Readying chickens for sale

[fat brown hen]

I listed some of my birds for sale to make room for new hatchlings. When someone makes an appointment to buy one or more chickens, I grab them off the roost the night before, box them up, and put the box in the garage until the buyer shows up.

Problem is, like 50% of these buyers make an appointment and never show up. This is normal for selling to strangers on the internet, in my experience. But it's a huge hassle for me to deal with boxing/unboxing chickens, and I hate making a bird spend all day in a box for nothing. It's not like selling a bicycle where I can just leave it in the garage until the next buyer shows up.

Is there an easier system to deal with sales "inventory"?

 

[Purelychicks]

I listed some of my birds for sale to make room for new hatchlings. When someone makes an appointment to buy one or more chickens, I grab them off the roost the night before, box them up, and put the box in the garage until the buyer shows up.

Problem is, like 50% of these buyers make an appointment and never show up. This is normal for selling to strangers on the internet, in my experience. But it's a huge hassle for me to deal with boxing/unboxing chickens, and I hate making a bird spend all day in a box for nothing. It's not like selling a bicycle where I can just leave it in the garage until the next buyer shows up.

Is there an easier system to deal with sales "inventory"?

Have them pay before meeting , or don’t box them up till they arrive??

 

[BigBlueHen53]

If you don't box them up the previous night, you are in the position of chasing chickens when the buyer does show up. A frustrating activity at best.

 

[Purelychicks]

If you don't box them up the previous night, you are in the position of chasing chickens when the buyer does show up. A frustrating activity at best.

Oh ok. For me my chickens don’t mind being held so I didn’t know if it was the same for you. But you could have a reserve fee so they pay 20$ or something reserving their spot/ saying they’ll be there. Idk if that will help but I’m just suggesting stuff

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I haven't sold any yet, but I can see this being a problem when I do. I don't know how many chickens FBH (OP) has, but I have a couple dozen on a couple of (right now, very muddy) acres, and they are not pets. I can't walk up and pluck them like daisies, lol. As for getting money from someone before they get here to assure that they will come, I'm not understanding how that would work.

 

[Purelychicks]

I haven't sold any yet, but I can see this being a problem when I do. I don't know how many chickens FBH (OP) has, but I have a couple dozen on a couple of (right now, very muddy) acres, and they are not pets. I can't walk up and pluck them like daisies, lol. As for getting money from someone before they get here to assure that they will come, I'm not understanding how that would work.

Well it wouldn’t assure, but it would help. Because if somebody said “yeah meet me at
“-address-” tomorrow! And I had nothing to lose, I wouldn’t have to go. But i give you 20$ and I only get it back by meeting you then I will most likely go.

An example would be like the shopping carts where you have to put a coin in to get one. You’re less likely to steal the shopping cart because then you won’t get your coin back. Does that make sense?

And then if they still don’t come, then hey! At least u have 20$ or however much it would be.

 

[Morrigan]

Can you section off a small part of the coop, or put a crate in the coop, that you move the chicken for sale into. That way it is still available to grab easily and put into a box for the buyer, but also very easy to release back into the coop if the buyer is a no-show. And, a little less traumatic for the chicken.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Can you section off a small part of the coop, or put a crate in the coop, that you move the chicken for sale into. That way it is still available to grab easily and put into a box for the buyer, but also very easy to release back into the coop if the buyer is a no-show. And, a little less traumatic for the chicken.

There's a plan. Then you can feed and water the chicken and she isn't in the dark.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Well it wouldn’t assure, but it would help. Because if somebody said “yeah meet me at
“-address-” tomorrow! And I had nothing to lose, I wouldn’t have to go. But i give you 20$ and I only get it back by meeting you then I will most likely go.

An example would be like the shopping carts where you have to put a coin in to get one. You’re less likely to steal the shopping cart because then you won’t get your coin back. Does that make sense?

And then if they still don’t come, then hey! At least u have 20$ or however much it would be.

Um. This still requires two meetings. One to give you $20 to agree to meet you tomorrow, and another to pick up the bird. Say they make arrangements to buy the bird on FB or CL. Why would they meet you twice?

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I mean, sorry to be so dim, I must be missing something here.