Possible new sale dates

Three Old Hens, more specificly Liz, started the market style sale in order to give an opportunity for small breeders and heritage enthusiasts to buy and sell in a more intimate and transparent setting then an auction. So, reading about the auctions and such going on, how some are getting bigger (Innisfail) and some are gone (olds) I was thinking, would anyone attend a sale (It would have to be indoors) if it was held on the easter long weekend?

IS the Easter Long Weekend the optimal time for a sale?

When do people have chicks/birds available?

When do buyers start buying? Are people buying on the Easter weekend because that is when the sale is or because that is when they want to buy?

CHB is having their Spring sale June 16th because we could not get the first weekend in June. We wanted it after the May long weekend as the weather is still so unpredictable. This whole sale thing is still new, everyone is s till trying to figure things out. Will people move to purchasing on other dates if the sales are there? WHAT DO YOU THINK?

We have been discussing it and it seems that
Waterfowl and game birds and exhibition show poultry want March
Moderate size heritage flock owners want May
Acreage and small flock owners want June/july.
People wanting to make changes to thier flocks after the breeding season or get new birds to fill holes in thier program or get this year's breeding birds to make early hatch babies for the next year want sept to Nov.
People wanting to sell off extras and unwanted birds want fall/early winter.

WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS?

Well you know what thought did..lol. I do know for sure the Glen Park sale has the go ahead for many future July sales, July 28 this year. I'm not sure of the demographics but I figure it's a good time for people to pick up point of lay pullets or started/sexed chicks.

Also, a little birdie told me that TripleJ will be putting on an April sale next year, indoors, somewhere in Leduc county...I'm sworn to secrecy about exact details.

My suggestion is that sale times and places be co-ordinated to best serve both vendor and customer needs.

Well that is exactly what Im trying to do.
CHB was trying to have the sale the first week of June, however the hall was not available.

Good to know about the upcoming events. thanks!

For us Easter weekend is a busy weekend. We used to make time to go to Innisfail but over the years have learned that auctions are NOT the place to buy or sell quality birds.
I personally would make time on Easter weekend to go to a market type sale, Red Deer is far enough North for me to go...So would prefer there of course.
I know personally the past couple weeks have been extremly busy on the phone with customers wanting chicks NOW! It is the time of year people like to start their flocks, and being that it has been pretty mild people have the urgency to get started right away. Of course not all years are going to be like this but I know April/May are my busiest times for day old chicks.
So I agree with your time schedules for chicks, that people want chicks and started pullets any time now till fall.
I think Innisfail is getting so big because it is usually the first sale of the season, people are getting rid of excess stock and some just perfer to sell at an auction in hopes of getting the "good prices" and people go there to find the "good deals". A lot of people don't understand the concept of a market sale and don't get the thrill of bidding. So might be a big task to sway people away from that auction if a Market sale was held at the same time, me personally would completely buypass the auction and of course be at the market sale.

i was going to but if the chb is going to be hosting 2 spring sales next year then i wont as there will be to many sales then i may be to bust next year anyways...we will see it was a thought as all the sale were very late this year... so the thought crossed my mind.

Easter long weekend is very buisy for most people, Auctions are not any place to sell or purchase quality birds have gone in the past and very dissapointed in the quality when it gets home, a sale the weekend before or after the easter weekend would work but most years Easter is much earlier than this year.

Well, sure glad the first weekend of June wasn't chosen. That would interfere with a dog show and I wouldn't have been able to go!

i like the idea of a sale at the end of may!
and i would not have another sale on easter weekend, to much is already happening that weekend, such as family get togethers, and the other sale on that week end would really end up spitting up the custermers!

It depend on who you ask the question to..?
The seller in me wants a later sale so I can have a good selection of started birds for the sales and maybe grow or make some other products. But the buyer in me wants an early sale so I can feed my spring fever with some critters I have dreamed of all winter.

I think end of May to the beginning of June is an ideal time as small and large breeders have a good number of chicks hatched out for themselves and are willing to sell some stock then.

I know products like started plants are hard to have ready for earlier sales and they will be very large if they were a sizable plant for an april sale. Also perennial divisions aren't possible earlier in the season as the ground is still frozen for many of us..lol

I still visit the some Auction sales, but just come to look as the quality level is usually low at these sales. I think we will slowly start to transition from Auctions to Market Style vendor sales.

Easter isn't an easy time for many to sneak away to a sale when there is large meals to prepare and family to visit with... I know it limits my time at the Odd and Unusual Sale in Innisfail...

I think we should have a breeders sale once a month and then the other items besides birds could change and be available with the season creating a new draw for customers each month. I know if I mention this to A.Sun she would punch me,unless I get some drinks into her first

every month....! sounds like that will make everyone happy Liz!
wouldn't that be great if there was a regular MARKET style breeders sale to go to not just regular auctions!