Winning at the auctions...

What a top morning despite the 80 degree heat we trundled off to Country Chicks auction just outside Faversham this morning to add to our flock.  Now this auction lark is a canny art and nothing like Cash in the Attic, so I wonder if a few tips might be useful for everyone and feel free to add your own in the comments.

1: Download the catalogue online in advance of the day and have a browse through, making a note of anything you might be interested in.
Remember of course some lots will change on the day, some sellers will not turn up and of course you are sat at home with a lovely cup of tea sporting your best rose tinted glasses, so Lot 106: 2 fully vaccinated POL hens Light sussex does not tell the full story, but the catalogue is a good place to start.

2: Arrive nice and early so you can have a good look at the lots in advance of the rush of bidding.

Obviously this will mean perusing the cages a few times as some sellers always arrive at the last minute but in general our practice is to peruse the aisles looking in all cages in case something really exciting has arrived unexpectedly as a replacement or late entry but also checking in on the lots we have marked off in the catalogue.

3: Check the health and quality of any lot you might bid on.
Have a good look at the birds you plan to bid on. Make sure their eyes, nose, ears, legs and feet look healthy and free from disease.  Check for bald patches due to pecking and have a good look at the overall stance of them.  it can be difficult when they are crammed in a tiny box with just a small thick piece of netting to peep through.  My advice if this is the case is either find the seller to show them to you or steer well clear of them, there may well be a reason you cant see them very well.  Don't be put off by panting or slightly runny bums on the day often the experience of being in the auction room can be hot noisy and frightening for birds so expect to see them react to this.  But make sure the birds you are about to take home to join your flock look healthy and free from disease, otherwise you might be taking home more than you bargained for.

4: Get a feel for the prices and other bidders around on the day.
By being close up to the action for the early lots you can get a feel for how much money is in the room.  If you know the rough price of the birds at a local farm then you can gauge the prices in the auction room from that marker which will help you decide how much to bid for anything.

5: Be sure to make eye contact.
Whilst the last thing you want to do is be mistaken for a bidder on a lot you have no interest in it is worth making sure you make eye contact in the early bidding with the auctioneer.  All of the ones we have come across have been very experienced at working the room, but a new one has to start one day so make eye contact and make sure she or he is aware of you in the crowd, this way it is easier when a lot you want comes up.

6: Step firmly into the bidding when your turn comes.
Don't dither or you will miss out, and don't jump in right at the start you might pay too much (if the auctioneer says lets start at twenty and you say yes you will pay at least twenty depending on other bidders, but if you wait and no-one else says yes the auctioneer will say who will start me at 15, or 10 so you start lower and then depending on how much others will pay you could get a real bargain), but when you do bid be firm and confident then other bidders know you are serious. Have a maximum price in mind and try not to pass it unless the lot is really special and a one off.

7: Make sure you are good for the money.
Always take enough cash with you to cover your purchases. Most auctions don't touch cheques and still don't chip and pin without charging you another additional fee. But before bidding make sure you know what buyer fees there are.  Some auctions add 10% buyer fee to the hammer price, some don't have a buyer fee at all and the seller has to pay a higher %, but whatever the setup make sure you know the details and how it will impact your bids.  For example this morning we bid £40 and paid £40 as there was no buyer fee, at the auction last month in Maidstone we would have paid £44 as there was a 10% buyer premium to add at the till.


8: Take your box just in case.
We have been to some auctions not intending to buy as the catalogue had nothing exciting in it for us, yet when we got there we found some lovely Japanese bantams and would have brought them home but were outbid.  Today we travelled home with four hens in the box so always take a box just in case.

9: Have fun, chat to other sellers, buyers, breeders and bidders as these people all share an interest with you and you may just meet a like minded breeder with whom you can swap cockerels to change the genetics of your birds or maybe just share a laugh or a little knowledge.  Either way it's all good fun and the auction community is generally a very friendly bunch.