CHAPXEIR VII 



Orpingtons As Exhibition Fowl 



Judging Orpingtons by the Score Card — Instructions in Scoring as Practiced 

 by Judges in the Show Room 



IN scoring Orpingtons the same system is used as in 

 other breeds, and which has been explained many 

 times in the poultry press, but for the benefit of those 

 who have never had the benefit of that instruction we will 

 say that a perfect bird is represented as being worth one 

 hundred points. The fowl, as represented on the score- 

 card is divided into fifteen dififerent sections, each section 

 valued at a certain amount, as listed in the scale of points 

 given below. In scoring, the specimen is examined, first 

 as a whole, which is called symmetry, and then each indi- 

 vidual section is examined for shape' and color defects and 

 whatever per cent, the judge thinks the specimen is 

 lacking from being perfect, is deducted from the valuation 

 of that section and the amount of the deduction, generally 

 called a "cut," is written on the score-card. The total of 

 these cuts deducted from one hundred gives us the score 

 of the fowl. 



The official score-card of the American Poultry Asso- 

 ciation revised at the annual meeting of the latter, held at 

 Niagara Falls, August, 1909, is divided into the following 

 sections: 



OFFICIAL SCORE CARD OF THE AMERICAN POILTRY ASSOCIATION 



Exhibitor 



Breed 



Entry No Band No. 



Sex 



Weight. 



Judge 



Secretary 



The last two sections, "Crest and Beard" and "Short- 

 ness of Feather," apply to crested breeds and games and 

 game bantams only. 



In order to give some idea as to what we are doing in 

 applying these valuations, etc., we must quote from the 

 Standard the scale of points as applied to Orpingtons. 



Scale of Points 



Symmetry 4 



Weight 6 



Condition 4 



Comb 8 



Head — Shape, 2, Color 2 4 



Hale 



Beak— Shape 2, Color 2 4 



Eyes — Shape 2, Color 2 4 



Wattles and Ear-lobes— Shape 2, Color 3 S 



Neck — Shape 4, Color 4 8 



Back— Shape 5, Color S , 10 



Breast — Shape 5, Color 5 10 



Body and Flufif — Shape S, Color 3 8 



Wings — Shape 4, Color 4 8 



Tail— Shape S, Color 4 9 



Legs and Toes — Shape 5, Color 3 8 



Total 100 



Symmetry 



The first section in the scale of points is symmetry. 

 Webster defines symmetry as "A due proportion of the 

 several parts of a body to each other; or the union and 

 conformity of the members of a work to the whole." In 

 comparison judging and upon some score-cards it is 

 shown as "typical carriage," which is defined in the Stand- 

 ard as "expressing a characteristic, in color or form, rep- 

 resentative of the breed or variety." "Representative of 

 the breed or variety," — please remember that, as it is the 

 main point we wish to make. 



This section always has been the subject of discussion, 

 but if we understand the Standard requirements of a fowl 

 and study each section, also their general outline, how the 

 parts or sections should fit together in harmony — in fact, 

 get the ideal shape fixed in our mind as shown in the 

 Standard drawings and descriptions — then the minute we 

 get a good look at a bird we know whether it. is typical 

 of the breed it represents or has symmetry. 



In Orpingtons we have a breed that is described as 

 "large and stately in appearance." Their bodies are rather 

 long, round and deep while the breast should be full, 

 round and deep. The backs are broad and moderately 

 long; the abundance of the hackle and saddle feathers giv- 

 ing it a rather short ajspearance. The body should be 

 broad and deep with a rather long, straight keel-bone ex- 

 tending well forward, the flufif being moderately full. The 

 wing-fronts should be Well covered with the breast feath- 

 ers and the tips by the saddle feathers. The tail is only 

 moderately long, well spread and carried at an angle of 

 45 degrees from the horizontal and should be coupled with 

 the back so that there is no apparent angle where these 

 sections join. The sickles are of medium length, extend- 

 ing beyond the tail feathers, while the lesser sickles and 

 tail coverts are also described as moderately long. The 

 thighs are rather short and large, covered with soft feath- 

 ers; the shanks short, smooth and stout in bone and 

 should be free from feathers or down. The toes are of 

 medium length, straight, strong and well spread. 



Now let us take the time and space to look at a speci- 

 men and see what defects we want to look for when judg- 

 ing the symmetry of a fowl. Remember we have here a 



