Is it safe/okay to buy "free" , "giving away" or auction animals???

[Willow's Meadow]

I have heard that it is not a good idea to buy animals that are "free" or from a auction. But I see so many goats/sheep etc. on craigslist that are being given away because the owner doesn't have time to take care of it but it they say it is healthy and friendly. Also are auctions safe??? I want to get goats in the summer but I'll probably get them from a breeder......but I saw a pgymy goat for free on craigslist which is something I would be intrested in(not now but maybe in the summer)......so would it be safe to get something like that???

 

[farmerlor]

Honestly? It's a crap shoot. I've given chickens away and I gave a goat away and I can assure you they were in perfect health. I've also gotten some animals from Craigslist most notably my beloved hound....okay, so here's the story about beloved hound. The ad said she was a year and a half old-Beagle terrier mix. She's actually about 6 or 7 Beagle, Chihauhau mix. She has a bad back and she's a neurotic mess but we didn't find out about most of this until we'd fallen head over heels in love with her so I would never give her up. You can always have someone knowledgeable go with you when checking out a free animal from Craigslist or show a pic of said animal here on BYC there are lots of us who know about the various animals you would find there and we can give you opinions and advice on what to look for. Just the other day someone posted a pic of a turkey here that they'd found on Craigslist and several of us advised this person not to get it. Oh, and there's no such thing as a free animal. LOL!

 

[terrilhb]

Good question. Let's see what everyone says. Will be interesting. I have thought about this too. Thanks for asking

 

[CrazyChickieMama]

I got my pygmy goat at an auction and he was fine, except for the fact he HATED me...lol

You do need to worry about their health and get them checked out, figure out what they were eating and where they were kept.

I think as long as you use common sense it should be fine.

But I will tell you this, we got 2 "free" great danes and 1 of them died from heartworm complications after getting spayed and the other cost us around $1200 to get healthy. There are no such things as "free" animals.

 

[Katy]

I sell my excess birds....those who didn't make the cut to go into my breeding flocks....at my local poultry auction. There's nothing wrong with them.....I just can't keep all that I hatch out.

 

[Show Me Chick]

Doesn't matter where you get animals (auction, breeder, free or bought) any animal can be sick or carrying disease. Quarantine, quarantine, quarantine!!! Did I mention Quarantine!

 

[ARose4Heaven]

EXACTLY. Quarantine. I myself plan to go this weekend and pick up several chickens that a person here on BYC is giving away. She sounds like a nice person, and seems genuinely concerned for her animals. BUT...I will be housing these new birds in a different coop, with a separate run for at least 2 months before they even see my girls. I do not want my flock damaged by some one else's "healthy" birds. I honestly believe that these will be healthy, well cared for animals or I would not take the time to go get them. But caution is always best.

 

[TigerLilly]

Gotta agree with farmerlor. I have gotten some freebies that weren't worth the gas money to pick up (but I got them anyway so they'd have a better home & better care), but overall I've had fairly positive experiences with them. In this economy, people are finding it harder & harder to afford certain luxuries--and yes, sometimes, our animals ARE luxuries. At this point, mine are not, but if I were to lose my job tomorrow (God forbid), I would have to seriously consider downsizing the amount that I have. Of course, I would try selling them first, but if that didn't work, they'd have to go for free rather than keep spending the money to feed them.
I would, however, not buy from an auction (at least not from what I've heard about one close by). From the 'farmers' I have talked to about it, the auction is worse than a crap shoot--it's like the end of the road before euthanasia...

 

[Willow's Meadow]

I only have chickens in my barn right now. So if I got goats would I quarntine them from the chickens??? Like in another part of the barn??? If their from a breeder, auction or craigslist??? Does it matter if you have chickens and then get goats or something......can the chickens still get sick???

 

[halo]

Just use a little common sense. I go to our local auction now and again, and you just have to be cognizant of the health of the animal, whatever one you are looking at. Its pretty obvious if a chicken is sick; if its in a group, look them all over carefully. If you do buy them, quarantine them when you take them home. Lots and lots of people buy animals at auctions, thats why theres so many of them. Just be careful.