What I bought at the EBBA auction

I have come to the conclusion that I should never be let loose at an auction with a pocket full of cash. It's dangerous!

I spent St. Patrick's Day at the EBBA (Eastern Bird Breeders Association) Spring auction in Vernon, ON. I went prepared with my shopping list and told myself I would only come home with what was on my list. Well... It didn't quite work out that way.

Donna and I arrived early enough in order to be able to get a good look at all of the lots that were there and note which boxes in which lots we would bid on. Each lot had up to 20 boxes. She was looking to add some Barred Rock hens to her laying flock and she also had a request for a Silkie hen from her neighbour.

After doing some research on various chicken breeds on Friday night, I had finalized my wish list. On this list was a breeding pair of Speckled Sussex, a few extra laying hens (2 or 3) and maybe a Wyandotte or two. Pretty reasonable, right?

Well... Here's what I came home with...

I got my breeding pair of Speckled Sussex (yay!)
I bought a breeding pair of Red Laced Wyandottes (nice looking birds)
I bought a trio of laying hens. They look to be Polish crosses of some sort.

And then I bought...
A pair of Black Wyandotte bantams - they were too cute to resist. Two other pairs of bantams, one of which I bid on thinking it was two hens. Oops! I gave away one of the roos to a young girl who was sitting in front of me. She was thrilled to be going home with her own chicken. :) I still have an extra roo looking for a home. Two Buff Orpington hens and a trio (two pullets and a cockerel) of Salmon Faverolles.

For a total of 17 new birds taking up residence at the farm. Did I mention that I also picked up two dozen fertile Ameracauna eggs from a friend of mine? They're in the incubator now. We should have chicks just in time for Easter.

Donna got her four Barred Rock hens and we ended up getting a black Silkie pullet, white Silkie rooster and a really neat looking Polish-cross hen for her neighbour.

In addition to all of the birds, we also picked up a few supplies while we were there. Needless to say, the van had no room left in it once we got all of our birds and supplies loaded up for the trip home!

It turns out that the standard hens (7) that I bought on the weekend are laying. The bantam hens are as well. I am now ovverun with eggs and need to hunt up a few new customers! A dozen eggs a day has been our production this week.

Since the auction, I have sold the trio of hens that I purchased plus my extra EE rooster to a good friend and neighbour down the road. She is starting up a small laying flock for eggs for her and her family. The girls (and boy) will be moving to their new digs in the next week or two.

I am now starting to plan my chicken barn and runs so that all of these pretties can free range this summer and stay happy and healthy.

Pics of my new birds will come soon. I really am turning into a crazy chicken lady...