Characteristics of Good and Poor Birds Used in Poultry Judging
Poultry judging involves evaluating birds based on their physical characteristics, breed characteristics, production potential, and overall condition. Certain external features can help distinguish good birds from poor birds, particularly with respect to body capacity, reproductive development, pigmentation, plumage, temperament, and appetite.
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The following characteristics are commonly considered when judging poultry birds for quality and production performance.
| Character | Features of Good Birds | Features of Poor Birds |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Head | ||
| Nature of head | Strongly feminine in females and masculine in males, square and broad at the top. All parts are well proportioned. | Tendency to be masculine in females; coarse, crow-headed, narrow, and tapering at the top. |
| Comb, wattles, and beak | Full, red, waxy, warm, velvety, stocky, well curved, broad, and short. | Dry, scaly, shriveled, cold, and coarse; narrow, very long, thin, sharp, and pointed. |
| Eyes | Bright, alert, and well set. | Dull, sleepy, and may have a squint. |
| Earlobes | Full, waxy, velvety, and colored according to breed specifications. | Shrunken, wrinkled, coarse, and off-color for the breed. |
| 2. Neck | ||
| Neck | Stocky and short. | Long and thin. |
| 3. Body | ||
| Nature | Spacious. | Limited capacity. |
| Back | Broad and straight. | Narrow and crooked. |
| Sides | Deep and straight. | Shallow and barrel-shaped. |
| Keel bone | Long, properly curved, and flexible. | Short, crooked, and hard. |
| *Pubic bones | Wide apart, thin, soft, and pliable. The distance between the two pubic bones is more than 2 to 3 fingers. | Close together, thick, and stiff. The distance between the two pubic bones is less than 1 to 2 fingers. |
| *Distance between keel and pubic bones (for females) | More than 4 to 5 fingers. | Less than 2 to 3 fingers. |
| Skin | Thin, soft, oily, and silky. | Thick, dry, rough, and covered with fat. |
| Abdomen | Large, soft, and free from lumps of fat. | Small, hard, and with lumps of fat. |
| *Vent | Large, oval, and moist. | Small, dry, and round. |
| Plumage and color | Tight, compact, slightly dull-colored, but color-specific for the breed and variety. | Loose, scattered, and brightly colored, but may be off-color for the breed and variety. |
| 4. Legs, Shank, and Toenails | ||
| Legs, shank, and toenails | Thin, soft, and flat at the back; stocky and well curved. | Thick, hard, and rounded at the back; long, thin, and sharply pointed. |
| 5. Temperament | ||
| Temperament | Friendly and calm. | Shy, nervous, and struggles when caught. |
| 6. Appetite | ||
| Appetite | Hearty eater, and the crop is nearly always full. | Poor appetite and poor eating. |
| 7. *Pigmentation | ||
| Pigmentation | Pigment bleaches from the beak, skin, vent, shank, and eye ring as laying advances, causing these areas to appear faint in color. | Due to a lack of bleaching, the beak, skin, vent, shank, and eye ring remain brightly colored, indicating poor or non-laying. |
* These characteristics are important for females, while the others are of common importance.
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