Going to Crossroads, pre-purchase or buy there?

AinaWGSD

Crowing
14 Years
Apr 2, 2010
2,210
1,930
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Sullivan, IL
So I'm pretty sure my husband and I are going to the Crossroads show. Indy is only 2 hours away from us, and it would be nice to leave the two year old with grandma and get away for an over-nighter just the two of us. Anyway, we are looking to add two hens to our flock. I'm not entirely sure on breeds, but I would really like them to be two different breeds. Maybe an ameraucana and a ??? (I'm leaning towards something with a columbian pattern or maybe a BLRW, something for some yard candy). It would be convenient to buy them from the same person, but I'd be ok with buying them from two different people too. But the big thing I'm wondering is if it would be better to find a breeder who is going to the show and arrange for them to bring me a bird before that weekend or if it would be ok to wait and see what's in the sale cages at the show. We've only ever been to two chicken shows (one in Peoria, the other was the state fair) and never to one this big before so I'm not really sure what to expect as far as birds for sale. Any thoughts?
 
I have never been to Crossroads, but it is my experience with other shows that the birds for sale there are sold as pairs or trios and they are very expensive because they are high quality show birds. I'm not trying to convince you not to go, just be aware that you may not find any crossbreeds or hens by themselves.
 
I have never been to crossroads but I have been to poultry shows. it is up to you but if you have something that you can't live without, try to locate it before you go. if you are flexable, which it sounds like you are, go with an open mind. you might not find what you want there for the price you want to pay but you may find what you want your next breed to be and you can go from there. I, myself, because I can only keep so many birds, am very picky about what I purchase so I expect to pay more to get just what I want. if I was just wanting a "laying hen that was pretty" I probably would shop local.
 
My understanding of the sales area that they will have at Crossroads is that they are selling spaces, not individual sales coops, so the selections are probably less likely to be piece meal and more of individual breeders having large displays on their own or else grouping up with another person or people to share the cost of the space. I haven't been there myself but will be there showing, so I guess we'll find out. The best people to ask would likely be Bill or Dave Wulff, the people in charge of the show.

Myself personally, I prefer to see what I buy before I buy it.
 
Well, I am definitely open minded
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So many beautiful breeds and so little space in my coop! I'm really not terribly picky either, since we only need enough eggs to feed two adults, one toddler, and hopefully enough to sell to co-workers that the girls pay for their own food most of the year. I wonder if anybody would be bringing culls with them
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