FFA Auction to be held Topsfield Fairgrounds Topsfield MA Oct 20 2013

[luvmychixandducks]

The Essex County chapter of FFA will hold its small animal / poultry / related items auction on SUNDAY October 20 2013 in the poultry barn of the Topsfield Fairgrounds.
Topsfield Mass.
Items for auction will include NPIP certified poultry as well as rabbits and assorted waterfowl.
Proceeds of the auction will help finance team expenses to attend FFA National competition in Kentucky this year.
Consigners will receive 75% of selling prices.
Donations gratefully accepted.
In addition to livestock, sale items will include travel crates, poultry related decoratives, cages, bags of feed, mums from the Fair, and usually a few boxes of fresh picked local apples.
Help support local farm education. Buy next years layers from chicks hatched right here at the nation's oldest continual agricultural Fair - since 1818. 195 years and still the best. .

 

[Brewsterhens]

I am going to this for thefirst time! Really excited, not sure what to expect !
I am bringing my cash, packing my truck with cat carriers , and seging if I end up with any luck!

i am looking for cochins, LF or bantam, females, ....and or colored egg layers ie legbar, ameracauna, etc..... can hardly wait!

 

[keesmom]

Every year is different but there's always a lot to choose from. Last year there was about 260 auction items.

 

[Tony K T]

Bring lots of cash as prices do go hi.Laying hens bring in 20.00- 25.00.
In N.H.,Tony.

 

[luvmychixandducks]

Tony is right, some hens do get pricey, but plenty of bargains at the end of the sale... Roosters rarely sell for more than 2.00
and many pet quality bunnies are rehomed for only a few dollars. Much better than adopting off Craigslist and paying big fees for bunnies no better than these, and you're saving a pe quality animal t that might end up cooked, or even snake food.

 

[Brewsterhens]

hm...not interested in roos, or bunnies.....
O have tried to ask in other places bu ot noresponses, so I will ask you guys...interms of what I am looking for, do you think this event is a good option, or should I go to Rhode Island to the Little Rhody Show which is held on the same day?

 

[keesmom]

hm...not interested in roos, or bunnies.....
O have tried to ask in other places bu ot noresponses, so I will ask you guys...interms of what I am looking for, do you think this event is a good option, or should I go to Rhode Island to the Little Rhody Show which is held on the same day?

Well, I doubt you will find Legbars or true Ameraucanas for auction at Topsfield. You may find Easter Eggers, possibly LF Cochin. Not sure about Little Rhody. I would guess no on the Legbars and EEs there, not sure on Ameraucanas. I have seen them at the Boston Poultry Expo in Nov.

All I'm bringing is a few LF Faverolles pullets.

 

[GardenerGal]

Last year there were a lot of Easter eggers.

 

[keesmom]

Lots of Easter eggers this year too. And Cochins. There was certainly a wide variety of poultry to choose from. Even a trio of gold laced Brahmas.

 

[GardenerGal]

Didn't one of the turkeys sell for something around 100 bucks?

Another went for over 70. Silkies were going for 50 bucks and over. But the FFA kids get a 25% share of the proceeds, so the high bids were a good thing.
Lots of Pekin ducks. Someone probably had to order a minimum of 20 from a hatchery and only wanted to keep a pair. lol!

One thing that was disturbing, was that some of the young chickens looked like they couldn't stand. One went backwards on its hocks. It looked alarmingly like Marek's but could have been the slippery table and maybe the stress of being in a box and all of the travel. I'm hoping that's all it was, since the birds were auctioned without any hesitation.