Went To Sale Barn

[big rockpile]

Well having more than I needed I decided to take 14 Rabbits and 5 Pullets to the Sale Barn.

Selling not Buying



Looks like plenty of people there



Traffic Jam on way home, seen Hit and run before I took this picture



Well it defiantly was Buyers Market got $33 Decided have to make changes, either get rid of all and just Buy at the Sale Barn and Butcher at home or try to sell extra on Craigslist for what I could get there.

Thinking it is the economy. Everyone is doing what they can to earn a Dollar and no one has any money.

big rockpile

[FarmboyBill]

And that,. with the cost of feed, is why I got rid of my 150+

[Dixie Bee Acres]

Wow, only $33? Yikes, kinda hard to justify raising them with prices like that.

[rags57078]

Holy fish sticks that was cheap

[big rockpile]

I'm still wondering if it justifies me keeping my Rabbits and Chickens. Have to put up with some smell, Feed Cost, then there is we are tied down to where we can't be gone but day or two at a time. I do have the habit of taking off for weeks at a time leaving my wife to take care of stuff.

Positive side is I know what is in them and gets me up during day to take care of them.

Like I say we can go to the Sale Barn buy Young Rabbits and Chickens cheaper than I can raise them, bring them home butcher and not put a drop of Feed in them.

big rockpile

[FarmboyBill]

And don't forget commission. youd likely made $50 if it wernt for commission. That's high where I go

[big rockpile]

Originally Posted by FarmboyBill

And don't forget commission. youd likely made $50 if it wernt for commission. That's high where I go

Yes my wife brought that up. One time they caught me selling on the Parking Lot before the sale, charged me for it.

Just talked with my Son. He told me we don't have that much in Feed for meat we get. Even if we order our Chickens and get the Cornish X for butchering and order few strong Laying Breed of Poults we are still ahead.

I said well I don't like being tied down. My Son says you guys want to take off I'll feed.

big rockpile

[FarmboyBill]

Yeah, my son said, you oughta buy a bailer an d not pay a grand every year to a long time friend/neighbor. I said, I don't know how to run it, but ill buy one if you will. He said he thought he could run it OK. Well, that was $725. Then I wa afraid that I didn't have tractor hp enough to run it, so I bought one for $2200. I calls him up yesterday asking when he would be out today. He origionally said he would be out last week, but forgot they were going on vacation. I shrugged that off. He says yesterday, that hes gotta work today. Well, I hope to bale 2 Sats from now. The bailer aint quite ready, the hyd hoses don't hook up to the tractor, Ive never lifted the back gate, or nothing, Yet I bet im the one doing my bailing.
If head keep his mouth shut, Ida kept on paying the neighbor this year, in the hopes of being outa here by next year, But Id likely have to have one next year and from that time on, so,n it is, what it is.

Guess what im tryin to say, is, Don't count on the kids.

[big rockpile]

Originally Posted by FarmboyBill

Yeah, my son said, you oughta buy a bailer an d not pay a grand every year to a long time friend/neighbor. I said, I don't know how to run it, but ill buy one if you will. He said he thought he could run it OK. Well, that was $725. Then I wa afraid that I didn't have tractor hp enough to run it, so I bought one for $2200. I calls him up yesterday asking when he would be out today. He origionally said he would be out last week, but forgot they were going on vacation. I shrugged that off. He says yesterday, that hes gotta work today. Well, I hope to bale 2 Sats from now. The bailer aint quite ready, the hyd hoses don't hook up to the tractor, Ive never lifted the back gate, or nothing, Yet I bet im the one doing my bailing.
If head keep his mouth shut, Ida kept on paying the neighbor this year, in the hopes of being outa here by next year, But Id likely have to have one next year and from that time on, so,n it is, what it is.

Guess what im tryin to say, is, Don't count on the kids.

Yes I know.

big rockpile

[Rustaholic]

Originally Posted by big rockpile

Yes I know.

big rockpile

Sorry for you guys. Mom calls I go.

[kycrawler]

What sale barn is that

[coolrunnin]

Originally Posted by FarmboyBill

Yeah, my son said, you oughta buy a bailer an d not pay a grand every year to a long time friend/neighbor. I said, I don't know how to run it, but ill buy one if you will. He said he thought he could run it OK. Well, that was $725. Then I wa afraid that I didn't have tractor hp enough to run it, so I bought one for $2200. I calls him up yesterday asking when he would be out today. He origionally said he would be out last week, but forgot they were going on vacation. I shrugged that off. He says yesterday, that hes gotta work today. Well, I hope to bale 2 Sats from now. The bailer aint quite ready, the hyd hoses don't hook up to the tractor, Ive never lifted the back gate, or nothing, Yet I bet im the one doing my bailing.
If head keep his mouth shut, Ida kept on paying the neighbor this year, in the hopes of being outa here by next year, But Id likely have to have one next year and from that time on, so,n it is, what it is.

Guess what im tryin to say, is, Don't count on the kids.

