Quote:
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.
