We will be attending the Oregon Spring Poultry Swap in Canby, OR this weekend. I love going to these swaps. The first one I attended back in the spring of 2011 was held in a city park in Canby, OR. People spread their poultry cages, lawn chairs, pop up tents and other goodies out in the grass and everyone swapped and shopped and enjoyed a day in the park. Now these Oregon Poultry Swaps have grown so popular that they are held in different county fairgrounds and are very big and organized. Lots of vendors and shoppers and poultry enthusiasts! I love to wander from table to table and see all of the different birds and critters people bring. Chickens are the main attraction, but it doesn't stop there. You can find many types of ducks, geese, guineas, peafowl, quail, turkeys and so many other birds. Not to mention the ocassional goat or other farmyard friend. You can also shop for all sorts of other farm products, crafts and yummy treats. Over the last few swaps I have purchased fresh honey, homemade cupcakes, goats milk soap, lovely peacock feathers and all sorts of other treasures. But I think the best part of the whole thing is all of the wonderful people I have met at these swaps. It is nice to know that there are so many crazy chicken ladies (and gentlemen) in Oregon....makes me feel like I belong to a really cool club :)
There is a lot of work involved in getting ready for these swaps. We have been busy all week cleaning transport cages, sorting through the birds, and bathing chickens and trimming spurs, nails and feathers to make them all as pretty as possible. We love living here in the beautiful Pacific Northwest, but we do have to endure a lot of rain. And this year we had an especially wet winter and spring, so there have been a lot of puddles and rain and mud. Of course the animals always find the muddiest places to go forage and play, and as a result they end up with chronically muddy feet and dirty faces. We don't want to show up at the swap with chickens that look more like little piggies than poultry, so we have to have several chicken spa days the week before a swap. A lot of work for us, but a lot of fun for the chickens. If you have never given a chicken a warm bath you would be surprised by just how much they enjoy it. Even our fiestiest roosters achieve a total zen state of relaxation shortly after sinking into the warm water. Pretty funny. And they love the warm blow dry after the bath.
But, despite the work involved, these poultry swaps are something I always look forward to with anticipation. I plan to attend as many Oregon Poultry Swaps as I can. As long as they keep organizing them I will keep showing up. So if you ever want to meet up with me or some of my birds, you can always come and find us at the next Oregon Poultry Swap! You can learn more about the swaps and the dates and locations of upcoming swaps by going to their website here http://www.oregonpoultryswap.com/
However, I would share one word of warning. Poultry can be delicate animals and there are many pathogens that spread amongst poultry easily. So if you attend any kind of poultry swap, event or show be sure to follow a strict quarantine procedure. If you ever bring poultry from your place to an event with other birds be sure to quarantine your birds when you get home. And always quarantine any new birds that you bring home, whether they come from a swap, a poultry show, shipped to you or even just picked up at your local feed store. I always quarantine new birds, or returning birds, for 30 days. The length of time you choose is up to you, but be sure it is long enough for viruses and other pathogens to have time to incubate and show symptoms. Watch for signs of illness such as listlessness, sneezing, runny eyes or nose, weird poops, lack of appetite, fluffed up feathers, difficulty standing or walking, and check birds closely for signs of mites or lice. Birds should be quarantined as far away from other poultry if possible, and be sure to take care of your existing flocks first each day before caring for birds in quarantine. Otherwise you risk transferring dust, dander, poop, saliva or feathers from the quarantine birds to your other flocks on your hands, in your hair, or on your clothes. Being careful about bringing home new birds helps to ensure that you will get the most enjoyment out of your poultry. Better to lose the new birds than all of your birds.
Okay, one more word of warning, attending poultry swaps and shows comes with the risk of developing a severe case of chicken addiction! Each time you go you are sure to discover at least one more breed or color of chicken, duck, turkey, or whatnot that you absolutely MUST have! I know this happens to me at every swap :) I wonder what I will discover at the spring swap this year?
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