First Flock Downsizing Event!

[Acre4Me]

This weekend we attended a livestock auction as sellers. Completely interesting event! I'm glad we weren't planning to buy anything as I'm not sure I would have known what I was paying since the auctioneer was going fast and I think it will take a little experience to really hear what he is saying!

Our flock consisted of 21 birds. Fourteen are 10 months old. Seven are 4 months old.

We sold all 9 birds we took to the auction. We sold a 10 month old Black Australorp cockerel, 4 month old Delaware cockerel, 4 month old Silver Spangled Hamburg cockerel, 3 Dark Brown Leghorn pullets (10 months old), and 4 month old pullets of 3 other breeds.

This was a pretty painless way to get rid of the ones we did not want to keep, and get some feed cash. The weather was a nice as it would ever get for a January outdoor auction day, so we figured if we didn't do it now, then they would be ours for another few months.

Some of the younger ones went to the neighbor of a friend of ours who happened to be at the auction looking for a few visually interesting birds to add to his egg laying flock: he bought our 4 month old Polish, EE bantam, and Salmon Faverolle, so we know they went to a good home.

The 3 DBLS looked like they were sold to a family that didn't buy anything else, so maybe adding to a flock or starting one.

The cocks each went to three separate people, with the 10 month old BA having several bids back and forth.

Overall, it was not exactly lucrative...we averaged $7.50/ bird, before commission was taken out. However, it was a quick solution for us to get rid of the birds we knew we were not going to keep in the long run. However, we had a tough time deciding to get rid of the BA cockerel - he was good, but we decided that only having one older cockerel (soon to be rooster) at a time was likely better overall for our space and flock at this time. We now have 12 birds: two 4-month pullets not yet laying, and nine 10 month pullets laying well, and one 10 month cockerel.

Now we have some room for a few more chicks!

 

[N F C]

Thanks for sharing how it went for you!

 

[Hardknockshomestead]

I've never been to an auction to buy birds, just when there were larger livestock being sold.
It must be interesting. I know a lot of chicken owners are into breeding and showing their birds.

 

[Mrs. K]

Keeping a flock, letting birds come in and out of it works best. I keep a flock, not individual birds. Nice of you to share.

 

[Acre4Me]

I've never been to an auction to buy birds, just when there were larger livestock being sold.
It must be interesting. I know a lot of chicken owners are into breeding and showing their birds.

Yes, I wondered if the BA cockerel had interest for showing purposes. He was a very nice representation of his breed, so, I wondered if that was why there were several bids on him. Since everyone walked around looking at the animals before the start of the auction, I had attached information on each cage with breed, age and hatch date, egg color, and where the birds were sourced from (since they were purchased as chicks from a hatchery). i figured if someone was into showing, etc the source might matter. If someone wants a certain egg color, that would matter.

 

[Hardknockshomestead]

Yes, I wondered if the BA cockerel had interest for showing purposes. He was a very nice representation of his breed, so, I wondered if that was why there were several bids on him. Since everyone walked around looking at the animals before the start of the auction, I had attached information on each cage with breed, age and hatch date, egg color, and where the birds were sourced from (since they were purchased as chicks from a hatchery). i figured if someone was into showing, etc the source might matter. If someone wants a certain egg color, that would matter.

That is one big reason I would love to go sometime, if only as a spectator. I think breeding and genetics is so interesting!

 

[Acre4Me]

Keeping a flock, letting birds come in and out of it works best. I keep a flock, not individual birds. Nice of you to share.

Although we are relatively new to chickens, I think this is what we will be doing too. I can see how there may be that one bird every now and again that we just won't want to part with, even if not laying or whatever...hard not to have a favorite or a soft spot for one. But, we are currently in the mode of seeing what we like in our flock, bird type, egg color, temperament, etc. We did put in an order for some straight run birds, but don't yet know which breeds exactly (my order indicated subs were OK) and when we will receive them. Since they are straight run, and we requested several breeds, I am hoping for an earlier ship date and that way we can go to auction again in the fall when we know what we've got with respect to males/ females, and breeds.

 

[CannedMonster]

May I ask where you sourced the BA cockerel?
I ordered 13 sexed pullet chicks from Meyer Hatchery in July and one of the 3 BA turned out to be a cockerel.
He is very nice!
I decided to keep him even though I already had a cockerel about 4 months older because he was completely nonaggressive and beautiful.
He also has a very nice crow.
My older cockerel chases him but tolerates him pretty well. I have enough hens for both but I’m realizing they really need separate coops.
This is Oliver from about a month or two ago:

I think an auction is a great idea for finding homes for extra birds.
I’ll have to see if they have any in my area in Southwest Idaho.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I think an auction is a great idea for finding homes for extra birds.
I’ll have to see if they have any in my area in Southwest Idaho.

If all else fails in finding an auction, call your extension office. They should be able to help you find one.

 

[Acre4Me]

May I ask where you sourced the BA cockerel?

We purchased 3 sexed pullets and 1 sexed male BA from Eagles Nest. We got the 3+1 correctly sexed. They start to hatch eggs in Feb each year, but you need to order ahead of setting the eggs, so they incubate for your order. We called about a week ahead of picking up our order and asked to have 2 BJG added to our order, if they had any extra. They did, and that is how we got our straight run Black Jersey Giants.
http://eaglenestohio.com/

Here is the BA male at 5 months age:

Eagle Nest Poultry has been in business for 90+ years. They put in large incubators sometime during the 50's. You can't walk past the very small area inside the door, and cannot visit their flock or any other part of their business (bio-security), but I took a pic of some of their incubators from the 50's - and obviously they were not going in or out of the ones in the pic, since they were blocked off the day I picked up some meat chickens. But interesting to see. Not sure if they have newer incubators or not, as you can't walk anywhere but just inside the door!