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[jill the potter]

Have been to a Rare Breed auction today at Chelford near Macclesfield - it was amazing to see all the chickens I have read about on here in all their glory

OH said 'we're not buying are we?" but then was totally taken with two really pretty Cream Legbars - one of which had even laid a lovely blue egg to show us. So I registered at the office and got my number so I could bid. It was really exciting waiting for my lot to come up. OH said I should stick to my limit and not bid over, so I ended up not getting them and they were such little cutie pies!! (of course I am now wishing I had set my limit higher, but not really sure how much some chooks go for. ) Will be better informed when I go to the next one!!

 

Does anyone know where that will be in the North?

 

I have one really big problem now. I have a really bad case of 'morehens' with the side effect of 'want one of those' !!!

[chicken bark]

th?

 

I have one really big problem now. I have a really bad case of 'morehens' with the side effect of 'want one of those' !!!

same here. It's a terrible (not )affliction isn't it. And as of yet there is no known cure. (yippee)

 

Well done you for trying at the auction. Not been brave enough to go myself.

[migsy]

I was very tempted to go, just to have a look, but I cleaned out the Eglu instead. How much did the Cream Legbars go for?

[Wolfie]

We were given two Cream Legbars at 20 weeks old. They lay little blue eggs when they remember. They have to do their hair first They are very sweet natured, friendly and go everywhere together. They are faster than the white utility leghorn hybrids on their feet or if mealworms are on offer!

 

There is a rare breed auction at Melton Mowbray in March, I think, if you want another go, you adrenalin junkie!

 

Or - goes and sorts out old Practical Poultry mag - there was a page devoted to utility strains of pure-bred birds. About Cream Legbars it said: contact David Francis 01437 - 751243 Pembrokeshire (bit far from Manchester) or Edward Boothman 01535 652222 or 07768 790962 West Yorkshire (better for Manchester!) they say their Cream Legbars lay 160 Mr Francis "selectively bred past 13 years for egg shape, size & colour and still striving for improvements" and Mr Boothman 200 "Has had the strain for ten years".

 

Or in the Rare Poultry Society booklet for autosexing breeds (which presumably covers Cream Legbars) contact Kate Arnold 01284 728388, but these might be more "show" types, rather than laying types.

[jill the potter]

I was very tempted to go, just to have a look, but I cleaned out the Eglu instead. How much did the Cream Legbars go for?

 

They went for £18 each which I think is not a bad price - seem to remember seeing them at £20/25 from some breeders.

Unfortunately my limit was only £16. I suppose as it was my first auction and OH seemed very amenable ( ) I didn't want to push my luck

 

It was really quite exciting and I was quite shaky especially as it got so crowded and you couldn't always see the cages they were bidding on - I had to be careful as the cage above the two chooks had a trio of legbars and OH kept saying 'make sure we dont have to go home with a blooming cockerel !!!!

[migsy]

I've seen them for sale for £40! I'm glad I didn't go as I really don't need morehens!

[daxigirl]

Oo I'm glad it wasn't just me when I went to my first auction last month. It's amazing to see them all isn't it. I came back wanting bantams and ducks, and sumatrans, and leghorns and anything with a splash, spangle or sheen (most birds then). I did compare the same breeds to the ones I have and decided my girls were prettier looking (bit sad I know).

 

To cure my morehens I've just got an incubator and some hatching eggs, I have no way of keeping them all so should be quite safe. (Well it sounds good when I say it ).

[bevmatt]

Just wanted to offer a little warning to everyone thinking of buying at an auction. A few years ago I had a guy visit me to buy some chickens and he asked me what I did with my old birds - I told him I either kept them as pets or gave them away as pets. He told me - "you don't want to be doing that love - send them to auction say they are 12 months old - they can't tell anyway you'll get a good price for them." He then went on to tell me how much he had got for his birds over the years - even a 5 year old hen - £14!!!

I live close to a rare breed poultry sale - I decided to go and have a look and see what he was talking about. I was amazed - There were 18 month warrens being sold at £8 - you may think a fair price until you know that they lay very few eggs in the 2nd year. There was a silkie with some lovely chicks under her - could not be 100% sure but they all looked like boys to me - a trick many unsrupulous breeders use. I had actually taken some moeny just in case I saw anything that took my eye and unbelievably I walked away without anything.

So I am not saying don't buy at auction but PLEASE be aware you may not be buying what you think you are. - Also do you know where the birds have come from? If there are any problems can you go back to the seller?

I am sure there will be people posting saying how they have bought birds and they have been really happy with them and I am glad you have been successful - there will be an equal number of people that have felt ripped off.

Just be wary.

Bev

[Tweety]

Bev is quite right. I went to Chelford yesterday too, and bought 3 beautiful millefleurs pekins which appear to be very young and healthy - they are still cheeping, so I know they are babies, and they are in very good condition. However, there were some birds which should not have been put in for auction, in particular a Faverolles cockerel who was almost dead on his feet poor thing. I have been lucky in the birds that I have bought at auction, but I think you have to be very careful. Having said that, it is lovely to go and see the various breeds in the flesh, and I would love to go a poultry show.

[jill the potter]

Think I know which bird you mean Tweety. It did upset me that some of the birds had no food or water (or it had been spilled) and I noticed a couple of birds that were panting a bit. The two I bid on were one of four cages who seemed to be from the same source - same typed labels. They all had food and water tied to the corners of the cage so they couldn't tip over, and so I thought they they must really care about their birds.

 

Thanks for the warnings I will be careful if we go again. Still mad that I didn't offer more for the Legbars (I even had names - silly me )

[jill the potter]

Also meant to say that I think we should wear some form of 'omlet ID' as it would have been nice to chat to any of you that were at Chelford

[Gladys and Agnes]

We was there too on Sat, we just went for a look round before going on our chicken course. We was amused by the little boy following the auction and bidding for things his mum knew nothing about fortunatley the auctioneer let the bid start again minus the little boy......