Selling your Animals while home Alone

[CarolJ]

Even though I have a husband, I handle everything when it comes to the chickens. I never give my address to anyone buying chickens from me. I arrange to meet them at a public place - like a parking lot in front of a nearby grocery store. I tell them it is because of bio-security concerns - no visitors on the farm. It's just an extra security step I always take.

 

[Baymule]

Oh goodness Baymule. Looks just like my insane in the membrane mustang!

That's my baby, Joe's Tuff Bars giving our grand daughter her first ride. He is 22 years old, has 2 speeds--slow and stop! Anybody can ride Joe and be perfectly safe. He has sky blue eyes and snow white hair, love my Joe! I live in Polk county, know what you mean about certain types of people........ Howdy neighbor!

 

[shadowpaints]

i have no issues with letting strangers on my property. no i dont allow them in the house, but when they are here, i have a 130lb doberman who growls/barks/snarls on command. pretty intimidating!

 

[evenstargirl]

I don't. I try to meet people somewhere if my husband isn't going to be around. My favorite spot is the Barnes & Nobles parking lot. There's always a lot of people, plus you get a lot of random people coming up to ask about your chickens while you wait on the person you're meeting.

I live at the end of a long rock road with few neighbors. However, we have about 400 acres of 4-wheeler trailers by our house, so there are ALWAYS people around. My husband works out of town a lot. My policy is I don't answer the door if I don't know who it is, even with five dogs. Heard and wrote about too many horror stories while I was a newspaper reporter.

 

[Chickenaddict]

I let a select few come here to pick up hatching eggs on occasion (repeat buyers) but noone is ever allowed in the back where the birds are kept. Most of the time if it is a live bird sale I meet in a public location like the local gas station or burger king. I have never had any birds stolen from me but I know plenty of folks who have. I can take care of myself pretty well if they were to try any monkey business, it wouldn't be me limping away.....

 

[Spoof]

Quote: Wow orumpoultry, they do look a lot alike! I know he had four or five brothers and sisters that looked just like him. TWH/QH crosses with gold eyes. When I sold him I was SO glad he was boarded at a gated facility. I did get some rather odd people out looking and one family in particular I just couldn't get rid of! He hated them, ears back the whole time. I even flat out told them he wasn't for sale to them as I didn't think it was a good match and they hung around for two hours after that. Ugh. I couldn't leave them because it's a private facility and nobody was there. I made sure I showed him when the barn staff was around from then on.

Never again will I sell a horse - I'll leave that to a professional!

Here's a picture of the doofus tripping into a stop. I had him for four years and he was such a big klutz it was dangerous to ride him on rough or hilly terrain so I sold him to a home that just wanted a backyard pet.

He's much happier not having to work.

I'm really surprised I'm the only single female so far that doesn't have a gun, dogs or martial arts training that still allows people into my home.

 

[ChooksChick]

Even though I have a husband, I handle everything when it comes to the chickens. I never give my address to anyone buying chickens from me. I arrange to meet them at a public place - like a parking lot in front of a nearby grocery store. I tell them it is because of bio-security concerns - no visitors on the farm. It's just an extra security step I always take.

X2, and not even because of me and a risk to my person...

I've read too many articles about folks having their stock stolen and I've seen the post on here by folks who had that happen. A search will demonstrate that for you.

Beyond protecting my stock and all the time and money put into them, they are BELOVED and I can't imagine what it would feel like to lose them all- even a few! I've been working on most of these projects for years and have totally unique stock. One stupid move from a caretaker lost me ~30 birds last year that can NEVER be replaced. I sure as heck don't want to risk them ALL for a sale.

And for Pete's sakes...what if one DID bring in a poultry disease?? I'm NPIP certified and rely on the income from my birds...I don't dare risk that. I'm quite happy traveling a mile or two to a public spot, THANK YOU!

 

[9gerianMile]

I will meet people in town, but that's 30 miles from here- so it had better be a big sale, or coincide with my weekly town run.

I do answer the door, even if I don't know the person, with my .45 on my hip and two guard dogs jumping vertically higher than my fence. I've never had a problem getting people to leave, and even if DH is here, I'm usually the one who answers the door.

I get people stopping on the road and sometimes pulling in just to stare at my yaks, so I'm pretty used to it. I answer their questions, but don't let them stick around forever.

We haven't sold anything here on the property, and we've had chickens go missing- just the cost of being on a paved country road that gets decent traffic, I suppose. We may put up game cameras as our next project.

 

[Spoof]

Quote: I don't know why I find this so amusing, I've read it four times and it just keeps getting funnier....

 

[rebelcowboysnb]

My opinion.. Any one meeting people off craigslist weather home or in public should have 2 fire arms on them. Assuming state law allows. One should be on your hip in plane sight but unloaded. The other should be concealed an loaded.

Also if your meeting at home, at least put up dummy cameras an make sure people see you have them.