About Me

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I am a 42 year old woman that is about as happy and content as one person can be. My husband of 21 years and our 15 year old daughter live on five and a half acres out in the country. We moved from the city four years ago and never looked back. I homeschool our daughter. We also love our animals. Our daughter has a miniature horse and two rabbits. We also have a border collie, two cats (again), two pot belly pigs, four peafowl, three emus, 2 llamas and an undetermined number of chickens, lets just say ohhh about 200. I have many breeds, from layers to fancy chickens. I love poultry shows, I love fowl in general as I have come to find out through having more than just chickens. Chickens will always be my first love though. I do show some of my birds occasionally.

Monday, February 18, 2008

Saturday and Show Results

I must have woke up a hundred times between 9 pm Friday night and 3 am Saturday morning. I never sleep before going to something like this. My mind is racing, won't shut up and let me sleep. Always going over everything to make sure I dont forget to bring anything...planning the morning out in my head..SHHHHH! I try to hush my mind, but it won't be quiet.

At 2:47 I could stand it no more...so I went ahead and got on up. Up before the chickens this particular morning! Showered, hair done, make up (I dont wear make up unless its really something I am going to), clothes on, looking good, feeling good.

I already had all the birds caged and ready to head out, loading them all up along with my cart to wheel them in and two extra containers for birds I may buy at the show.

Camera, check. Baggies of food, container of water, food and water cups, check. Baby wipes, check. Shine spray, check. Money, purse, keys, directions, check.

I left right on time if you can believe it...4:30 am I was pulling out of the driveway. That is an accomplishment in itself for me.

I got there around 6:30 am. There were already lots of folks there...but not too bad. I got the birds all loaded up on the cart and got signed in. Then it was time to get tested. You have to have your birds tested for any diseases before you can coop in.

The guy in front of me being tested had 29 birds to put in show, so he was testing. That took some time...not too bad though. He turned around and looked at me, we got to talking. He says

"What is your name?"

I said, "Kelly".

He says..."Kelly C----y?"

I say..YES! How did you know?

He says, " I am the guy that was heading up the Hamilton show, the one we had to cancel remember?"

YEAHHHH!

We were gabbing on and on from that point all while he was testing. He was a cool guy. While there I also saw Darlene, the lady I talked to a bunch last year and she won Grand Champion Reserve. I thought it was GC, but it was Reserve, which is still great. Saw Brian, the guy I had bought my Frizzle babies from. We talked a lot and he invited me to a swap meet in March in Monroe they are having. All kinds of birds from chicks to adults for sale.

Ians dad and his new wife came to the show for a while. It was really cool to have them there to see what goes on. She shows Irish Wolfhounds so she could really appreciate what goes on at any kind of animal showing. We had a good time walking around and talking, catching up.

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Now, onto show results! No, I didnt win anything, but I ALMOST did...will explain this as I go along here.

First up...is Kuckoo and Coco.

 

 

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Kuckoo was disqualified. I learned something I didnt know. When I looked on his card it just had the word STUBS written on there. What? What does THAT mean? I didnt have a clue. I asked the lady at the Araucana Club table, who had these STUBS marked on two of her cards too. She showed me what they were, on her birds.

Stubs are little tiny feathers...may just be one or two...that are growing out of the leg or toes. Clean legged birds are not supposed to have this, at all. It is a disqualification.

So I we go over to my two Polish, and she cant see a one on my birds. She suggests I ask the judge about it. So about five minutes later...I see the particular judge that judged them, and I ask him what exactly are stubs and where are they on my birds?

You wouldnt believe it. There were tiny tiny I mean TINY little eyelash looking feathers, in between his toes!

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The judge tells me he thinks I have a wonderful very nice pair of Polish, and when he saw my hen, he really really wanted to give her BEST CONTINENTAL, but then he found the stubs on her too.

I got told this not once, but twice. Later another judge came to me telling me to watch those stubs, to be sure to pull them out before a show, that I would have won best continental.

