what? Since there\'s no way the judge can determine the intent of the groomer, I can\'t see how the APA rules can be changed to allow any plucking to be practised. Now if an exhibitor has plucked stubs from a clean legged breed\'s legs or feet the intent is clear................... but it\'s such a serious accusation with subsequent penalties that a judge needs unmistakable evidence to make the charge. This may even lead a judge to feel he can ignore the evidence of plucking entirely, and exhibitors to feel safe from being DQed for faking.
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