has anyone bought chooks/ducks from an auction?

[lynda66]

i was thinking of visiting a poultry auction in macclesfield, as it's not too far from me and i can go on the train ........ has anyone ever been?? how does it work, what should i look out for, and will babies be ok traveling back in a cat basket on the train?

it's just a thought yet, i'll probably be too scared to bid or end up scratching my nose and coming home with a hundred turkeys .... but it might be fun to go and at least have a look and see whats on offer

*wonders how many turkeys i could get in a cat basket*

[shirlthegirl43]

I went to my first poultry sale and auction last week. I guess they are all along similar lines. The sale stock was in cages with price tickets on, there was a leaflet with info on what was being sold - listed by cage numbers. We had a walk round and spotted a couple of cages of laying hens which I was interested in (though the hens didn't look like they were in lay, not very red in the comb). Basically, they announced the start of the sale and you had to grab the sale ticket off the cage and go to the sale desk. Needless to say, I was halfway round the other side of the hall when they announced the start so I missed my laying hens!

We had to register to bid at the auction and get a bidder number (free of charge). The auctioneer went round all the cages in number order (again stock was listed in the catalogue) and you bid by waving a hand or whatever. The two cages I was intersted in went very expensive as they were pure breed point of lay hens.

I found it useful even though I didn't buy as I met a lady afterwards who has some Warrens for sale (laying) and I am picking mine up tonight. At the sale there was a chap selling boxes with shavings in for 50p for people to take their purchases home in. Our chooks will be travelling in a cat basket tonight but not sure on the railway situation for chooks. Have fun and only bid for hens that are bright eyed and healthy looking.

[Birdie Wife]

I have bought at an auction before, it was a scary experience! Lots of waiting around until the lot you want comes up, lots of people packed into a crowded space, lots of birds in cages wondering what the heck is going on... my advice would be
1. get there early and have a really good look at the condition of the birds you want, then go to the cafe for a cup of tea and think about what you want.
2. decide a price and stick to it as far as possible - don't get carried away with the bidding
3. Don't make the first bid
4. Don't worry if the auctioneer seems not to notice you - they have a lot of people to cover so they will usually go backwards and forwards between two people until one of them backs down and then another person jumps in. That's when you get a look in!

Hope that helps! It can be a nervous experience but I enjoyed it - apart from all the waiting around.

PS your birds should be fine in a cat basket as long as they have a bit of room to move - probably two is the maximum you coult fit in - and if you can cover it to make it dark inside they will be a lot calmer. I wouldn't advise you to put water in because they will only knock it over.

[lynda66]

i want little babies though, so maybe more than two?? do they sell little babies at them, or just big ones??

thanks both, that's very helpful, think i might see if i can persuade someone to come with me lol.

[shirlthegirl43]

There were all sorts of babies at the sale I went to. Catch there was that they were sold 'as hatched' which means you could end up with all boys. There is also more hassle with keeping them cosy until they grow up. Babies are easier to cope with in summer time.

[lynda66]

i was gonna keep em in my living room it will probably be spring when i get them anyway, but i have been looking at brooders, and all you really need is something to keep them in ie storage box, and a lamp ..... i just like the idea of having little baby ducks, cos i want them to think i'm their mummy ...the advantage of ducks is the males don't crow, which means i can have babies if they go broody would be a pain if they were all boys though ...... but then duck tastes yummy

[Hilary B]

Day-olds are probably better purchased 'direct' rather than from auction. You may find 'off heat' chicks or ducklings (4 weeks, more or less, depending on type and time of year). You could probably get dozens of day-olds in a cat basket, maybe 10 4-week-olds....

[lynda66]

the problem i have is finding them direct from source, i have had a very kind offer of picking some up from Yorkshire, but even struggling over there, thought i might just turn up lucky at an auction ? ..... oh god you do realise, i'll probably end up with dozens now dont you

[Birdie Wife]

You can usually buy poultry crates at auctions too... just in case you develop an inexplicable twitch and come home with more than you thought you might

[lynda66]

i'm a sucker for the cute ones in the corner that no one else wants lol ....... i'll probably end up with a load of non laying,one legged, deaf chooks with no eyes

[Snadger]

i'm a sucker for the cute ones in the corner that no one else wants lol ....... i'll probably end up with a load of non laying,one legged, deaf chooks with no eyes

Years ago I went to a livestock auction. I remember there was this little old guy sat near the front. He had a donkey jacket on with a length of orange binding twine for a belt( Funny how someone is dressed can stick with you for so long...........) anyway..........I digress!

On each duff lot that came up he started the bidding with "Ten pence". If no-one else bid he got the one legged chook etc. At the end of the day he must have had about 30 chooks, all at 10p each!

I had visions of him going back to his brand new shiny black Rangerover, taking the old donkey jacket off and chucking it in the back, to reveal an Armani suit, and driving away with a load of cheap chooks!

[lynda66]

oooooooo if they sell any for 10p each they are definitely coming home, don't want them ending up as dog food ....... maybe i shouldn't go ........ think i'm too soft to go on my own and come home with something sensible

[Gauckwin]

Lynda,
Mondays is poultry day, well worth a visit.
Here is the phone number (01625861122) you could give them a call.

MG

[lynda66]

i asked rob last night and he's gonna come with me at half term, mind you, he's naerly as bad as me for softness lol, but hopefully his friend will give us a lift too .......... oh dear more space *wonder how many ducks i can get in a corsa

[Hilary B]

The snag with day-olds at auction is they may be 2-day-olds, or even 3-or-4-day-olds, and that is NOT a good time for them to be getting shifted about! You can send 'really-newly-hatched' chicks about the country, because they have a few days of 'food reserves' left over from the hatching. This is to keep them alive until they learn to eat. After that stage they can only be moved such distances as will fit between frequent eating sessions....