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I do think there is a fine line between being "firm" and rough. Esp with rabbits, I hate seeing them pick them up and just toss them. I get that they are trying to move a massive amount of stuff, but maybe they need to limit the # of lots like they do at the auctions Village auction does at their place and Pine Creek?
There is a method to bidding at Bath, first ya gotta browse the rows to see whats coming up (some people make notes). Heck, I'll open a box if I want a closer look (Because I am picky picky picky) What I do is I start at where they are actively bidding and see whats in that row, then walk around the circle to see if there is anything I want (If there is, I get up front) If not, then I go sit or chat til they've gotten to the end of what I looked at, then I go look again. Plus you can sorta see what is coming up around the circle from one end. You really need to be in the auctioneers line of site to bid, because they don't usually have spotters helping them. I found the one guy to be BARELY understandable. I also will go under the rope and open the coop and inspect something (I know, they hate that) because the auctioneer will like never say whats in the coop (I wish they would, I don't write whats in the box for my health you know!) But since they don't, I write in big legible letters what is in the box (on both sides!) how old it is, what sex, etc. Because you are selling to those folks browsing the stacks and standing in front! But I wish they would give some sort of description besides "Its a bunny" for the folks further in the back, only so much room in the front!
The whole box thing is why I do not bring chicks. Its great for buyers who browsed and know that there are say silkie day old chicks in lot 32, but you're standing in the front row and all you can see is a BOX, and briefy something held up as the auctioneer mumbles something. Ya know how many of those boxes of chicks had their description on the TOP of the box? Like all of them. Thats great for the people putting the box in the coop, but we're behind the yellow rope and we can't SEE what ya wrote on the box!
Another plus to browsing the stacks is I can see if you brought "unthrifty" stuff. I don't bid on anything from your lot if something is suspect. I also hate it when they throw 4 chickens in too small a box with not enough ventalation and then they look terrible when they finally get out! I think there *can* be a rep there from maybe the humane society or something to inspect how stuff is handled? I don't know that I have ever seen one though. At least this is an inside auction, the one at Pine Creek they do under a tent and boxes almost always end up in the sun. I heard last years was bad because it got hot and lots of boxes were in the sun. Ya know, I may want to make a buck but if its going to be 90 out I don't stuff my livestock in a small poorly ventalated box, but then again I don't bring anything that is unthrifty either. I have people come find me to see what I brought because its usually nice stuff that I have extras off and always healthy.
I was contemplating the auction in Cornell, I was going to have my friend go thru my stuff, weed out stuff and then sell the rest. Only I killed all 12 of the younger Runners today.
I put them out back with the older Runners but I left the door to the run open (thinking that they would come in out of the rain or follow the older ones in. Nope. I forgot to check them and my husband SAW them standing outside in the rain and he says he told me but I either didn't hear him or the light bulb just didn't go off. I guess I had a pregnant brain fart or something, I can't believe I did something so stupid. Esp when I was going to sell them this week and pay for my trip to MN at the end of the month (Because I spent my other duck money I made on Silkies!)
I guess it could be worse and I could have killed ALL of them and not just half but still, that really sucks. I think there were only about three in that lot I wanted to keep, so all sale ducks. Bummer. I wonder if they freaked or something, that second batch was very skittish.
