B.Y.C. Dorking Club!

[Mickey Lou 04]

I would love for someone to promote the colored or cuckoo varieties. I am unsure as to what I think of crele, because I don't want something similar to the easter egger fiasco to happen to this breed. It's hard enough to get good stock. What about cuckoo? And what colors does sandhill have?

 

[Sydney Acres]

I would love for someone to promote the colored or cuckoo varieties. I am unsure as to what I think of crele, because I don't want something similar to the easter egger fiasco to happen to this breed. It's hard enough to get good stock. What about cuckoo? And what colors does sandhill have?

Here's their website: http://www.sandhillpreservation.com/index.html
Be sure to read all their intro information before ordering. They are a preservation center, and are therefore very different than regular hatcheries. Not everyone is happy with the ordering process. But they do offer varieties that are difficult or impossible to find elsewhere. Their birds are not show quality, but in an order of 13 red dorkings, I received several that are good enough quality to start a breeding program. I cannot speak for the quality of the other colors. However, several of my "reds" have a strong "colored" influence, and those birds are my best quality birds. One is even up to SOP in size and conformation (I know that sounds basic, but it's a big deal in this breed.) So if my "colored" reds are any indication of the quality of their colored dorkings, they are probably quite good.

 

[ki4got]

I would love for someone to promote the colored or cuckoo varieties. I am unsure as to what I think of crele, because I don't want something similar to the easter egger fiasco to happen to this breed. It's hard enough to get good stock. What about cuckoo? And what colors does sandhill have?

the SOP recognized varieties are red, silver grey, colored, white and cuckoo. the rest are, IMO, project colors.

IMO the recognized varieties need more help than some of the 'project' types...

 

[bethbug74]

So...what the consensus on Dick Horstman's customer policy?

Not impressed at all after receiving an order a full month before we agreed for it to be sent, so of course I wasn't prepared to set it and I went to complete waste. He now reuses to answer emails or return phone calls about this.

I understand that his stock is nice, and sometimes hard to come by, but his lack of attention or care to his customers makes me wonder about how he cares for other things - like his stock

I'm sure I will receive lots of flak for stating my experiences truthfully, as always, but I am interested to see who else has had these experiences with Mr. Horstman. I have never once been able to speak to him via phone - a woman answers and always says he isn't available "today," and the few email responses I've received have been very terse and unhelpful. I can't be the only one he has treated this way. It is now a week or so from when my egg order should have shipped, and he refuses to communicate with me. Has anyone been able to resolve a similar problem with this man?

 

[ronott1]

So...what the consensus on Dick Horstman's customer policy?

Not impressed at all after receiving an order a full month before we agreed for it to be sent, so of course I wasn't prepared to set it and I went to complete waste. He now reuses to answer emails or return phone calls about this.

I understand that his stock is nice, and sometimes hard to come by, but his lack of attention or care to his customers makes me wonder about how he cares for other things - like his stock

I'm sure I will receive lots of flak for stating my experiences truthfully, as always, but I am interested to see who else has had these experiences with Mr. Horstman. I have never once been able to speak to him via phone - a woman answers and always says he isn't available "today," and the few email responses I've received have been very terse and unhelpful. I can't be the only one he has treated this way. It is now a week or so from when my egg order should have shipped, and he refuses to communicate with me. Has anyone been able to resolve a similar problem with this man?

I am sorry to hear this.

I had eggs very damaged in shipping and Dick replaced them a year later. They did come without notice but luckily I was able to get space in my incubators for them. I have had three shipments that were damaged because of poor packing and this is the only one to make good on their promise of a re shipment.

I hope you get the communication and shipment problems resolved.

