The Poultry Keeper

alexa · Joined: 14 Apr 2005 Posts: 336 Location: wiltshire

did anyone go to salisbury auction
i sold 2 trios of faverolles at £80 for each trio!
i also brought a pair of blue mottled pekins

alexa Very Happy

summayah · Joined: 14 Apr 2005 Posts: 4289 Location: luton

any pics???

jaydee67 · Posted: Sat Apr 16, 2005 8:03 pm Post subject:

Well done alexa! That seems a good price to sell them at to me but then I've never bought chickens!

Gina · Joined: 13 Apr 2005 Posts: 471 Location: Kent

O.K I have to ask - if you have never brought chickens how did you get them?

jaydee67 · Posted: Sat Apr 16, 2005 10:04 pm Post subject:

Ok - long story cut short (ish!). I work in a school in a class that was invited to see some eggs hatching by someone local to the school (teacher's sister in law). While there I commented that my kids had never seen this, she said, "One of these days you'll need to borrow my incubator." I said that would be nice and thought nothing more of it. A week later she was at the school with the bator and 48 eggs! I paniced - not knowing eggs didn't have to be kept warm until incubation started - it was only coffee time! I had to go out and read the book she lent me too! She told me that we'd be lucky if we hatched a handful - so I warned the kids that this might not work but we would try. We turned those eggs religiously - got a neighbour to turn them while at school so they were turned 5 times a day. Hatch day - 2am - got the kids out of bed to see No. 1 hatch in case it was the only one! there were 13 before we went to school! Hubby came home to check at lunch time - 23! Phoned Kathleen to find out what to do - she said nothing yet, but you'll need a brooder set up for tomorrow - at THAT point I realised she didn't want them back - we were into keeping chickens. We hatched 39 chicks! That's how you get chickens without buying them! Our banties came from eggs my daughter was given as part payment for chicken sitting for a neighbour.

Gina · Joined: 13 Apr 2005 Posts: 471 Location: Kent

LOL...thankyou...great story.

lilly the pink · Joined: 14 Apr 2005 Posts: 78 Location: Wiltshire

Hi Alexa

I really wanted to go today but we were still lambing so I couldn't. Well done on your faverolles and I am so jealous of your blue mottled pekins. I have put my mottled pekin with the splash cockerel so maybe I will be able to hatch some blue mottled myself soon.

George · Joined: 14 Apr 2005 Posts: 5661 Location: London

Hi Alexa,

We were there, for a short time. Seen a couple of birds I liked the look of but as we have neither anywhere to put them yet, nor do I know enough about chooks to decide if they are good bad or indifferent.

All the best
George

summayah · Joined: 14 Apr 2005 Posts: 4289 Location: luton

that's a bit like me, I'd love to go to an auction (although there aren't any around here I don't think), but how would I know a good chicken from a bad one. I think for now I hav to rely on people being honest sellers ~ which apart from the first 2 I got has been the case.

nigel · Posted: Sun Apr 17, 2005 8:20 am Post subject:

I've never been to a proper auction (I'd love to though) I did go to the Livestock Market in Derby but never again, there was a motley gathering of sad looking birds. Does anyone know if there are any good ones local to me. I think the best is probably in Melton.

Nigel

PS I could lure Steph with the thought of Orpingtons

alexa · Joined: 14 Apr 2005 Posts: 336 Location: wiltshire

yer i was pleased with the price they went for!
as for piccys im stilling waiting for the camera!
shame you couldnt come dee, i met a few other people from pekin bantams.
hope you manage to get blue mottled its a kool colour!

alexa