You sure sang a different tune on another thread, you said you couldn't stand to pay someone else to do work you could do yourself.

And come-on whats more important him supporting his family or coming and helping you do something you can do yourself.

[V-NH]

I think you should try out craigslist. I sometimes sell extra chickens on craigslist and you can get a pretty solid price because a lot of the people buying them are upper middle class hobbyists. I've easily gotten $15/bird and I know someone who buys sex links on sale from ideal hatchery and other hatcheries and raises them by the hundreds to sell for $20/apiece at 16 weeks old as a summer project.

It's a shame that you're not closer to my area though, because I am really interested in raising my own meat rabbits but there isn't anything at all for sale in New Hampshire.

[FarmboyBill]

Yeah, the sex links sell great here also.

Yeah cr, I hated to give a grand away a year. BUT I hadn't realized that id be THREE grand into it by now. AND THEN, To have to worry that he wont be here to run the dang thing, or help fix it if it breaks, is as bad as wondering if Im gonna get the bailer man when I want him.
He didn't twist my arm. I know that his aim is to get me to buy the outfit and move up there, so that when he finally gets a place, he ll already have a hay outfit near house.
What gripes me is that I know that once im moved, and am still able, he ll expect me to do his work while hes at work, cause im retired and got nothing else to do., in his mind. yet he cant help me when I need him

[big rockpile]

Originally Posted by kycrawler

What sale barn is that

Bolivar, MO

Originally Posted by V-NH

I think you should try out craigslist. I sometimes sell extra chickens on craigslist and you can get a pretty solid price because a lot of the people buying them are upper middle class hobbyists. I've easily gotten $15/bird and I know someone who buys sex links on sale from ideal hatchery and other hatcheries and raises them by the hundreds to sell for $20/apiece at 16 weeks old as a summer project.

It's a shame that you're not closer to my area though, because I am really interested in raising my own meat rabbits but there isn't anything at all for sale in New Hampshire.

Have my Rabbits on Craigslist $5 apiece not one call.

big rockpile

[o&itw]

Trouble with selling animals is they need "marketing". My sons inlaws started raising cornish/ rock crosses. Feeding them high potein feed, but raising them in a "tractor" in the pasture. They get $3 a pound for the chickens because there are always people around willing to pay a premium for "naturally" raised.

His mother in law is a natural at selling, and now has people from all over wanting their chickens. I, on the other hand, could not sell a bottle of water to someone dying of thirst.

So I try to keep my rabbit production down to what we (and friends and relatives) can eat. Trouble is we don't have a big freezer so I tend to get overwhelmed in the late spring and early summer when all those litters are becoming butcher size.

As you can see from this site http://www.elkusa.com/Rabbit_meat_USA.html .... some people would be able to get close to $24 for one of my rabbits cleaned. Yep, I tried the Craigslist adds..... sold some rabbits at cost or less, and waited around for a whole lot more callers that never showed.

So, it seems that it is all in the marketing... and I'm surely no salesman... just a grouchy old breeder wanting and waiting) to get retired.

(btw, Alice if you are reading this I don't have a spell checker on this machine ).

[grandma12703]

Originally Posted by big rockpile

Bolivar, MO




Have my Rabbits on Craigslist $5 apiece not one call.

big rockpile

That is not good. I have noticed at several of the sales we go to that the rabbits have dropped off a lot. Pullets usually do ok. Do you think the heat has something to do with it? People sometimes don't want to deal with the rabbits and the heat. This is the second time you have posted about a rough sale day. It is concerning that it is becoming a trend with the prices. We took two yearling ewes, a wether lamb, a ewe lamb,a billy and a wether goat to a sale a week ago and I thought did really well and wasn't expecting to. We left with over $800.00. I did notice the chickens and rabbits didn't bring much though. I was worried because we sold after the small animals.

[FarmboyBill]

They don't hardly see any rabbits at the sale I go to, Maybe a doz or 2, and theryl be 500 chickens of all sizes and makes.

[bjgarlich]

Do you put individual pictures of them when you put them on Craigslist? It's a pain to do but I just sold 6 rabbits for $125 this weekend on Craigslist. They are purebred Satins tho. I have noticed that if I post group pictures they don't sell as well!!

[big rockpile]

Originally Posted by grandma12703

That is not good. I have noticed at several of the sales we go to that the rabbits have dropped off a lot. Pullets usually do ok. Do you think the heat has something to do with it? People sometimes don't want to deal with the rabbits and the heat. This is the second time you have posted about a rough sale day. It is concerning that it is becoming a trend with the prices. We took two yearling ewes, a wether lamb, a ewe lamb,a billy and a wether goat to a sale a week ago and I thought did really well and wasn't expecting to. We left with over $800.00. I did notice the chickens and rabbits didn't bring much though. I was worried because we sold after the small animals.

Just too many being sold. Vegetables are Selling Good at Mennonite Auction but they won't approve outsiders selling but also the Buyers are driving 50 miles from the City taking Produce back selling it as Organic Amish Grown which is a flat out lie but it sells.

big rockpile