Pips 'n Chicks

03/20/2025

Reminder - just two more days left to cast your votes! I'll post the top four tomorrow. Every like, comment, and share on the image counts as a vote - you can vote as many times as you want! Get your friends to vote too :)

03/20/2025

Duroc time! Thank you to Byron Chancey for sending this picture in. I'm very appreciative of a good purebred pig like this one. Especially once you get into the heritage breeds, I feel you loose a lot of competition and oftentimes, less competitive hogs come out. Not here.

Durocs are known for being heavy and stout, and this gilt is no exception. Thick b***d, deep, rugged, and solid. Muscled in that back ham and flank, all the way through her loin and rib, to her front shoulders on down. Even from this photo, you can see her stance is wide and square through and through. And on the same side, you can see those pasterns have no shortage of give and flex, and she still looks plenty comfortable off either end too. This is power, with the build to last.

She isn't without her flaws though. When you get this good, you can afford to nitpick. Her front blade comes in a touch straight. Her back hooves could be bigger to support the bone. While she gives a very masculine look that the Durocs are known for, I'd like to see more prominent teats coming in as she matures, give her a bit of a maternal look to the neck.

I'd like to watch her drive as well, make sure she stays in the frame as she walks, keeps that flex to her set and doesn't stiffen up that blade any. It's hard to be sure of that in a single picture, but she certainly looks the part here.

All in all, a great gilt through and through. Good for breeding. Good for show. She really does the Durac breed well from this photo.

That's what I've got from this one! It's really nice to get a purebred in here every once in a while, as I don't get to work with them as often in person - we run mostly commercial Yorks and production crossbreds at Mann Valley. Anything I overlooked in my practice? Anything I did or didn't explain well? Terminology, drawings, etc? These are practices and I hope to keep getting better as I go, but I really enjoy both the feedback and the opportunity :)

03/20/2025

My evaluation of a club lamb - thanks to Diamond L Show Lambs! What do you see? If you have photos of more animals (especially lambs, goats, and cattle), send them on my way.

Evaluation:

Starting with the good - this ram got a good rib and loin. From any terminal or terminal breeding program, that is first and foremost the priority. That topview looks fantastic, with good proportions from chest to rib to end. I think he's built right on those back legs, with good connection from the pinset to the ground on the hind end. The bone size and width at the ground support his bigger frame well and should last. He's got some style points going for him as well - the s**g coming in, the long slender neck.

That being said, his side profile is lacking quite a bit. His neck connection is a bit high, which throws his front end off. That's something, at least in the Midwest, is being stressed quite a bit right now. If his neck meets his chest floor, it would give a much more natural look and a more competitive front 1/3. That awkward connection on him doesn't pair well with the topline either, with a spine that is bit more rounded then flat - which may be the rack/photo. The platform is a bit short. Ideally, if he could extend his back legs more, it would help him relax that topline and not look so bunched. It'd also give his underline a much neater appearance, blending that forerib into his breast a bit better.

My biggest concern though is with the twist and rump falling flat. That, from a sales perspective, is what buyers are going to be putting a lot of emphasis on: they want square hipped lambs. Right now, he just is rounding out that topside - he needs more muscling through that hind end to match the really powerful look coming from his rib.

Overall, I think he has a lot of pieces and parts you really want in a stud ram, but I want him to be smoother putting it all together, and finish with more muscle behind him to level up a breeding program.

What did I miss? What points did I hit well? Anything major people agree/disagree with? Obviously this is just a photo, but I appreciate any feedback. I'm on a collegiate judging team now, and trying to get as much practice in as I can.

03/18/2025

Practice being a judge (Pt. 2): We had a critique on one of my old d'uccles last week, let's so another this week!

What do you like about this bird? What would you like to change? There is no right/wrong answer here, just your opinions.

As with before, I'll do a write up with my thoughts afterwards. I have permission from the breeder to post, both of us are super excited to hear what you all have to say!

03/18/2025

We need some volunteers for the Pips 'n Chicks 2025 Virtual Show!

We've made some HUGE changes this year. One of those changes is a completely new website, which will have the entries, judging, and sponsors, and awards all automated and integrated. However, before we launch it, we want to make sure there is no way to "break" the system.

That's where you come in! We need about 10 people to run a mock show with us, from start to finish, and let us know of any possible bugs, issues, questions, or things we can fix before we go live. All you'll need is a computer, email address, and some photos of birds for practice entries.

If you're interested, please send us an email at [email protected], and we'll reach out within a few days with further information :)

03/18/2025

Today, National Ag Day, is the day to acknowledge the 2% that work, day in and day out, to feed the rest of the world.

The people who watch the weather, sacrifice birthdays and holidays to work the land and the crops with everything they have, because Nature waits for no one.

The souls who stay up through the night to help that heifer calve out, get up each morning before the sun to milk the cows, wake in the middle of the night to bottle the lambs. Putting animal's comforts ahead of their own.

