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[Nu Chix To Cash]

Quote:
Exactly - I get charged for "testing" my birds at the Stuart swap everytime and they even sign off on the testing document. They have NEVER had a tester when I have been there ( just 3 or 4 times)

Oscelola is the other auction I go to - they have a tester probably every other time I'm there. I go to this auction more. Unfortunately they sell sick birds occassionally.

Well those were the two I was thinking of. According to the IPA's site, two of the owners of the Osceola sale are certified testers so if they are there then "technically" they have a tester on site. I know I took birds to Osceola and I'm 99% sure they didn't get tested (even though I was charged for it). The cage went directly from my truck to the floor. I haven't been overly thrilled with some of the things I've seen down there so I was looking for something a bit closer to home.

It wouldn't surprise me if they didn't test at Stuart. The owner there is the one I talked to about being NPIP and taking the class.

I must have an odd flock. I've had eggs from the majority of my hens all winter. I've hatched 3 batches winter. Just got done w/another hatch on Sunday and am getting ready to set some more in a week or two.

 

[mrandmrschicken]

8 eggs in the hatcher today for a christmas Eve hatch. 17 more were set in the incubator. The MGB's have not been very strong so am hoping one will hatch in the hatcher and set some new ones this morning.
Ayone else having a Christmas eve or Day hatch?

 

[mrandmrschicken]

Quote:
Exactly - I get charged for "testing" my birds at the Stuart swap everytime and they even sign off on the testing document. They have NEVER had a tester when I have been there ( just 3 or 4 times)

Oscelola is the other auction I go to - they have a tester probably every other time I'm there. I go to this auction more. Unfortunately they sell sick birds occassionally.

Well those were the two I was thinking of. According to the IPA's site, two of the owners of the Osceola sale are certified testers so if they are there then "technically" they have a tester on site. I know I took birds to Osceola and I'm 99% sure they didn't get tested (even though I was charged for it). The cage went directly from my truck to the floor. I haven't been overly thrilled with some of the things I've seen down there so I was looking for something a bit closer to home.

It wouldn't surprise me if they didn't test at Stuart. The owner there is the one I talked to about being NPIP and taking the class.

I must have an odd flock. I've had eggs from the majority of my hens all winter. I've hatched 3 batches winter. Just got done w/another hatch on Sunday and am getting ready to set some more in a week or two.

Maybe I asked before but where do you live? I would be more than happy to test for you but it would be a drive for me. I live in the Okoboji area.

 

[pbjmaker]

Quote:
Exactly - I get charged for "testing" my birds at the Stuart swap everytime and they even sign off on the testing document. They have NEVER had a tester when I have been there ( just 3 or 4 times)

Oscelola is the other auction I go to - they have a tester probably every other time I'm there. I go to this auction more. Unfortunately they sell sick birds occassionally.

Well those were the two I was thinking of. According to the IPA's site, two of the owners of the Osceola sale are certified testers so if they are there then "technically" they have a tester on site. I know I took birds to Osceola and I'm 99% sure they didn't get tested (even though I was charged for it). The cage went directly from my truck to the floor. I haven't been overly thrilled with some of the things I've seen down there so I was looking for something a bit closer to home.

It wouldn't surprise me if they didn't test at Stuart. The owner there is the one I talked to about being NPIP and taking the class.

I must have an odd flock. I've had eggs from the majority of my hens all winter. I've hatched 3 batches winter. Just got done w/another hatch on Sunday and am getting ready to set some more in a week or two.

When they do test (and they do occasionally) they have a "cage" thing they take the birds into and test them there. You can't miss it. My hubby bought some birds not on my approved list ( Iwalk through and write down anything I might want to bid on). He thought is was a single arucana - couldn't see it well. We had got two true arucanas there before and they are decent little hens. Anyhow when I went to look at what he had bid on - it was a pair of bantam wyandottes. The rooster was a pretty little BLR and then hen was a splash. BUT the rooster was obviously very ill. I quaranteened the crap out of the pair and kept that silly rooster alive for another month. The little hen never acted sick.

Unfotunately he died and the little hen was completely intimidated by my big birds - she now lives with an animal control friend that has all bantams and is a complete sweetheart.



My problem was the rooster was VERY obviously sick - why would you let that in your auction?

 

[pbjmaker]

Quote:

No mules here - we only have the scovies. I had to go check for eggs just in case.

What did you cross? I'm assuming the drake was a scovie and the duck was something else that lays more year round?

 

[Nu Chix To Cash]

mrandmrschicken - I'm west of Des Moines. I did a mapquest and it looks like it would be over a 3.5 hr. trip for you one way. I'm thinking right now I might just be better off waiting and taking the course in May. I don't have much to sell and if I have to I can always deal w/some of the crazies on CL.

pbjmaker - I've seen the cage @ Osceola. I've seen one or two birds in it at the end of the sale but I never see anyone in it. The only thing I've purchased from there was a pair of call ducks. They are the sweetest little things even if they aren't SQ. I don't plan on showing them so not a big deal for me.

I do know a friend bought some EE chicks and they ended up being SLW. Another friend has bought stuff down there only to get home and find there was something wrong with it. He did pick up some Welsh Harlequins that were sold as Appleyards. I've noticed they don't go off the paperwork there which is a turnoff for me. I took down a trio once and before I could say anything they'd been sold as a cage of roosters. I had the cage marked clear as day too.

 

[oldiabird]

Quote:
Please let me know when the time gets a little closer to take the class when you find out when and where, as I would be interested in taking the class if for nothing more than to know that at least what I am selling or sending to auction have been tested!!! I've probably already paid for enough testing to have taken the class +++++++ between Stuart and Osceola, only got tested once last spring, I could see from that experience that you'd have to have more than one testor on site to keep up with all of the animals being brought in, so I guess we should all be taken on the resposibility ourselves to test our own birds--- sorry for rambling!! Art

 

[pbjmaker]

ART!!!! Glad to see you!

 

[FlashPointFarm]

I have them all running together right now. I'll get a pic of it. I think the mom was my chocolate pied hen and the father was either Ancona or Pekin. Those are the three breeds of ducks I have here. I have one chocolate hen, because she is so sweet. All the rest of the Muscovey's are white. I cull out the black headed ones. Not sure if I'm supposed to do that though?

Quote:

No mules here - we only have the scovies. I had to go check for eggs just in case.

What did you cross? I'm assuming the drake was a scovie and the duck was something else that lays more year round?

 

[pbjmaker]

The black headed whites? I have heard that too. I am hoping to get some like my pretty blue fawn this year. Not a stitch of white on her head or body and very even color. Not sure what color to breed her with though. I haven't seen any drakes that look like her although I have one with the similar colors that is still young (fall hatch) unfortunately his color is really diluted from hers and he has a lot of white on his head.

BTW I need to build my scovies a predator proof pen or something - I' so tired of herding their butts into the coop every night when they would prefer to sleep outside for what ever reason.