So just shoot me in the head now okay.

I want you to know..I looked when we got home, at Cocos feet. I found ONE little tiny stub. No bigger than half an eyelash..in between her toes. I pulled it out, looked at it in disbelief that this had caused me to not no win big. Live and learn. I wont ever forget this one.

Here she is in her show pen..she was disqualified too..but again...a superb perfect pair...so a breeding program will be in order for them this Spring. I have two from them already, but want to have more for next years show. Just because they were disqualified does not mean they are not really good birds. I was told by the judge that it has been a long time since he has seen such a good pair.

 

 

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A couple of nice shots of Kuckoo below. I had it all set up in my head to do some shots out on a bale of hay with the grass and fence as a background...but you wouldnt believe the weather we had yesterday. High winds and pouring rain. So that was out.

 

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I know that head shot of Kuckoo is huge, but I had to! It is just the PERFECT shot, and I wanted to put it on her BIG!!! ;)

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More show results to follow...you know I dont like to have long drawn out entries..and this one is kinda long for me...so more to come later. :)

Oh I wanted to add a picture of what Kuckoo looked like last year when I bought him...as opposed to what he looks like now..has he filled out or WHAT? Handsome boy! This is from last year...

 

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14 comments:

Anonymous said...

OH my doesn't that suck!! I bet you will be plucking all those tiny feathers next time!  They do look really good and I'm not surprised at all that they could have won.  I love the huge pictures because I could really get a good look at your bird.  Beautiful! :)  Good luck for next time ;)  

Anonymous said...

Who wouda thought a tiny feather would dissquality a beautiful bird. Do they use magnifing glasses? You can see a big difference in Kuckoo from last year. I am sorry that you didn't win. I was looking forward to reading your journal today hoping you would have won. This is the pits. Hugs, Helen

Anonymous said...

Well that just stinks!  Stubs...who knew?  Next time you will have all winners!

Anonymous said...

Stubs...hmmm, how do they even see them if they are so small ~ do they use a magnifying glass to find them?  I am serious and not being smart when I ask this.  Well you should feel good knowing if they were stubless you would have won, that says alot!  So I guess now you will have to pluck out those feathers huh.  It sounds like a good time though catching up with the other people and seeing all the other birds must have been great.  Well done, my congrats to you anyway for having the guts to show them and all the work you put in it.  The pictures are great, they are just beautiful.
xxx
Lisa

Anonymous said...

Beautiful, hard to believe you did not know about stubs. You seem so knowlegable about your chickens.
We all know that the judges will never see a stub on any of your chickens in the future.
Have a good week, Bill

Anonymous said...

Kelly,
I'm so sorry!  I can't believe that something that tiny would be counted against you!!  That's just not fair.  You have beautiful chickens though.

Hollie

Anonymous said...

I like the large picture, it is beautiful. They sure are strict and after you went to sooo much trouble and work. Look out for Kelly and her birds  next time. You won in j-land anyway. Paula

Anonymous said...

I think your chickens are winners no matter what.  Now you will have to go over them with a fine tooth comb next time!  Linda

Anonymous said...

they are gorgeous! next time, I bet they win!!!!

Anonymous said...

Kelly as far as I am concerned you won every time ~ hard to believe they disqualified your chicks for such a small thing ~ Ally x

Anonymous said...

Wonderful gorgeous birds no matter what the judges thought. Such a small thing, it seems incredulous they ended up disqualified for that. When you go to pluck the stubs next year, use a magnifying glass, I bet the judges do to check them out. (Hugs) Indigo

Anonymous said...

Each time you go you will learn a little more if it is like other animal shows.  What fun you had and the chicken looked wonderful.  
Sounds like you had a blast!!  

debbie

Anonymous said...

I haven't really read about chickens. Funny how they are shy and etc. Have a wonderful week. Blessings, Janie

Anonymous said...

Sorry about the problems at the show that sucks after all the work you did. Live and learn. Love the photo shots just great.
Take care, Chrissie

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