Chicken Auctions and possible mistreatment?

[TheChips]

Today was the first time I have ever been to a chicken auction. I would assume that a proper chicken auction would be set up sanitary and somewhat professional looking as you see in the dog, cat and bird shows.

There was so much wrong with this Im just going to make a list:
When I arrived I was just mortified on how these chickens, quails, turkeys and ducks were being treated.

-There were cages stacked on top of cages that look like they have never been cleaned and the chickens on top were pooing on the ones below.

-Roosters being caged up to the others they were fighting through the bars, and also hurting each other. One I was keeping an eye on got his crown bit and was bloody. Other chickens were able to bite the feet of the other chickens from above.

-There were many sick and injured looking birds there.

-They had baby ducks outside the place when it was 45 degrees from what seems like over 4 hours. They were in small crates cuddling each other for warmth.

-They had very large turkeys and other large birds in the same size cages the chickens were in and they werent able to move.

-My husband said one of the ducks hurt his/her wing on the bars. She was trying to turn around in the cage, wasnt able to and snagged her wing.

-One of the ducks had a bloody nose

-These birds looked like they were there for hours before the auction started with no food or water available.



Is this even legal? Is this the norm for the casual chicken auction? I would think they have to follow some sort of code when holding these auctions. Im completely devastated and feel terrible for these birds who were being treated this way.

 

[Beekissed]

I've never seen a chicken auction and never hope to see one but it sounds pretty much like most auction barns for livestock sales. The animals are grouped into "lots" and there isn't much going on in the way of comfort for any of the animals...no water, sometimes pens are very crowded and some of the cattle can't even stand up, so they get trampled by the others. Day old bottle calves are all penned together, some with scours and some that cannot stand they are so weak. And this goes on for hours until all the animals are sold or the auction is done for the day.

Sounds like chicken auctions are much the same way.

 

[TheChips]

Its terrible , I wish someone warned me about this. I would have never gone

 

[MedicDog]

What type of place was the auction at?

I have two that I go to and they are completely different. One is nice and the birds are kept in good condition for the duration of the auction. This one is at a place they hold cattle and sheep auctions so they know about animal welfare.

The other is held in a rented garage and the welfare is patchy. Everything is kept in cramped cardboard boxes with a mesh lid, no food and no water. I also kinda suspect they might be stolen.... The people look like rogues and will accept £2-£3 per bird. But that is just my opinion.

 

[TheChips]

Unfortunately The one I went to seemed legitimate they have been in business for a while. They were auctioning off baby chicks from 10 cents $0.10 USD to $0.50 USD a dozen. Full grown chickens for only a few dollars. I didnt stay long enough to see what the turkeys or other type of birds were going for.

I live in a farm/country part of my state. So maybe this was "overstock" either way if they are going to run a business I would think they would have health codes

 

[TundraRose]

Sounds terrible!

 

[oldrooster]

It depends on the auction. the auction barn I know of an hours drive from me early in it's run was sketchy, due to I guess just desperation to build up trade, afterwards, while stacked wide and tall the animals look in good shape, but they turn down any obvious bad birds I have never purchased there but the birds i have seen and ones friends and aquantanences have got there where healthy (or as healthy as ones you'd buy from a stranger you do sometimes run into improperly fed birds where once on a balanced diet and given plenty of grit and oyster shell lay like the dickens. one friend had 2-3 soft eggs in one week and after 2-3 weeks for the bird to settle in quarintine and eating quality layer feed and given free choice on shell and grit was perfecty normal). so it depends on how $$$ hungry or stupid they are.....