Buckeye Fancy Feather Club - Canfield, OH

[Sharon Yorks]

Thanks Jeff and Cheryl. The blue cockerel, Cooter, was hatched on October 1st of last year and is a little over 8 months old. I had planned to keep him, but am really happy with the chicks I got this year, and since he will probably be molting by Nationals, I decided to show and sell him now. Debbie Mock is his proud new owner.

The black was hatched this past December 16th and was right at 6 months old. He was named, Shadow, at the show by his new owners and our newest junior members, Colton and Hannah Brush. I had originally planned to take Shadow's brother to Canfield, but the night before the show I noticed he had several broken feathers so I grabbed Shadow out of the pen the following morning and off we went. Thankfully, they will be showing him in the junior class :-) ... I hope :-/

Crazy story...Just as I pulled Cooter out of his show cage to show Debbie, a lady walks directly up to us, grabs Cooter's head, and twists it around to kiss him on the mouth! She literally stuck his beak in her lips and smacked her lips. As I'm standing there, totally dumbfounded with my mouth dropped open I'm sure, she looks over at me and said something like, "I just love this chicken!" I really can't remember the exact words she used (help me out here Debbie if you can remember). Again, I was standing there not knowing how to respond to something like that. After she walked away, I looked at Debbie and said, "What the heck was that?" I'm not sure those were my exact words, but something like that.

It has always been a concern of mine that one of my show birds could pick up something at a show and bring it back home to my other birds, and since I don't have a good place to quarantine, I've always elected to sell them at the show. Debbie...I certainly hope you quarantine him for a little while. There is no telling what that bird may have picked up there.     

[Clif Redden]

Sharon I agree with Jeff and Cheryl congratulations on you win, your chickens look good. Looks like everyone had some nice birds.

[Mike Gilbert]

As a former breeder of blue bantams I really like that blue bantam cock.   Lacing can be seen on the wing secondaries when the photo is enlarged.   He also has the nice full hackle and a good tail angle.  He is holding his wings a little low and his comb could be a brighter red, but he's a really nice bird.  Where did Debbie get her blues?

[Sharon Yorks]

Clif...I forgot to mention, the black cockerel that won was from eggs I had gotten from you. I knew that was a smart idea to ship you my male to breed to your hen. Half of this win belongs to you.

[Clif Redden]

You did the work! I think I need to know some of your tricks raising birds! The Black cock you sent me throws nice chicks for sure

[Debbie]

Great report, Sharon! Thanks for taking the pictures too. I can't beleive you got that many good ones. The birds were all being shy at the show.

We had a wonderful time at the show. It was our first meet, and all of the show staff were out of thier way to be helpful. We got to meet some other members and everyone was very kind.  The Juniors birds were really nicely conditioned, they should be really proud of themselves! Can't wait till my little monsters are a little older and able to show along side them.

I cant take much credit for the birds I entered. Most of my flock was wiped out by a predator after a dowsizing (I had just had my youngest), so most of the birds I brought I purchased this last fall and winter.

The bantam Blue Male was from Russ Blair. I really love the bantams I got from him! I *think* his line originated from you?  Most of the birds I took are from Sharon, Russ, and Patty.

Sharon's black AOSB champ was reeeeeaaallly nice. I think she may have wavered on bringing him home if he hadn't already been sold   And yes getting Cooter worked out perfectly,  he is sharing the quarentine pen with my Black Pullet who was at the show. 

I have to say that chicken kisser was pretty crazy.  I was just shocked! Eeek. Frosty the white was not impressed with her actions either!

[Sharon Yorks]

Debbie...I probably would have wavered a bit if he hadn't have been pre-sold since he was the one I was planning to keep as a breeder, but I have 2 of his brothers so I'm happy for the Juniors who will be showing him.

Clif...I think the decision we made to combine our lines was a very smart one since yours has qualities that mine don't (especially combs) and mine have a certain body type. Same with the blues. Look at what our combo blues are doing with Josh, and look at the Elijah kids I'm going to cross them with. I can't wait to see next year's kids. The older Elijah boys are ones I hope to take to the National Meet. I just need to work on eye color now, which is another thing I think Josh's chicks will help with when I cross them. Time will tell.

[Clif Redden]

Yeah the chick's are looking very good!

[Mike Gilbert]

The bantam Blue Male was from Russ Blair. I really love the bantams I got from him! I *think* his line originated from you?  Most of the birds I took are from Sharon, Russ, and Patty.

Yes, Russ got the last of my blues.   I recognized the type and style of that blue cock.

[Jeffery and Cheryl Vance]

I agree Sharon u and Clif have done good my mixing the blues and blacks both lines are great Clif I thank she is giving them a little more attention then we are every time I call she is with them I may try to see if she is before I go to work one night?   

[Clif Redden]

Yeah she spends so much time in the chicken house, I wonder when she gets up in the morning if she has bad hair days or a bad feather day?

[Sharon Yorks]

Well, I have been labeled the "Mother Klucker" around here...and I have been known to get my feathers ruffled a time or two, but I'm actually having a very good hair day today, thank you! 

[Jeffery and Cheryl Vance]

Josh's station eyes x Elijsh body and  lacing going to be great. Yes Clif call last night on the way to work she was in the coop at 10 pm.

[Mike Gilbert]

Just a quick comment to keep this discussion alive.   Photos seldom tell the full story.   Getting a bird to pose in its natural position is a time consuming and often difficult task.   So this observation is directed at the photo, not the bird or its owner.   The bantam wheaten hen photo provides a perfect example of an incorrect bantam female tail.   By that I mean it is fan shaped and carried too high.   The correct tail would be carried at about 40 degrees or so above horizontal and would be neither pinched nor fan shaped from the side view.

[Sharon Yorks]

Clif...Jeff is telling you stories. Who in the world would be out in their coop at 10:00pm? I mean, come on. Really? Well...it may have been like 9:30, maybe 9:40, but definitely not 10:00pm. Pfft! I wouldn't be out there at 10:00pm. 

Mike...yeah, probably my lack of photo skills. Any comments about the black?