Buying poultry at auctions......your thoughts

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Fannyann

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Buying poultry at auctions......your thoughts
« on: September 02, 2011, 11:05 »
My current flock is down to 2 due to the departure of my old girls to chicken heaven. It's been a long time since I bought new hens and since then the prices have rocketed (£15-£30 a bird)

I live in Reading where a monthly Poultry auction is held. I went along a couple of months ago to see what it was all about. The birds all looked healthy and I was interested to see how much they sold for (£2-£10 a bird)

My question to you is has anyone bought from auctions, and if so how did you find the experience? Do you know where the birds have come from?

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Casey76

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Re: Buying poultry at auctions......your thoughts
« Reply #1 on: September 02, 2011, 12:12 »
Personally I would steer clear unless you were really experienced and  knew exactly what you were looking at.

There are so many ways an unscrupulous seller can pass birds off in auction... e.g. selling cockerels as pullets, or selling spent birds as last seasons birds. Dosing birds up on the day so they don't appear too sick etc.

Buying birds at auction is also a very easy way to introduce parasites and disease into your flock.

Depending on your area, you can buy direct from a small scale breeder, and pick up POL hybrids for £10-15.  At least there you have more come-back than if you bought at auction where caveat emptor reigns supreme.

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vanessa.xx

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Re: Buying poultry at auctions......your thoughts
« Reply #2 on: September 02, 2011, 18:39 »
Hi
i bought 2 Welsummer pullets and 1 cream crested Legbar pullet from my local auction and they have been great no problems, having said that a friend of mine bought some hatching eggs which weren't fertile and also some pekin chicks which weren't pekins  ::)
i also saw alot of scaly leg there but there was also some fantastic birds i'd say go along and have a look just get there early and have a good luck around i really enjoyed the experience of seeing all the different breeds together infact my next auction is next sat (its only on 3 times a year) and i can't wait to go and have look even though i don't intend to buy any i don't, i don't  :tongue2:

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OpiumEater

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Re: Buying poultry at auctions......your thoughts
« Reply #3 on: September 02, 2011, 20:40 »
I bought my Australorp from an auction. I spent most of the morning watching her to see how she interacted with everything, and looking closely for any problems. Apart from a bare back from treading, she's been a great bird, and I have since bought direct from the seller (twice).

But, some of the birds were in an awful stste, and even my inexperienced eye could make that out. Saying that they did have notes saying seller had to contact welfare officer :)

It's an experience, and you do see some amazing birds.

Good luck

Christine
Alice - Australorp
Bernadette - Barnevelder
Dora - Silver Grey Dorking
LilliBet - Cream Leg Bar

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Geo

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Re: Buying poultry at auctions......your thoughts
« Reply #4 on: September 03, 2011, 08:43 »
My current flock is down to 2 due to the departure of my old girls to chicken heaven. It's been a long time since I bought new hens and since then the prices have rocketed (£15-£30 a bird)

You can still buy Pol birds for less than £10. Isa Warrens £7.50 each. from a reputable breeder in Cumbria.
 I bought sussex hybrids in January for £10 each they are now selling for £12.
When I started keeping hens I made the mistake of not checking out prices in different areas of the country and paid £20 each for hybids that I could have bought for a lot less not much further away. We live and learn.

Anyone else paid more than the going rate ?

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OpiumEater

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Re: Buying poultry at auctions......your thoughts
« Reply #5 on: September 03, 2011, 14:08 »
Think I'm about to for a Cream Legbar  ::)

But I so do want one even though my others are half the price.  :happy:

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vanessa.xx

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Re: Buying poultry at auctions......your thoughts
« Reply #6 on: September 03, 2011, 20:14 »
Think I'm about to for a Cream Legbar  ::)

But I so do want one even though my others are half the price.  :happy:

I got mine from an auction and she is lovely  :tongue2:

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storme37

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Re: Buying poultry at auctions......your thoughts
« Reply #7 on: September 03, 2011, 22:14 »
iv bought a few so far no health issues but to be honest theres not many savings if u can buy from a breeder/seller you may even get it cheaper in some cases plus at least u know what your getting
1 Salmon Faverolle cross, 1 dorking cockerel, 2 orpingtons, 1 speckle rock, 1 legbar, 1 croad langshan,2 brown lohmann

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Lindeggs

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Re: Buying poultry at auctions......your thoughts
« Reply #8 on: September 05, 2011, 00:30 »
I'm firmly in the camp that auctions are for experienced buyers - even if you can take an experienced person with you for advice.  Also be sure you have somewhere you can quarantine the new birds for several weeks when you bring them home and are ready to treat any parasites or illnesses they may have.

I have chosen not to buy from auction as I have heard so many horror stories about people bringing birds home then finding they have worms, leg mites, etc and are not even the breed the seller has advertised them as.

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orionsquare

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Re: Buying poultry at auctions......your thoughts
« Reply #9 on: September 10, 2011, 20:54 »
My husband purchased 2 lemon orpington pullets at an auction and we had them for about 10 weeks now. They are lovely healthy birds and one has grown very attached to me.

I bought a black orpington hen about 1 week ago at an auction and she seemed fine at the auction house and did not show any signs of illness. Immediately when she was travelling in a box on our way home, she made noises like she was barking while in the carrier box. We did not think too much about it and thought that she was just a very vocal chicken who does not like travelling. She joined the flock that night. 5 days later, the 2 lemon orpingtons started sneezing and so did one of the 2 Lohmanns. The black orpington is still making the noise which by now I realise it is the sound of her sneezing.

