Rural Gardening: The OFFICIAL Poultry Holiday Swap Thread, 1 by DrDoolotz

DrDoolotz wrote:
Finally, I am now starting the official Poultry Holiday Swap thread. I had suggested this earlier and there seemed to be a lot of interest, so this is the real deal.

(Just to be clear, this is not the secret santa swap in the regular swaps forum with the rules about stealing gifts and being online for specific times to open gifts and all that - it was too complicated for my little brain! This one is just a regular secret buddy swap and poultry/livestock themed).

Here are the rules. If you don't like the rules, either make an improvement suggestion, or don't join.

1. This is a holiday swap. It doesn't matter if you don't celebrate Christmas or Hanukkah or whatever - it is not themed for that. It is just a poultry-themed swap that is taking place at the holiday time of year, and I don't want anybody to be offended about that!

2. DG Subscribed members can participate - even international ones. If you are not subscribed, send me a d-mail and I will probably add you if you have been active in the poultry and livestock forum. I just don't want a whole bunch of non-subscribers that I have never heard of trying to swindle somebody out of a swap gift. I don't know if non-subscribers can send d-mail. If not, just post here and we will work it out.

3. Packages should be mailed in time to arrive for the New Year. That gives us a few days after perhaps opening other presents to get calmed down and ready for our swap! If you are international and participating, please be understanding if your parcel is late. Your swap buddy will have to be understanding also. International postage is not always speedy.

4. The items in the package should be poultry themed. If you know your swap buddy has other livestock, you could include an item themed with that breed of animal (i.e. goats, horses, llamas, etc). It doesn't have to be beautiful - for example, you might send somebody leg ID bands for their chickens, or those wire cage-making tool thingies with some clips, or lice dust, or something like that. It doesn't have to have a chicken on it, but it should be chicken related (i.e. something you can use in caring for chickens). On the other hand, it could be cute chicken tree ornaments or chicken kitchen towels or a nice chicken mug or something else decorative. Use your imagination.

5. NO HATCHING EGGS! NO BIRDS!! It is not an appropriate time of year to be mailing eggs and birds for much of the country (too cold) and anyway it is not wise to send eggs or birds to somebody when you are not 110% sure that they would want them. I don't want any unwanted chicks mixed up in this swap!

6. Please package items carefully - the post office can be brutal!

7. Sign up here. I will compile all the names. I will then get Kelly to pick two names out of a hat. As he picks two names, the first person is the person sending, and the second person is the receiver. I will put everybody's name in twice so that everybody will be a sender and receiver. Nobody will be their own sender and receiver! LOL!!

8. YOU MUST SIGN UP BY NOVEMBER 14. NO EXCEPTIONS!!

9. I will make a list of everyone who has signed up in the second post. If you sign up and you're not on the list within 2 days, send me a d-mail or make another post.

10. I think it would be fun to do a thread for the opening of the swap gifts on New Year's Day but it is up to others if you want to do that.

11. I think $20 plus shipping is a reasonable limit on this. Less is OK, but don't send somebody a toothpick, OK? Handmade gifts are wonderful and are always appreciated - their value is in the time and care taken to make them. This isn't about the money, but I don't want somebody thinking they got taken. Think about what you could sell your handmade items for at a craft market and aim for that value.

12. If you are really concerned about any of the rules, d-mail me.

This is supposed to be fun, but somebody had to make the rules!

Now GET SHOPPING OR CRAFTING!!!!
Claire, the holiday chicken.

(p.s. Image came from http://www.softpicks.net/screenshots/Chicken-Invaders-2-Chri...)

This message was edited Nov 3, 2008 7:17 AM