 

[heritagehabitatfarms]

I suspect he is just a really busy man and u got lost in the shuffle of life... unfortunately very few breeders do this for a living so they have to work the "Chicken thing" around there very busy lives... so when u are a customer that is used to big company costumer service and big box stores someone like Dick may seem short and not the best... i have learned as i started to breed and sell my birds to lower my expectations down to a reasonable lvl... Just like with Sand-hill Preservation as motioned in the post above... u just have to work with these ppl to get there stock if u want it that bad... i see this type of complaint often from allot of ppl about allot of the really good breeders so it is not just a one time thing... I think it is good that u shared your experience with others so that they understand as well... this very reason is y so many breeders refuse to sell eggs or chicks to anyone (i only sell locally now)... it is still always best to go meet a person and pick up your birds weather adults or chicks ether at a show or there house... but as we all know many times this is not possible and u have to go the shipping route... it is just a crap-shoot no matter how u do it and who your dealing with... not trying to be hard on u just giving my honest humble opinion...

So...what the consensus on Dick Horstman's customer policy?

Not impressed at all after receiving an order a full month before we agreed for it to be sent, so of course I wasn't prepared to set it and I went to complete waste. He now reuses to answer emails or return phone calls about this.

I understand that his stock is nice, and sometimes hard to come by, but his lack of attention or care to his customers makes me wonder about how he cares for other things - like his stock

I'm sure I will receive lots of flak for stating my experiences truthfully, as always, but I am interested to see who else has had these experiences with Mr. Horstman. I have never once been able to speak to him via phone - a woman answers and always says he isn't available "today," and the few email responses I've received have been very terse and unhelpful. I can't be the only one he has treated this way. It is now a week or so from when my egg order should have shipped, and he refuses to communicate with me. Has anyone been able to resolve a similar problem with this man?

 

[pysankigirl]

So...what the consensus on Dick Horstman's customer policy?

My initial order with him was filled and shipped without any notice and he shipped to my old address from years ago that was unfortunately still one of the addresses on my paypal account. (I have since removed it) so they got returned to sender but he didn't notify me of it. so I was patiently waiting for eggs that never came and when I finally called him he was actually quite nice about it and resent my order for just the cost of shipping. so in my eyes, he's a decent guy. But just not good with communication.

 

[kimberly35042]

Quote:
x2 The current SOP recognized varieties need work to keep what is a dorking look like a dorking. You'll be hard pressed to find SG with good type much less coloured, and I'm not sure I've ever seen a crele dorking. YES there are pics on feathersite of a crele colored bird, but is it a dorking? Really?

 

[Rockashelle]

Happiness is....

 

[bethbug74]

So...what the consensus on Dick Horstman's customer policy?

Not impressed at all after receiving an order a full month before we agreed for it to be sent, so of course I wasn't prepared to set it and I went to complete waste. He now reuses to answer emails or return phone calls about this.

I understand that his stock is nice, and sometimes hard to come by, but his lack of attention or care to his customers makes me wonder about how he cares for other things - like his stock

I'm sure I will receive lots of flak for stating my experiences truthfully, as always, but I am interested to see who else has had these experiences with Mr. Horstman. I have never once been able to speak to him via phone - a woman answers and always says he isn't available "today," and the few email responses I've received have been very terse and unhelpful. I can't be the only one he has treated this way. It is now a week or so from when my egg order should have shipped, and he refuses to communicate with me. Has anyone been able to resolve a similar problem with this man?

Wow.

I just received my eggs.

It is Friday.

I began calling to get some sort of confirmation of my shipment LAST FRIDAY.

The eggs should have shipped Monday.

On Wednesday, after receiving NO COMMUNICATION WHATSOEVER, after leaving messages, emails, and texts, I gave up and set some other, very valuable eggs of my own (that I had denied to paying customers, thus losing income from them).

Now I have YET ANOTHER batch of eggs from Mr. Horstman THAT HAVE NOWHERE TO GO.

THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED.

I will never order from this man again - simple communication could have prevented BOTH losses, but he chose not to respond to my repeated attempts to contact him.

It is obvious that speaking to customers is very difficult for Mr. Horstman, and I certainly don't want to bother such an important person.