Preparing and Giving Oral Reasons for Poultry Judging Competitions at the State and National Level by Kristina Koranek

Outline  Judging Tips  Preparing Your Reasons  Things to Say or Do While Giving Reasons  Things Not to Say or Do While Giving Reasons  Scoring Factors  A Good Set of Reasons  Summary

Tips: Know What You’re Looking For  Pigment Loss  Vent  Eye ring  Ear lobe- (although in list it only bleaches on rare occasions!) don’t judge by it  Beak  Bottom of the foot  Entire shank  Tops of the hocks and toes

Tips: Know What You’re Looking For (cont.)  Handling Qualities  Sharp, pliable pubic bones vs. dull and thick  Soft, full abdomen (not fat) vs. hard and tight  Abdominal Capacity  Size of spread  Measure by # of fingers (width by depth)  Molt  How many feathers has she lost if any?

Additional Tips  Usually good to group hens into pairs before handling them  Be Gentle with the hens  Could result in broken pubic bones or sprung joints  Keep track of time - use your time wisely  You only have 9-10 minutes  Remember that you are working with up to 3 other people so judge the hen available

Tips: Written Notes  Learn to take good written notes  Make a table that allows for easy comparison  Use detail words so you can tell the hens apart  But stay brief so you don’t waste time  Your notes should be written  Fast but still readable (understandable shorthand)  So that you don’t get confused and make up details  Be sure that’s the way the hen really is (e.g. Did you really see her?)

Good Chart #1 - Full Table Placing _ _ _ _

Good Chart #2 - 1 Bird Table

Bad Chart #1 Placing _ _ _ _ Need better descriptions for handling qualities Need something to jog your memory for molt

Bad Chart #2

Preparing Your Reasons  Preparing means silent practice  You will have about minutes  Take your notes from judging  Compare pairs - top, middle, bottom pair

Preparing Your Reasons  Greeting  Contest Number  Your Placing  Top pair  Middle pair  Bottom pair  Last bird  Repeat your placing  Any Questions?

Preparing Your Reasons (continued)  Think how you separated your pairs  Judges want to know reasons  Compare the pair characteristics together

Things to Say/Do While Giving Reasons  Look at the Judges  Smile  Relax, with serious countenance  Talk clearly, loudly  Be confident, convincing  You are the authority figure

Things to Say/Do While Giving Reasons (continued)  Respect the judges  Give contestant number  Compare difficulty placing the pairs  Hard top pair  Difficult middle pair  Easy bottom pair

Things to Say/Do While Giving Reasons (continued)  If you forget  Pause, rethink what was just said, and then continue  Remember the 2 minute time limit for presenting

What Not to Say/Do While Giving Reasons  Don’t  Memorize AC numbers (describe by comparison)  Noticeably shift your weight  Let your eyes wander  Talk softly or too loudly  Have a question in your voice  Fill silence with gibberish

What Not to Say/Do While Giving Reasons (continued)  Don’t  Say who you are  Say where you’re from  Take more than the allotted 2 minutes  Talk about anything other than the 4 hens

Scoring Factors Appearance and Delivery (24 points)  Did the contestant  Stand still and face judge?  Speak loud and clearly?  Have an appropriate opening and closing sentence?  Speak smoothly without long pauses?  Have confidence and was he or she convincing?

Scoring Factors Proper Use of Terms (20 points)  Did the contestant  Mention important factors?  Use terms properly?  Understand terms used?  Define asked terms?

Scoring Factors Accuracy of Statement (20 points)  Did the contestant  Really see hens?  Statements ring true, half-true, or false?

Scoring Factors Completeness of Coverage (36 points)  Did the contestant discuss  Why they placed one bird over the other?  Crucial differences?  All there was to tell of importance?

A Good Set of Reasons

Summary (continued)  Don’t talk about anything other than the hens  Remember the scoring factors  This is a great learning experience!  So have fun!