starting a new swap in Iowa any advice?

[laurielynn67]

Hi a friend and I are trying to start a new swap at the Jackson county fairgrounds in Maquoketa Iowa. It will be April 18th 2009 from 7-11am. Hope to do a fall one in Sept or Oct of 2009 also. Looking for any advice from people who go to swaps or put on swaps.

Plan on charging $3 admission for any one over 12 at the gate.

Things you like and dislike about swaps you go to.

How do you handle the health papers and things like that at the gate?

What makes a successful swap from buyers and sellers point?

 

[apbgv]

I would check and see what wknd the Waverly swap is they had it early this year b ut I am not sure about next year, it is a pretty large swap. my major complaint is some of the people try to cram too many birds into one cage or sickly birds. I make it a habit to only buy from people who look like they give a rats butt about their livestock. Just guess it was the I was raised even if it is livestock it still deserves to be treated with respect and dignity

 

[gumpsgirl]

I would make sure that each person who sells at the swap has hand sanitizer at each table (they should provide their own and this should be a requirement) and would have them require each person who touches their birds to wash their hands to help prevent the spread of any potential diseases or illnesses. Second I would require that each person that plans to sell, has not had any illness in their flock in the last several months. Even if their birds seem healthy at that very time, they could still be carriers of an illness. I ended up with several sick chicks from a swap that I set up two weeks ago and I have already lost 15 chicks as a result of it. My flock has been diagnosed with Infectious Coryza and I stand to loose more chicks and chickens before this is over. Sellers must be honest and considerate of buyers and other sellers alike.

Good luck with everything!

 

[wren]

Okay.

Have a bathrooms with toilet paper, soap and paper towels. have someone go in there and check it twice at least. Keep the trash cans from overflowing.

Have one gate for animal check-in and one for general admission. Encourage people to bring papers with them so that everybody is not waiting on the poultry tester person.

Provide food, pop and water (in bottles)...and hopefully some type of shelter with places to sit.

Charge the people selling things more than the people selling livestock. Sorry but some swaps are more like a trip to goodwill. When I can't find any livestock I am interested in I stop going to that sale.

$3 per person? Steep. Better have a good location, nice buildings and most importantly lots of near show quality animals.