The go-getters that make it work in the in-between spaces - gardening the rooftops and keeping chickens in the cities. Pushing for communities to be connected to their food.

These are the unsung heroes across the US that keep our plates from being empty. We see you. We appreciate you.

Happy National Ag Day, to the homesteaders, to the ranchers, to the croppers, to the farmers and to everyone in between. Thank you for all of your work, today and everyday ❤

03/17/2025

You guys decided to come back with a *really* hard ... thank you Lexi Jahay for sending a picture of this great little ! If anyone has pictures for me to practice my , please send them in- I'd love some more sheep and goats expecially.

First off, I want to acknowledge that this is a great photo. Just as a skilled can make a mediocre pig look good, a great photo makes a good pig all the better. And there is a lot of good here.

I'm not a pig person, but this is one I'd have in my barn. She's got all of the parts for a great gilt, and then a great sow after. From the ground up, she's wide and square (at least from this angle) and solid where her hoof hits the ground, with good, flexible patterns and hocks sitting right on both ends. Work your way up, and she's got a great chest floor, lots of depth and power coming from that front 1/3, and muscle starting from her ham-loin junction that stays solid all the way through. From a breeding standpoint, her teat placement is great, her v***a is visible and sized right, and her underline just pushes "broodiness" even from this young of an age.

It's hard to find holes in her - her biggest issue is just that she's young. She could use a bit more to that back end, and I would set her front shoulder back just a touch. But the other pieces are just something to watch as she grows. Potentially, I could see her jowl coming in a bit rough, especially as she has so much mass. Same with the spine - it almost goes uphill a bit now, just watch to make sure it stays relaxed.

It's always hard to pick apart a photo when there are so many factors - I'd love to see this gal from behind and front, and on the move, but from just this one shot, I think there is a lot to like and she's got a great future.

What do you agree / disagree with? Anything you saw that I missed, or things I saw you didn't? Terminology, or questions? These are great practices for me and I'm still learning, so I always like the feedback too :) I'll likely make a few videos up to practice my reasons verbally as well.

03/16/2025

Livestock judging practice - thank you Chelsea Philpott for sharing pictures! If anyone has pictures and animals they don't mind me breaking down, please send them my way.

First off - a lot of things done right on this hog from a market standpoint, but a few issues that stand out from a prospective & breeding outlook.

We'll start with the positives. It's got a good underline, a nice rib shape and plenty of expression across the topline, with plenty bone structure to grow into. It's hard to tell, but the back feet have a wide stance that looks within the frame, and the front feet likely follow. Get behind it, and I think the hog's muscling through that ham and loin will be even more apparent. Solid, powerful, clearly bred for the showring, and that will only grow better with age.

However, the primary concern for me is when you get on to the prospect side. At this young age, structure should be a priority. You want all of their joints -from the shoulder to the knee to the ankle -to be relaxed, with plenty of flexibility so they can absorb the impact of their body weight hitting the ground. This pig comes in with a really coarse look on that blade. The front knee, instead of following the line from the jowl, bows forward, and her back foot doesn't look correct either. It could be just the angle of the photo, but I have a feeling when you'd get him on the move, he would stay upright in those pasterns and short-strided as a result. That's just something you can't really fix as time goes on.

All in all, good qualities for a terminal market program, including bold rib and frame. However, I would be very careful feeding it out to make sure it doesn't push that front leg too far too quickly, and personally wouldn't hold back for a breeding program.

Anyways, this is my interpretation, set up like I would talk it in a reasons room or showring. What did I miss? What parts did I hit?

03/16/2025

CONTEST TIME!!
Vote for your favorite design entries for the 2025 virtual show! Likes, shares, and comments all count for votes - be sure to do it under the photo itself as well as the actual post. This will be the design for shirts, hats, and stickers this year.

You can vote as many times as you would like, voting will close in one week (March 22). Get others involved, share, and support these artists and entries!

03/14/2025

Alright! This is my evaluation of this gal, complete with pictures because I am a visual girl through and through. I would call her borderline breeder quality, depending on if you could get a good male to match her with.

The cons:
-Her biggest error, in my opinion, is her neck. She's got far too much of it (and it's not just the pose) - I think if you put a nice bull neck on her with a full beard, the rest of her would come together a bit better. That would be my first priority.
-The next is her back. It's just a touch too long. You can see in my drawing, if you shorten that back, you'll get a much deeper look and more gradual sweep to the back that is so much more balanced.
-My last priority would be the paint on the barn: feather pattern. Mille Fluer is one of the hardest colors to breed, because it's the easiest to see and *any* error sticks out like a sore thumb. Ideally, you want every feather to have the black "v" and the white tip. How much white depends on how old the bird is, as they'll naturally get more as they grow. But the goal is to be even and consistent - her neck here is too much, even for an older bird.

