Minnesota!

[padavali]

What is in Hutch? Not that far from there...

 

[mikkles]

I think one of those swaps that NEVER fall on my days off! lol

 

[bantiesrule]

It was a poultry swap put on by the pigeon assoc. I thought they usually had alot of chickens come in also but there wasn't very many this time. Amy was there with some babies: silkies, polish and some baby ducks and geese (didn't really pay attention to what kind they were). And there were a couple of others there with some chickens but not many. I didn't think there was really a whole lot of pigeons either. I don't know if this is the usual turnout or if this one was worse than usual but I don't think I'll be going back there until the fall game bird swap. It's just too far to go with the gas prices.

 

[Nicole01]

Does the Forest Lake swap ever have peafowl or is just mainly chickens?

we bought our peacock there a few years ago for $60

Some man tried giving my husband a peacock near Forest Lake for free last summer. He almost brought it home. They are beautiful birds, but we do not have the set up for them and they are quite noisy.lol

 

[silkielover5]

Same man we just put ours with the chickens. He's not that loud defiantly not as bad as his girlfriend a guinea hen, he really only makes noise in the spring

 

[elibar90]

anyone up by me debs mn between bemidji, red lake, and clearbrook.

 

[lmatvey]

I'll have to check out their feed when I'm going through there someday. Both Mahtowa (TJs) and Widdes Feed in Esko have a chicken swap on Saturday, May 4th, also. Hope its nice out for all of them! Were you at the Carlton swap this past weekend? The weather was so beautiful for it this year.

I was at the carlton swap!! were you? did we meet and not know it!! Oh so cool. LOL! The weather was great, and I found a pair of crested sweedish ducks to take home with me, and a Jersy Giant Roo. Though I really bought the roo 'cause I liked talking with the sweet little older gentelman selling them.

 

[destiny_56085]

I went to Hutch... Sold a lot and only came home with 3 diamond doves. I just think that there are sooo many swaps that people can pick and choose now and overall turnout is lower. It was also fishing opener on Saturday so we lost a ton of people for that. There was also a bird fair over in Stillwater that day so lost a bunch of our small animal vendors to that. Next weekend there are swaps in Isanti, Forest Lake, New Ulm, and an exotic sale & poultry auction in Jackson (all on May 18th...). I think the state regulations are also hitting us. To sell anything under 4 months of age at a public event you have to have a licensed hatchery permit and older birds have to be pullorum tested. It eliminates a lot of the old timers that don't want the state watching over them and every person that just hatches random batches.

I talked to a lot of the poultry people that I saw at the swap and every one said they were having problems getting chicks to hatch this year. Big temp swings and birds not laying, too cold to start hatching & raising chicks in the house, eggs simply not fertile or hatching if they are.... For myself, its been spotty. I did really good up through December and then it lulled for the most part til last month.

 

[coldupnorth]

Quote: Yes, I was at the Carlton swap and just loved the weather that day. I didn't bring anything home because my husband was with and he makes it a point to come with specifically so I don't bring anything home. Hehe...He is learning.

There are definitely some fun people to talk to at the swaps.

 

[NikonD2xer]

How do you find out about the swaps and other sales and fairs ?

I knew about the New Ulm one coming up but nothing about any of the other ones.

I am a total newbie when it comes to chickens so any help is greatly appreciated.