Naive about chicken swaps

[cat1994]

That sounds much like what I see every time I go to my local poultry swap. Loads of birds forced into pens way to small, so crapped together that they trample each other to death. Some birds’ parish in the heat with no water in site, or have such poor health they are almost bald or covered in their own filth or bug ridden. Ducks and geese so ill cared for they are losing their feathers, and tons of chicks’ piled on top of each other. That describes the majority of what condition the birds are in, that is not to say that everyone there treats their birds that poorly. I only deal with the people that actually care about their birds’ well being and I found that most others do the same, I have no problem selling my birds there at prices I see fit b/c other people can see that mine are well cared for and are in much better condition then the majority. It is very sad and makes me angry at how people treat these animals, but all I can do is try and set a good example and hope they will catch on that better cared for birds equals more money in the long run.

 

[KenK]

What about putting a chicken in a cardboard box and mailing it across the country?

The one auction I've been to the birds were in some pretty atrocious cages and my wife was appalled but I assume they were only in there for a few hours.

 

[CapricornFarm]

Well, like everything else there are good sellers and bad ones. I always make sure they have fresh hay and water to drink. Chicks get feed as well.i have seen like 20 roosters in a cage big enough for 3 or 4 ! What makes people do that?

 

[ChickieBooBoo]

Most of the chicken auctions and sales are run by a poultry club that I am a member of. At all of the sales we put on the birds are well looked after. At the auction this year there was a pair of Welsummers (if I remember correctly) who were crippled, we didn't sell them and the seller was warned. I think it depends on the sale.