Judges reactions to fluff on Orpingtons.

[gayle]

I've been to 2 show within the last 2 months. And at both shows the Judges expressed that my birds have to much fluff. Stating that is not acceptable by APA standards, and will not be accepted. One judge did express they are pretty birds, but their fluff is not acceptable by APA standards. One judge said the fluff should not bulge out on the sides and the fluff is to long/covering to much of their legs. The judges on the last 2 shows came down pretty hard about the fluff. One judge said those are English standards and that is not APA standards. Like Yikes!!!!

[d12chandler]

I understand all the deal about the fluff. In todays time there is alot of folks that are getting the "English"
birds and and if they want to show that is what they will have to deal with. I do know what a shot of this new
black blood has done for our black orpingtons. I have 3 young buff males that are 1/2 English and 1/2 my
females blood. There fluff isn't bad at all. I'm going to try some of this in my buffs this next breeding
season. I would like to see if it helps on size. The color is nice on these guys and the width of feather is good.
To me it's funny that these new breeders call them "English" when thats what we have had for years. Thats
where ours came from also. I do enjoy looking at all the new colors thats has came to the US. There are
some very pretty birds. Some folks are getting very good money for there birds. I would think they
would have to get good money for the cost of bring birds is costly. I don't know if we are going to have two
groups of orpingtons in the future or not at the shows. All that is in the hands of the APA, it doesn't matter to me. If you
like this type bird, good. If you like the plan old hatchery bird, fine. Breed what you like and enjoy
them. Just my thoughts!!

[gayle]

The birds I've been showing are not full 100%European type English. They maybe close to 25% English, they have acquired the fluff, but they have longer backs than the English. Body type they are more American, with alot of fluff. I have been told now by two different judges, that I should breed autralorp into them to tighten the feathers, and I need to cut back on fluff.
So the judges aren't calling my birds because they are English, they are just complaining about the large amount of fluff on them.

[gayle]

About ten/twelve years ago I had a black hen who had quit a bit of fluff, this is before the English movement.
And yes I had numerous complaints about her from judges and other breeders back then. So the fluff complaining start before the English arrived. so now I believe they just blame it on the
English.

[d12chandler]

Gayle, I get female buffs now, without any new blood, thay are to fluffy, not alot, but some. If you watch pics from shows
you will see birds with maybe to much fluff. In my buffs it is always females. Males don't seem to have
any fluffy problems, wonder why?

[gayle]

I had an old time breeder tell me that line breeding causes long feathering, of course that will effect the fluff also. I have noticed that birds that are line breed do have longer feathers, than birds which have been hybridized.
Unless I understood them wrong the implication is they want us to show birds who have fluff that follows the body line of the bird and doses not puff out on the side. And of course they want it to stop I think 2 inches above the floor.
I have looked at pictures of some of the winning show orpingtons and it does appear that some of them might have overshot their required boundaries of fluff. Well think about it they might have to be a little flexible, else they probably wouldn't have any winners. Yikes!!!!!!!

[bamachicken]

Don I totally agre with you. I breed my birds to suit me. I show to expose and I personally like the way the UK and Germany breed there birds. I am very thankful for all the colors coming in. Whether they ever get accepted by some of the judges or not I don't think folks who are interested in bigger and wider Orps are going to tighten those feathers up.
I also agree that this new blood has done a lot for the blacks and blues who were scarce as hens teeth 8 yrs ago. I remember going to the Ohio national and what few of those colors shown were not distinguishable from the Austrolorp. That is my personal opinion and it is okay if anyone doesn't hold the same as I am not looking for a argument.

[gayle]

I found a very interesting situation at a show. I was really excited because my bamtam blacks got Best of Breed, but in the middle of the show, it was changed they crossed out the Best of breed and gave it to a bird that had less fluff. Glory be ain't that something. I guess the judge realized he made a mistake. Must have talked to someone about this!!!!

[tdisney]

Gayle, that was my hen - someone had switched the entry cards and put a "Blue Orpington "entry for a pullet that I did not enter on my bird. When they saw the mistake - they went back and re-judged the class.

[gayle]

Terry
You are missing the point.
Several of the judges there told me to my face that my birds are not acceptable, because of the amount of fluff on my birds. They said the fluff is not acceptable, they told me fluff like that will not make it in the show.
As you should have been able to tell my bird have a tremendous amount of fluff. It is in your favor to not have fluff on your birds. They are treating fluff like it is a defect if you have to much. I was told by several people that my bantams look like cochins, and they have to much fluff. At that show I had several breeders complain about the fluff on my birds. complain heavily.

[Jon Alden]

To each their own, I would rather have a bird with great type but too much fluff over a bird with no type, and less fluff. I do think some females that have the English line influence have too much of a cushion but haven't seen any that look like cochins..... especially in bantams.

[gayle]

Yes there are a lot of people outside the APA that are very attracted to these fluffy English Orpingtons.
A kid down the road from us, had the Amish build him a special chicken house, to put his English orpingtons in.
He said these are the kind of chickens he wants and likes.