I am trying colloidal silver on all the birds and especially on the lemon orpingtons and hope that they will get better soon. The lemon orpingtons were quite poorly yesterday. The heavy rain from the day before did not help as they were thoroughly drenched from the downpour. Both of the lemon orpingtons jumped onto my lap for a cuddle as they wanted me to comfort them. One of the Lohmanns also sat next to me on the grass for a cuddle. I hope they will all get better soon. They appear to be a bit better today when I put them to bed a while ago although they were still sneezing. The rest of the flock appears not to be affected by this sneezing though (which I find it rather strange).

From this experience, I can never again trust all sellers at auctions to put healthy birds up for sale. You might just purchase a bird that is carrying a disease and bring it home to your flock. Therefore, buyer beware.

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CluckyChicken

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Re: Buying poultry at auctions......your thoughts
« Reply #10 on: September 11, 2011, 12:16 »
If there is a bird you particually like and are thinking of getting, have a very good look.  If there is even one little thing you are not sure about, then don't do it.  So far, we have been lucky, but as you can see there are some untrustworthy people around  :(
Lavender Araucanas, SS Hamburgs, White Wyandottes and Italian Quail

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hillfooter

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Re: Buying poultry at auctions......your thoughts
« Reply #11 on: September 12, 2011, 02:30 »
My husband purchased 2 lemon orpington pullets at an auction and we had them for about 10 weeks now. They are lovely healthy birds and one has grown very attached to me.

I bought a black orpington hen about 1 week ago at an auction and she seemed fine at the auction house and did not show any signs of illness. Immediately when she was travelling in a box on our way home, she made noises like she was barking while in the carrier box. We did not think too much about it and thought that she was just a very vocal chicken who does not like travelling. She joined the flock that night. 5 days later, the 2 lemon orpingtons started sneezing and so did one of the 2 Lohmanns. The black orpington is still making the noise which by now I realise it is the sound of her sneezing.

I am trying colloidal silver on all the birds and especially on the lemon orpingtons and hope that they will get better soon. The lemon orpingtons were quite poorly yesterday. The heavy rain from the day before did not help as they were thoroughly drenched from the downpour. Both of the lemon orpingtons jumped onto my lap for a cuddle as they wanted me to comfort them. One of the Lohmanns also sat next to me on the grass for a cuddle. I hope they will all get better soon. They appear to be a bit better today when I put them to bed a while ago although they were still sneezing. The rest of the flock appears not to be affected by this sneezing though (which I find it rather strange).

From this experience, I can never again trust all sellers at auctions to put healthy birds up for sale. You might just purchase a bird that is carrying a disease and bring it home to your flock. Therefore, buyer beware.


Your birds have what is known as Chronic Respiratory Disease or a Mycoplasma Gallisepticum infection.  It's a chronic infection that even antibiotic won't cure but will treat secondary infections which are causing the cold like symptoms you see it's highly infectious and will infect the other birds it comes into contact with.  Even when the symptoms have gone the bird will still be a carrier and it will break out again under stress conditions.  In fact it is sometimes call a stress disease and the stress of the journey home will almost certainly be the cause of the outbreak from it's dormant state.

If after an antibiotic treatment with Tylan or Baytril the birds have still got rattlely breathing it would be best to dispatch them as they will almost certainly have frequent recurrances.  You should not breed from these birds or move them to another site or mix them with healthy stock.  They may well also be poor layers and produce soft eggs.

I'm affraid your trip to the auction will have longterm consequences and incur expensive vet bills periodically.  Colloidal Silver will have no effect whatsoever on this infection and in fact is a highly dubious treatment for any condition taken internally.  I've never heard of it being used to treat chickens so I doubt a safe dosage, if such exists, is even known.  A vet is the only person who is allowed to prescribe the antibiotic medication which your birds need so I suggest you pay him or her a visit pronto.

This story is a salutary warning to anyone introducing new birds they aren't sure of the background of and a warning to always quarentine new birds.

Best of luck
HF
Truth through science.

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Nails

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Re: Buying poultry at auctions......your thoughts
« Reply #12 on: September 12, 2011, 19:18 »
I have brought from auctions in the past, and have lost most of the birds i have brought, people tend to stick thier sick birds in just to get rid! also brought eggs as well and have hatched out breeds that i didn't buy as well!!!!
Dont count ya chickens till they hatch!!!!!

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wildwitchy

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Re: Buying poultry at auctions......your thoughts
« Reply #13 on: September 14, 2011, 14:28 »
I personally think auctions are good just to have a look at different birds. I bought ducklings some years ago ( I only went for 2 & ended up with 9 as I didnt quite get the bidding thing as I was a complete newbie  :ohmy:).  They turned out healthy fortunatly & one of the hen ducks my friend still has! I went again to Henley in Arden - not there now (not so green) & didnt buy. There were so called broody hens with chicks (some sellers will put a mixed bag of chicks with any old hen), drakes can have their curly tails pulled out, so listen for the raspy quack instead, asians were buying cockerels & holding 'em by their legs for the dinner table! There is alot of cockerels for sale too & the price of any female birds was very expensive. They were relying on people buying them for pets & not doing any homework.

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ManicMum

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Re: Buying poultry at auctions......your thoughts
« Reply #14 on: September 14, 2011, 18:10 »
I can see that looking around at an auction might give you a good idea about breeds - and also give you details of sellers/breeders that you might follow up on later - but I suspect that the stress of the auction might cause healthy birds to survive a shorter time than they otherwise would, never mind all the sneaky tricks that could show up after purchase.
ManicMum



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