*** OKIES in the BYC ***

[Buster52]

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VERY nice. I want one. Where did you get it and what did it cost?

Nocityboy I hope the fires bypassed you and OKRacefan. Check in so we know you are both okay!

 

[poultryand bees]

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I have never been to the auction in Durant so don't know the details on the cages. Perhaps Grace or Grace's Dad or Dandelion can answer that question.

As to how to sell them - paired or singles - depends on the breed. Some people just want to buy hens that will lay eggs, some want to buy roosters that are heavy ~ to eat, some want to buy particular breeds. Depending on whether the auction sells "choice" or requires you to take all the birds in the cage, you will want to cage them so that there is the biggest audience interested. For instance, most of us can't afford to pay a lot of $$$ per bird and buy 10 at a time - so personally, I think you get the best price when there are fewer in the cage.

Unique breeds that are hard to find, might sell best with a trio in the cage - although as a "general rule" pullets/hens sell for a better price than a rooster. Unique roosters are the exception to that "rule"

Chickens that are old enough to lay eggs will sell for a lot more than those that still need to be fed for 3 months before they begin to lay eggs.

Probably the best thing to do is attend a few auctions and see how the prices can vary from auction to auction, depending on the variety and quantity of birds available and the time of year. Right now, prices are up because people want to have chickens for Spring. When it gets hotter - like July and August, prices tend to drop because folks don't want to mess with large flocks when it is hot outside. Prices also tend to go lower in the fall and winter as folks don't want to feed large flocks through the winter.

I guess the bottom line is that it is a gamble to raise chickens for the express purpose of making money on them at an auction. I have been at auctions in July, when everyone has been hatching chicks themselves and have a full brooder - when chicks of common varieties wouldn't bring more than 25 - 50 cents each and even some of the cool chicks were only bringing a few dollars each.

As an example, I sold 2 month old copper maran chicks in January for $2.50 each - and the auctioneer had to work to get that much.

 

[poultryand bees]

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Sounds like you were the successful bidder on some of Carla and Gerald's eggs at the Fletcher auction if you are setting marans, olive eggers and frizzle NNs.

Are you doing the standard things to help you sleep at night - like avoiding caffeine in the afternoon and eating a tablespoon of honey before bedtime? Hope you get some rest

Thats one of my weaknessess... I always crave a cup of coffee about 5 - 7 pm... Bad bad... What does the honey do for you?

The honey provides fuel that your brain can easily access while you are asleep, so the brain doesn't need to cause you to wake up and move ~ to release fuel from your muscles during the night.

 

[Buster52]

Small world moment...

Over two years ago we visited Rehoboth Ranch , a Polyface style sustainable farm operation northwest of Dallas. We had just finished fixing up our farm and were gathering ideas for systems. While there, we bought a couple of dozen eggs, at them, and later gave away the cartons as we didn't need them at the time.

This past weekend at Fletcher I bought a lot of 18 egg cartons (we NEVER buy egg cartons) because now we are starting to sell our eggs and haven't yet ordered some blank ones. I pulled one out today. It had a plain cover with a simple label on it for Rehoboth Ranch. Above that was the date, 11/29/08. Next to that was our daughter's name, Keely.

Out of the thousands of egg cartons that go through these auctions (hundreds just that day) the one time I buy a handful of cartons, I get that one.

Tomorrow I'm playing the lottery.

 

[poultryand bees]

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Wow! That is an incredible "who would have believed it" story. That would have given me goose bumps if it had been me.

 

[artsyrobin]

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ewww...goosebumps on that one!!

 

[upcdayz]

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VERY nice. I want one. Where did you get it and what did it cost?

Nocityboy I hope the fires bypassed you and OKRacefan. Check in so we know you are both okay!

Buster52, I got the scale off eBay for $19.99 + $2.41 shipping. It was in my mailbox two days after ordering. A search for digital egg scale should pull it up on their site.

 

[havinfun]

does anyone have any french black copper marans
looking for about 25-30 chicks
thanks

 

[Kassaundra]

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Glad to see Mr. P is a reneassaince man, taking her name.

 

[poultryand bees]

Buster - thinking about your need to acquire eggcartons reminded me of a promo email I received regarding free shipping on egg cartons at EggCartons.com
I went back and found the email and realized I hadn't read it very closely - there isn't a deadline for placing an order or a promotional code to use. I went to the EggCarton.com site and they are now shipping egg cartons with free shipping to all of the continental United States. (unfortunately, it appears that the price has increased since I last ordered them)