The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Poultry & Waterfowl => Topic started by: lord flynn on January 11, 2014, 06:48:47 pm

Title: Who's going the the Nationals?
Post by: lord flynn on January 11, 2014, 06:48:47 pm
next weekend? I'm not showing but will be there both days-selling my SG cockerel, picking up a trio of Minorca banties on the saturday, Scots Grey AGM on sunday plus meeting up with some rumpless araucana people and researching duck breeds.
Title: Re: Who's going the the Nationals?
Post by: bigchicken on January 11, 2014, 07:11:02 pm
Yes I'll be going for a swatch at the Scots Grey and Scots Dumpy bantams. I wonder if there will be any in the birds for sale area. Will be joining the Scots Grey club and finding out about the dumpy club.
Title: Re: Who's going the the Nationals?
Post by: Mays on January 11, 2014, 07:15:54 pm
I might nip down for the Sunday, weather dependant.
Title: Re: Who's going the the Nationals?
Post by: Bert on January 11, 2014, 07:56:29 pm
I'm really interested in going, but I don't know anything about it. Is there a web site, I've not managed to find?
 Main things I would like to know is there always lots of birds for sale? Is there waterfowl & poultry? Finily are they all show quality birds for sale or is there a range of layers and table birds as well? Sorry for all the dumb questions  :dunce:
Title: Re: Who's going the the Nationals?
Post by: Victorian Farmer on January 11, 2014, 07:59:08 pm
You will be huckt Sunday is mad doores open and its first one to the cards .price on is whot you pay.Was at England and the fedaration its a nice venue .I think its more important to get the names of the breeders that's doing well .A nother punt is eggs .....Marran eggs etc I bet I can tell you naw who will win the Marran and silver ducwing ...Grogan north of Scotland he is 90 and out of the hundruds he will win. Iv spent a long time noing who tics the boxes I won 2009 and ten orpingtons. Iv got some Scots dumpis laying don't no haw good .
Title: Re: Who's going the the Nationals?
Post by: Victorian Farmer on January 11, 2014, 08:07:31 pm
Bert there is hundrads of birds sale day Sunday nothink under 60 pound avarage 80 top class stuff . its very hard if there is onley 2 pens of a breed and 20 people won't them.some good stock will make a 100 say 4 th place well worth going to see haw youre breed is doin iv seen people sell the lot becouse it never made it .That's why I like the eggs.
Title: Re: Who's going the the Nationals?
Post by: lord flynn on January 11, 2014, 08:57:45 pm
I'm really interested in going, but I don't know anything about it. Is there a web site, I've not managed to find?
 Main things I would like to know is there always lots of birds for sale? Is there waterfowl & poultry? Finily are they all show quality birds for sale or is there a range of layers and table birds as well? Sorry for all the dumb questions  :dunce:


no website and VF is much more help than I! Have been meaning to go the last 3 years but weather has always been horrible and it was quite a trek from where I used to live. Am now about 6/7 miles away so will be going regardless :)
Title: Re: Who's going the the Nationals?
Post by: HappyHippy on January 11, 2014, 10:02:46 pm
I'm going on Saturday, just for a look - honest  :innocent:
Will look out my TAS t-shirt and hopefully find some faces to put to the names  ;D

Oh and if anyone is coming along and looking for a young Barnvelder cockerel please pm me - I've got a friend who has 2 she's looking to rehome  :thumbsup:
Karen  :wave:
Title: Re: Who's going the the Nationals?
Post by: ballingall on January 11, 2014, 10:58:19 pm
Planning on going along as well, probably on Saturday.


The birds for sale are mostly show types, not so many layers, and I don't think I've ever seen meat birds for sale. Prices are relatively high as the stock tends to more on the side of show quality. There are waterfowl for sale, but not often geese- only one pair of geese for sale last year.


I could really do with some POL hens, but I'm not necessarily expecting to get any there, at least not unless they come with a cockerel. Sometimes you get lucky though.


