My Thoughts on Chickens Auctions

[redhen]

I agree.. animal auctions are sad places. I couldnt stand it when i went to one..
BUT..i have to say.... its not the auctions themselves that bother me...
Its the PEOPLE. The cruel sick people that handle these animals. Thats some workers AND the owners also.
Auctions would be a GREAT place to sell your animals if people wouldnt be so disgusting and cruel.

 

[Lyddz]

Do you consider fairgrounds and 4-H shows better than what can be expected at a regular auction or are they just as bad?

 

[sourland]

Fair grounds, 4-H shows, and poultry shows are generally far better places to obtain animals. Caution should still be exercised and any animals purchased should be quarantined as there is no guarantee of good health.

 

[arianna]

I wonder what is the law when it comes to this poultry auctions and the sale of sick and full of parasites chickens? I have been few times at two different poultry auctions and every single time the hens I bought where full of parasites. I was new at this, and I learned some things in the hard way. That was the first time I learned about parasites.

I understand that not all people consider poultry as “an animal with rights“, and they will handle this chickens in ways that will shock others (noting different than the big poultry mills), but what does surprise me is that there are no health concerns from those institutions responsible to protect the public from this sort of things. I have seen low income families (mostly Hispanics) with small children at this auctions, buying for $1 or $2 sick chickens and roosters, some of them looked so bad and where soaked in feces, while others will die before the auction was even over, and yet they will still take them home for food (and you know those children will eat that).

I supposed some people are either that desperate or that irresponsible

, what I don't understand is why there is never any health inspection done on this auctions. The auction place is not responsible for the chickens they sale, and I believe they have a disclaimer for that in witch the seller is responsible for the claim of health of the birds they sale, but everybody knows the quality of the chickens you find there most of the times. And usualy the sick chickens are sold from the same sellers. The auction knows, but they are not legally responsible.
I think if the health inspector will check on this places every now and then and give fines to those private individuals who sell sick chickens when they claim to be healthy, it will discourage those individuals who raise chickens in such dirty and unhealthy conditions as long they can't sell them and make a profit.
I don't know much about this, but I do wonder if there is any law that will protect the children who are the real victims in this situations (since the parents have no reason).

 

[greenfamilyfarms]

Quote:
You still have to use caution, but anytime you can talk to the actual seller of the animals, it's better than just buying them anonymously at an auction. That way you can ask questions and if you are still interested in buying, then you can proceed from there.