Preparing and Giving Oral Reasons
for Poultry Judging Competitions at
the State and National Level
by Kristina Koranek
Outline
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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
Bird #
Pigment Loss
Handling Qualities
Abdominal
Capacity
Molt
1
Through shanks
Sharp, pliable pubics with
a soft, full abdomen
3x3
N/A
2
To bottom of the foot
Dull, pubic bones with
hard, fatty abdomen
2x2
2
3
Throughout the tops of
the hocks and toes
Sharp, pliable pubics and
soft full abdomen
3x4
N/A
4
Through the beak
Dull, pubic bones and
soft, full abdomen
2x3
4
Placing _ _ _ _
Good Chart #2 - 1 Bird Table
Bird # 1
PL -
Through the shanks
HQ-
Sharp, pliable pubic bones with a soft, full
abdomen
AC -
3x3
M-
N/A or (NONE)
Bad Chart #1
Placing _ _ _ _
Bird #
Pigment Loss
Handling Qualities
Abdominal Capacity
Good
3x3
Bad
2x2
1
Through shanks
2
Bot of the foot
3
Tops of the hocks
and toes
Good
3x4
4
Beak
O.K.
2x3
Need better descriptions for
handling qualities
Molt
Need something to jog
your memory for molt
2
4
Bad Chart #2
Bird # 1
PL -
Through shanks
HQ-
Good
AC -
3x3
M-
(empty)
Preparing Your Reasons
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Preparing means silent practice
You will have about 10-20 minutes
Take your notes from judging
Compare pairs - top, middle, bottom pair
Preparing Your Reasons
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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
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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
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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
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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!