Okay, looks like nobody is bold enough to offer an opinion.
So I will start by just commenting on two of the birds, and any of you can jump in and say \"Enough Already!!!\" or,
\"more, please.\" Your call.
The first bird is Paul Smith\'s champion black cockerel. Judging from the photos, he was clearly the best of the lot.
I love his conformation, pose, conditioning, and color. The smooth transition from slope of the back to rise of the tail is outstanding. I would like to see the two main sickle feathers project beyond the main tail as the standard calls for. Can\'t tell from the photo for sure, but the eyes look to be dark brown and of course they should be reddish bay. The comb might be a little large, but appears to be nicely shaped. The muffs could be fuller, although from that angle it is difficult to say for sure. Over all a very nice bird that deserved to win.
Then I would like to say a few words about my BV Blue bantam pullet (and the RV - they are very much alike - full sisters). The standard says the following about the female tail: \"medium length, top two feathers slightly convexed . . . . . Coverts - quite long, flowing well up the tail.\"
These two birds have tails that are too long, and without the covert length called for. I will give them credit for having tails that are spread about right. We do not want tails that are pinched together, nor tails that are fan shaped. About the female breast, the standard says: \"Full, round, deep.\" Another area that needs improvement, not only with these two but several of the other winners. The blues have muffs that are not full enough, but I knew that from having raised them, not from the photos. I give them credit for outstanding eye color, the reddish bay really stands out on a blue or a black chicken. So these blues are far from perfect, but I would have been happy to breed from them last year.
The lacing is improving each year, and I\'m not sure these photos reflected that. When you see lacing on the wings in their naturally folded position, you know you are on the right track.
So do you want more of this, or is this already too much?