I am tempted to buy a posh carrying case for my chooks though  ;D
Title: Re: Who's going the the Nationals?
Post by: ballingall on January 11, 2014, 11:02:31 pm
Ps- make sure you buy a catalogue as they list all the exhibitors, their addresses and phone numbers, so if you are interested in a breed, you can look at who had that breed at the show, and find someone near you.


Beth
Title: Re: Who's going the the Nationals?
Post by: Bert on January 12, 2014, 05:53:43 pm
Thanks everyone for all the info  :thumbsup:
Title: Re: Who's going the the Nationals?
Post by: Min on January 12, 2014, 08:29:31 pm
I'm looking forward to going. Glad to see there will be some Scots Greys there as I am interested in them. Hopefully geese too.  :excited:

I'm not in a position to buy yet but hopefully soon.  :fc:
Title: Re: Who's going the the Nationals?
Post by: Min on January 18, 2014, 07:36:40 pm
Well I had a great time looking at all the chickens, ducks, geese and turkeys.  :thumbsup:

The Scots Greys were really gorgeous. I hung around waiting for one of the cockerels to crow but none of them did. On the one hand it means I don't know what their crow is like (could be especially obnoxious) but on the other hand maybe they just don't crow much!
Title: Re: Who's going the the Nationals?
Post by: bigchicken on January 18, 2014, 07:46:22 pm
I thought the Scots Grey Bantams were of a very high standard must have been hard to judge. The Scots Dumpy Bantams were a mixed bunch the blacks were in a different league to the cuckoos. Just my opinion.
Title: Re: Who's going the the Nationals?
Post by: lord flynn on January 18, 2014, 08:09:40 pm
On the one hand it means I don't know what their crow is like (could be especially obnoxious) but on the other hand maybe they just don't crow much!


fwiw both of my Scots Grey boys are very tuneful, a proper cockadoodle do-as opposed to a cockadoodlecroak, which both the araucana and the Marsh Daisies have. they are also very loud (they are quite big!) and I can hear mine from a fair way away (which I realised out walking today, oops!


Gollum isn't that frequent (less to prove?) but the younger one is very frequent, they do crow more when they are younger IMLE. Gollum doesn't crow through the night, his 'boy' does ;)
Title: Re: Who's going the the Nationals?
Post by: Min on January 18, 2014, 08:23:31 pm
fwiw both of my Scots Grey boys are very tuneful, a proper cockadoodle do

Cool. They do really seem like my idea of "proper chickens" (with all due respect to everyone elses favourite breed!) If we get the place we want, we won't have neighbours but I am hoping the double glazing will be enough to stop my husband turning our potential SG chap into soup for waking him at 3am.

To be fair, the only bird that actually had an ear splitting crow was some huge scary badass death-raptor at the back of the hall - some Japanese breed I think. There's no way I'm having one of those in my garden.

..If it belongs to anyone here - I am sure they are lovely!
Title: Re: Who's going the the Nationals?
Post by: lord flynn on January 18, 2014, 08:49:26 pm
just keep the coop dark and not east facing :D summer is tougher than winter. cocks will crow through the night on clear nights, when the birds get up, when/if something disturbs them in the night but some seem to start at 2am and crow on the half hour until daybreak regardless. they then shut up just as its time to get up  ;D


I really like the Scots Greys. They are hardy, feisty and ok layers. They are not stupidly flighty like my rumpless are and my hybrids were! I hope you decide to get some-the breed society is quite active atm and there's two Facebook groups as well :)
Title: Re: Who's going the the Nationals?
Post by: Victorian Farmer on January 20, 2014, 11:13:36 am
Well a win for mick grogan in 3 egg  classes and win with 3 breeds north of scotland.
Title: Re: Who's going the the Nationals?
Post by: Min on January 22, 2014, 11:40:33 am
just keep the coop dark and not east facing :D summer is tougher than winter. cocks will crow through the night on clear nights, when the birds get up, when/if something disturbs them in the night but some seem to start at 2am and crow on the half hour until daybreak regardless. they then shut up just as its time to get up  ;D

Lol, I don't think that will sell keeping a cockerel to him!  ;D But thanks for all that info. Confirms my thoughts about the breed.  :)