[Feeb]

I live about a mile from Salisbury Livestock Market and i am going there on Tuesday to try and find me some lovely hens

we have built them a fabulous run and converted our shed into a little house for them... its fox proof, rat proof (i deeply hope!) and we have made every effort to keep them secure and snug in their new home...

Only thing left to do is to buy the chooks - Thing is... now the runs built and i have stopped fretting about that, the foods bought and everything is waiting for them, i have realised how terrified i am of the auctions!

I need to think about what to look for in a bird, what precautions to take whilst choosing my flock

can anyone advise? i would really appreciate it x x Fi x x

[Kate and her Ducks]

Not trying to put a downer on you but I would not recommend a poultry auction to someone who doesn't know poultry. It's too easy to get caught up in the moment and too easy for sellers to off load substandard stock. Think you are better going to a trusted breeder.

[Feeb]

My local breeder charges 25 quid for a bird and i was told not to go for that and to look for cheaper birds

[Kate and her Ducks]

Ouch! Maybe you will do better at an auction.

Make sure you buy healthy, alert birds with bright eyes and clean vents. Do not buy the sad lonely looking one as you feel sorry for it. You do not want your first experience of keeping poultry to be spoilt by having poorly birds that die or cost you a fortune in vets bills.

[Feeb]

whats a vent?

[Aunt Sally]

botty 

[GrannieAnnie]

Also Feeb, look at their legs.  If the scales are raised up at all, it could have scaly leg mite, not nice!

Stand and watch any bird that you like the look of.  Like Kate said, does it look alert?  Bright eyed?  Not moping about, not got a pooey bum!

And another problem with buying chicks or young birds, they may be cockerels and you do't want any of them where you live!

Wish you were a bit nearer me, my prices are nothing like what a lot of people charge!

Although some of the members on here tell me I don't charge enough, but I couldn't charge anyone £20 for a hybrid!!!!!  Mind you, if my pure breeds start to produce me some nice chicks next year......  

Good luck with it on Tuesday though!

[Feeb]

Oh i think they are a pure-breed farm... i would get lovely chooks from them for sure!

But it would be nice maybe to get two hybrids, two 'posh' birds and i would quite like to rescue two too

[Aunt Sally]

But Grannie only sells through her blog, eh Grannie  

[Feeb]

by the way, thank you SO much for the advice, its much easier to think ahead to the auction when i know what to look for

i really appreciate your speedy and knowledgable responses - thank you xx

[Feeb]

Oh and i was going to look for POL birdies

[GrannieAnnie]

But Grannie only sells through her blog, eh Grannie  

I wasn't trying to sell then Auntie, honest!    Just saying about prices.  I think too many people are jumping on the bandwagon now just to make money out of it, like the gardencentres selling birds and they don't know what they are doing.  Okay, they call it supply and demand, but some of them are ridiculous in what they charge!!

I've even got 2 people now coming from Rugby way and Derbyshire, buying chicks from me at 7-10 weeks old to take back home and sell on at POL!!!

[GrannieAnnie]

Oh and i was going to look for POL birdies

Fingers crossed you'll find some Feeb, but a lot of the auctions only have the old toot that people can't sell anywhere else!  I've never been to Salisbury auctions though.  Hopefully its a good one!!

[lucylou]

hi feeb
the specialist poultry auction is held once a month (next on 19th sept) and you can download a catalogue a week before hand and research whats available - you may be able to do that for the tuesday sales? the monthly sale is excellent as they have a variety of unusual breeds (poultry only)& you know how old they are etc when you buy them.  Its a great atmosphere but very fast paced so you need to get up close to the cage at the right time if you want to bid (its not at all intimidating and a lot of people there are fanatical about their hens, very friendly and only too pleased to aswer questions) very exciting - good luck with your hens, lucylou

[Aunt Sally]

You're right Grannie there are a lot of diserputable people out there trying to make a fast profit.  It's a sellers market just now so prices are high.