I posted this on the wrong forum (Managing Your Flock) & didn't know how to move it so...
I went to my first poultry auction Monday.
As a Total Newbie I wanted to see how this worked.
I saw some likely-looking hens but I also saw some so crammed into boxes/cages they couldn't stand and so it was hard (for me) to evaluate if they were healthy.
The ones who had room to stand seemed alert and at least I could see what condition they were in.
A lot of the sellers were absentee - just dropped off their stock and left. The auction was Cash & Carry & it seemed like some of the lots could be purchased separately once a price was reached.
Question #1-If the sellers of the crammed birds had been there would it have been okay for me to ask to see the birds out of the cages?
I don't mean walking around, but just held up so I could see they had 2 legs, nice coats (is that what you call it?), etc.
If I don't end up buying hens from this auction my next best bet (I think) would be a Swap.
Question #2-how does a Swap work? Is it just a kind of fleamarket thing?
TIA
I went to my first poultry auction Monday.
As a Total Newbie I wanted to see how this worked.
I saw some likely-looking hens but I also saw some so crammed into boxes/cages they couldn't stand and so it was hard (for me) to evaluate if they were healthy.
The ones who had room to stand seemed alert and at least I could see what condition they were in.
A lot of the sellers were absentee - just dropped off their stock and left. The auction was Cash & Carry & it seemed like some of the lots could be purchased separately once a price was reached.
Question #1-If the sellers of the crammed birds had been there would it have been okay for me to ask to see the birds out of the cages?
I don't mean walking around, but just held up so I could see they had 2 legs, nice coats (is that what you call it?), etc.
If I don't end up buying hens from this auction my next best bet (I think) would be a Swap.
Question #2-how does a Swap work? Is it just a kind of fleamarket thing?
TIA