What I like about her:
-I like the tail fan. A bit tall, but getting a bird to pose and show off her tail is generally a good trait!
-Her mottling in the tail is great. Very even and neat, especially compared to her neck.
-She's got decent wing carriage and capacity - an alright underline that would lend well to a better bull neck and shorter back.
-Some of the mottling on her wing is getting there too, it just needs to be more consistent.
-I don't mind the lighter undercolor. She was likely sunbleached a bit here, so that orange-y look doesn't bother me here.

How I would have bred her:
-I would find a nice, bully male. He doesn't need to be flashy, pushing a frame, or show off well, just stout and compact, maybe a touch on the darker side. I would probably breed back to just the male, and really focus on that short neck and bully look for a few generations.

How it actually worked out:
-This gal was sold to a pet home when I moved to college, so I didn't get to use her as much as I'd hoped. She was a hit at our county fair though, and the kid that bought her adored her, so it worked out alright.

03/14/2025

Hey look! I made the state fair page!

The Volunteer Adult Group Contact application deadline is fast approaching! ⏰

If you are a Junior exhibitor (including those over age 18), decide now whether you will participate with a group or as an independent. If an independent, you need to have an adult (at least 21 years of age by July 31) submit the Volunteer Adult Contact application.

Program information can be found at https://tinyurl.com/4t537wkd
Applications can be found at https://tinyurl.com/yckn69nb

03/13/2025

Pretend to be a judge! (Pt. 1: D'Uccles)

What are some things you would call out on this bird if you were judging a distract/fair/APA poultry show? Good and bad - and how would you set up a breeding pen with her (what would be things to look for in your roosters, and some cull points you would have)? This is an old photo and bird of mine from several years ago, so there will be no feelings hurt on any critiques or nitpicks, be as mean as you want :)

I'll post what I personally would fix and some examples of good , and have some more for everyone to practice - both easier and harder examples - in the coming weeks!

03/13/2025

Baby, that's the wrong side of the fence...
The first time heifers try. They really do. But why make it easy when you could have an *interesting* midnight check and have to carry the calf through the fence and up the hill to be with the rest of the herd in the fluffy straw?
It's the start of calving season here, which means 8 pm, midnight, and 4 am checks on the herd and babes!

03/09/2025

Everyone who knows me knows I don't like pigs - I always say they'd eat you without a second thought. I think this just proves it! 😂

For everyone wondering: These are feeder pigs. They get feed 24/7. They're eating my jeans not because they're hungry but because it brings them great joy to eat things they shouldn't.

03/06/2025

It’s Women’s History Month, so every week, I’ll be highlighting an amazing woman who’s changed agriculture for the better! Kicking things off with USA Today’s 2025 Woman of the Year—Dr. Temple Grandin.

Dr. Grandin, a professor at the University of Colorado, completely changed the way we handle livestock. She was one of the first to really study how animals see and react to the world—from their perspective.

Because of her work, we now have safer, more humane ways to handle animals. She designed slaughterhouses that keep livestock calm and content, cattle chutes that work with their natural instincts instead of against them, and set the standard for safe and low-stress handling. Terms like "flight zones" and "point of balance"? That’s all thanks to her research!

Dr. Grandin’s impact on agriculture is huge—but she’s just one of many women making a difference. Who else do you think deserves a shoutout this month? Drop their names in the comments! This can be someone personal you know, or someone in the history books, a mentor or person doing well in the field, just a woman who has made a lot of good in a farm world.

03/05/2025

It was 50 degrees last week and this is what I woke up to today... The cows are not thrilled (and neither are my quail).

Stay safe to everyone driving today - roads are pretty bad, but midterms and farmwork cancel for no one 😂

03/05/2025

Reminder: ten days left! If you have an idea in your head but aren't great at drawing or making it "come together", here's a great option to try that's free:
https://create.microsoft.com/en-us/features/ai-image-generator

Usually, typing in something like "Help me make a logo/t-shirt design with XYZ on it," will get you pretty good results! 😉

DESIGN CONTEST!
Pips 'n Chicks Virtual Show has started planning for 2025, and we need your help! We are running two separate contests - one for the best slogan/tagline, and one for the best creative design for media (think t-shirt design, stickers, etc.) The winners of each will receive free shirts as well as gift cards and recognition at the show.

To enter: comment your design and/or slogan, along with your name and tag (if applicable). You can also send entries to [email protected]. All entries due by noon on March 15th, no limit or cost to entries.

The top designs will be up for public vote at the end of March, so stay tuned!

Entries must be your own, any duplicates will be deleted. All artwork must be fully owned by the person entering. Media should be one, two, or three colors, and work well for shirts and stickers. By entering, you give full rights to Pips 'n Chicks to use your work on any social media platforms and website to promote the virtual show.

03/03/2025

We're having some issues with the auctions this month, please hang tight! I was hoping to get it fixed this weekend and release on Saturday, but instead found more issues. This week is heavy on the midterms, so it may not be done until next weekend.

In the meantime, let's start a barter and trade post to help out the sellers missing the auctions. Comment where you're at, what you're looking for, what you've got extra of and share away!