I ensure mine come from a reputable brand. I also make sure they're the big ones. I also have a dock so I can just buy internal hard drives instead. Those usually last longer.
Oh, I agree with the person who said others need to get a life. If the people are complaining, they should have one spot they feed the birds, and nesting boxes so you can get free eggs. Problem solved.
When I build my palace I'm gonna put a drain in the floor for that. That way no one can stop me from having birds inside.
I've had a bit of damage from the chooks here. They've spilled water, broke a remote, and used some stuff that they shouldn't have as a loo. Thankfully no real damage...