I think this was a money losing deal !!!

[Chicken Rustler]

Well we just got started in chickens. In March we bought chicks. Of the 6 RIR pullets we bought 2 turned out to be roos. Well since I didn't want RIR's for roos I decided to get rid of them. After some research I decided that it was probablly not worth the hassle to process them. I found a new small animal auction in Chehalis so today we took the roos for a one way trip to town. We use to go to the livestock auction a lot. But I have been BITEN BY THE CHICKEN BUG !! Before I knew it I was trying to bid. Luckily I was holding the dog's leash in one hand and a bottle of soda in the other. I think lucky for me that when I held up the soda the auctioneer must have thought I was doing a toast or something, he skipped right past me. Then reality set in and I decided I better set on my hands or I was gonna end up wiff a bunch of birds that I didn't have room for. Finally our 2 roos come up. They sold for a whopping $4.00 each. After the auctioneer got his cut we got $2.80 each. Somehow things just don't quite add up here. I bought them for $3.00 each raised them since March and got $2.80. each. O well at least I got part of my money back. This is better than the idea that a neighbor suggested. Turn em loose for the coyotes. Now let me be very clear here I DO NOT SUPPORT THAT IDEA. For one I do not consider it a humane solution. And for 2 why would I want to ring the dinner bell to come get the rest of our flock.
As for the auction at Yard Birds. The man seems to run a good operation and said he stands behind everything that is sold. He said if you buy something and it turns out to be sick etc he will refund your money and then he will deal with the seller. They run every Saturday. Today they started selling at 11:00 (regular time is 10:00) and ran constant we left at 2:00 and they were not quite done so plan a long day if ya go.

 

[WriterofWords]

Careful toasting the auctioneer, you might end up with a lot of 15 roos or something! LOL,, it never adds up though, don't sweat it.

 

[Mahonri]

O yeah. By the time you figure feed, time etc... we eat some pretty expensive eggs at our house.

 

[Southern Chickens]

I've been burnt at auctions before so, I sell my birds on Craig's List or something where I name the price. Meet in a public place, I don't let stranger's know where I live.

 

[silkiechicken]

Also, be careful brining things home from auctions, as a "healthy" bird can hide a disease or virus or paracite.

 

[bheila]

You'd probably get better results using CL, at least I do. It would be too tempting to buy chickens at the auctions for me or goats

I'm glad you had a good experience at the Chehalis auction. Someone I talked to a while ago swore they'd never go back there again.

 

[luvmychicknkids]

Wow!!!! You did good!!! I always end up giving away all my extra roos for free.

As for cost, I will never forget what my sweet, precious, very much in danger (when saying things like this) husband said when we got our first egg. "Oh Honey, that is wonderful!!! And that egg only cost, what, $1,500?" Thankfully, even though he is a brat, he loves the chickens as much as I do.

 

[Chicken Rustler]

Quote:
This is a new auction (Brumfields) that has only been here about a month. They did get a bit confused at times but I think some of that was due to the help and some due to them not knowing much about the type of critters they were selling. I know that the auction that closed down was kind of a scary place to deal. I just gign't want to have to put any more feed into these birds or mess with meeting someone to sell. So yes I am nt really that unhappy, at least I got back part of my money. I think I did better than the people who sold eating eggs. The top price was $2.00 per doz - .60 for the auctioneer they got $1.40. That sucks when $2.00 seems to be the going price in the area.

I am very aware of the possibillity of disease etc from "sale barn" animals. That is the main reason I was so worried I would end up buying something since I don't currently have a quarentine area away from my other birds.