Alabamians: "Trade Day" vs auction?

[Airyaman]

There is an auction about 1 hr. away from me tomorrow night. Never been to one. Supposed to be for poultry and smaller animals. Clay County.

There are also "trade days" this weekend.

I really need to find a different place for my 5 Black Australorp cockerels. I haven't been able to find a processor and I simply can't do it myself. These guys have been good this whole time. I've never been able to kill anything larger than bugs intentionally.

If I go to auction, will someone buy five BA cockerels (18 weeks)?

Or do I go to "trade day"? Never been to one of those either.

Thanks for any feedback.

 

[The Moonshiner]

Here that's the good thing about auctions. Birds don't come back home. They sell no matter what. The negative is that they sell no matter what. Here a bird can go for $1 if it's nothing special.
I never go to auction looking to get a good price. I go because the bird needs to be gone and that's the quick, easy guaranteed way.

 

[Airyaman]

I'm good with making nothing and losing money on these guys. This was never a business venture.

If I had the space (as in protection for them from predators, I have plenty of space for them to live in the woods and attract predators), this would be no problem. They would be the first 5 of the bachelor flock. But the other guys I have going into that flock would beat them to hell and back. I'm not ready for two bachelor flocks.

 

[Airyaman]

Did not do the auction last week but plan to tomorrow night.

That said, should I use one large crate for all of them, or individual crates or...? I spoke with the auction owner, it appears the cages will go with the birds, even if it's just all in one crate.

If one large, Google tells me I need a 40"x60"x10" crate for 5 19 week old cockerels. Sound about right or could I get away with something smaller? Auction is 1 hour away and I need to try to fit the crate in the back of a Subaru Outback (with the back seats laid flat).

Thanks!

(Ignore the 10" height, that is obviously wrong)

 

[Airyaman]

Grok tells me I can get away with a smaller crate of either 7.5 or 10 sq ft. Sound right? The first is for a shorter time frame which the trip and action should apply.

Rectangular Cage: A cage measuring 3 ft long × 2.5 ft wide (7.5 sq ft) or 4 ft long × 2.5 ft wide (10 sq ft) would work.

 

[RoseHawke]

Did not do the auction last week but plan to tomorrow night.

That said, should I use one large crate for all of them, or individual crates or...? I spoke with the auction owner, it appears the cages will go with the birds, even if it's just all in one crate.

If one large, Google tells me I need a 40"x60"x10" crate for 5 19 week old cockerels. Sound about right or could I get away with something smaller? Auction is 1 hour away.

Thanks!

I've been watching a new-ish YouTuber - 5 Acre Farm - and honestly it looks like most of them that are "nothing special", especially if you're just wanting to move them along, go as lots of multiples. He has some footage of the auctions on his channel if you want to check it out. He's in Kansas, but I imagine most poultry/livestock auctions are similar.

Crate size depends on the size of the birds. Bear in mind that they'll need food and water while they're in there as well. From the vids I've seen, even for 5 birds, those crate sizes sound awfully large for an auction. I think Google and Grok are telling you the size if they would be in there for more than a few hours.

 

[Airyaman]

I've been watching a new-ish YouTuber - 5 Acre Farm - and honestly it looks like most of them that are "nothing special", especially if you're just wanting to move them along, go as lots of multiples. He has some footage of the auctions on his channel if you want to check it out. He's in Kansas, but I imagine most poultry/livestock auctions are similar.

Crate size depends on the size of the birds. Bear in mind that they'll need food and water while they're in there as well. From the vids I've seen, even for 5 birds, those crate sizes sound awfully large for an auction. I think Google and Grok are telling you the size if they would be in there for more than a few hours.

Actually, this looks easy peasy!