What are the pros and cons taking chickens to a sale barn?

[moduckman]

There's several ways to address this. First, does the sale barn require the cage to go with the birds, they usually do? Roosters usually sale poorly with adult hens doing best. Exotic chickens can do well if the right buyers are there. As for getting your money's worth, I look at it like this - It is addition by subtraction. Less feed cost by having fewer birds.

 

[Laskaland]

Henry'schickens :

coffeemama, what did you transport you chickens in? Did the cages go with the chickens or kept them?.

At the sale I go to, they require sturdy cages, with bedding, food and water. You could call ahead to be make sure. I have found too that if you have more info like date/month of hatch and breed info they go higher.

the next sale here is March 1st and the roosters that don't look plump enough to eat will go there. I am already eyeing them, lol​

 

[ScoobyRoo]

Thanks for your replies. I have talked to the the gentleman that owns the barn and he told me that people do both. Meaning keeping cages or they go with the birds. Thanks for the tip on having 'a pair' in a cage. I do plan on having hatch dates available and breed info. They will likely be mutts. I hope 'I' can leave the barn sold out rather than me buying.

Any suggestions on cost effective cages or will I get my $ back if sold with the birds? Do you make them or buy them? I want all my ducks (or should I say chickens) in a row before I go to the sale barn.

 

[KareyABohr]

The absolute cheapest "cages" are to take a cardboard box that has high walls and take some scrap chicken wire and secure it to the top. I just punch the wire through the box itself. It costs nothing because I get the boxes from the grocery store, Aldi's etc. And I have the scrap pieces of chicken wire laying around.

Just put some shavings in the bottom and be sure to take some small food and water containers. I use Tuna cans with a hole punched in the rim. THat way I can wire it to the box and keep MOST of the shavings out!

 

[asher]

Pros:
You sell them = less mouths to feed
You make $ = $ to buy feed for the others you still have
You may find something you want to buy at the same time

Cons:
You don't know where they are going/what the new buyer will do with them
They may not sell for as much as you'd hope
You may find something you want to buy at the same time (this is under pros AND cons, depends on your thinking ;-) )

 

[asher]

Henry'schickens :

Thanks for your replies. I have talked to the the gentleman that owns the barn and he told me that people do both. Meaning keeping cages or they go with the birds. Thanks for the tip on having 'a pair' in a cage. I do plan on having hatch dates available and breed info. They will likely be mutts. I hope 'I' can leave the barn sold out rather than me buying.

Any suggestions on cost effective cages or will I get my $ back if sold with the birds? Do you make them or buy them? I want all my ducks (or should I say chickens) in a row before I go to the sale barn.

Ask around at grocery stores, etc. for green bean/vegetable crates, banana boxes, etc.​

 

[ScoobyRoo]

Quote:
I was thinking along the same line as you Karey. We get supplies in nice size boxes that I can use. I thought I would need to cut out a window on 2 sides of the box so that the chickens can be viewed by the buyers. Do I really need too? I like the tuna can idea. Our intentions are to help supplement our feed bill. We are not doing this to make a profit. You can't do that in this hobby, I don't think. Heck, I sell daylilies and all I do is make enough to support that hobby too.

But it's fun!

 

[KareyABohr]

I never make holes in the sides. Customers can look in through the top and see the birds inside. PLUS if they have their eye on your birds and someone elses -- it is often what tips the scales in my favor because they just pick my birds up and go. Also they see that I cared enough to feed and water them--so obviously I took good care of them at home.

 

[coffeemama]

Our auction has cages, but if I don't go the afternoon before to drop off, they are usually full the morning of. I also use a sturdy box with chicken wire on top, as others have mentioned. The drawback to having them on the ground at my auction is that they sell these birds last. I like to get people before they have spent all their $$

 

[sara]

I take any of my junkers to the auction. Just practice good biosecurity. I don't wear the shoes that I wear to auction in or near my coops. Spray the bottoms with clorox. I always take them in cardboard boxes, and leave them.