A Chicken Auction?!?!

[dalostshaker]

So, there's this thing called a "chicken auction" being advertised on our local craigslist. It says that it's at some milling company out in the country and it mentions that if you plan on selling birds there is a commission.
Is this worth checking out or is a risky way to buy chicks? Has anyone ever had any experience with this?

 

[panner123]

Here they have a poultry auction every first and third Sunday. They work for most, you just have to look at the chickens real good. I have sold and bought at auctions, anything I buy I keep seperated until I feel they are healthy.

 

[dalostshaker]

Great! Thanks for the advice! I think that I might take the rugrats out to look at this one. I'm not going to plan on purchasing until I really check this place out and maybe talk to a few local farmers.

 

[MagsC]

I have never done it. I dont think its necessarily a bad way to buy chicks, it would depend on the individual seller. And I am sure it goes without saying (but I will anyway,lol) to keep any birds you get in quarantine until you are sure they arent sick.

 

[LittleChickenRacingTeam]

I bought my 2 blue silkies at an auction. I couldn't find that colour variety locally.

Like others have said, check out the birds carefully, & quarantine them from the rest of your flock for at least a month.

 

[Mojo Chick'n]

Quote:
I go to the local auction a lot, and I go early.

The trick is to get there at least an hour early so you can look the birds over really well, and maybe look over the sellers, also. Our local auction is every Friday night - and I always get there early so I can buy in the parking lot before the auction - I like that much better than bidding.

The people all set up on their truck bumpers and the like and have their birds out "to get some air" in the cages, and if you ask them how much, they'll give you a price they are wanting from the auction. There is one guy who makes transport cages, he brings a ton of those, and does really well selling them, too.

Last time I didn't even stay until the auction began, LOL I had my quota within a half hour from the time I got there. If your auction is not like that, though, you should still go early, so you can check out what will be sold.

Take note of the numbers on the cages/boxes, and if it says "cage does not sell" on the tags (which means you'll have to have your own box or cage to put them into.) Then when the auctioneer holds up a box or cage that you could not possibly see into during the bidding wars, you can tell by the number he calls out if it is one you wanted or not.

Peace -
Meriah

 

[CrazyChickieMama]

I'll be there this morning!!!! I just got a RIR and a baby bunny from one of the people going there. I'm bringing the kids and making a field trip out of it.

 

[Grass]

there is a poultry auction every friday at one of flea markets here. i have bought serveral of my chickens there.for an extra $1 per bird you have have testing done before you take the birds home.just so you dont end up dragging a disease home to your flock

 

[patandchickens]

Not all diseases can be tested for, and not all diseases will be evident at the time of auction. So you would really want to have GOOD quarantine facilities (separate building from your existing chickens) and be willing to take a total loss on what you buy (like, kill them all yourself if needed).

A thing to remember about livestock auctions is that, while some perfectly good healthy sound animals do end up there, a LOT of animals are there fore a REASON and often you have to have a bunch of old-timey high-mileage experience to be able to recognize that reason -- or be well "in" with the crowd so that you hear about who not to buy from this time.

I'm not saying don't do it, I'm just saying it's a real gamble and it would be wise to know what you're gettin' into.

Pat