Backyard chicken community- I need your opinion!

[sarahsladies]

OK- here it goes- I sold 2 Ameraucana hens to a customer about 3 weeks ago via Craigslist. I sent her pictures of the girls and the eggs the ladies laid so she would know what she was getting. After seeing the pictures she commented that they were missing the saddle feathers, which I informed her this was from being in with a rooster and mating. I told her if she kept them in a rooster-less flock the feathers would eventually come back in. She said that she liked them and came out and purchased them. About a week later she texted me that she was concerned that the feathers had not grown back in yet... I informed her that it doesn't happen overnight and that if she kept an eye on their back she would see feathers coming in. She sent an email and showed me where they were growing back in and seemed happy with them. A week after this she informed me she was setting their eggs in an incubator (they still were laying fertile eggs from being in with a roo). BUT she said she still wasn't happy with the hens and didn't like the egg color... I told her if she wanted to sell them back to me I would buy them back. She thanked me but declined. NOW she changed her mind again and is wanting me to buy them back!

Do I buy them back after they have been there for 3 weeks? I feel like she bought the hens and saved the eggs, hatched them and is now wanting her money back!! What do I do? I don't want to make a customer mad, but I feel like I am getting ripped off!!

 

[Percheron chick]

No, You never take back chickens once they leave your property. If she doesn't want them than they are her's to sell.

 

[Michael OShay]

No, You never take back chickens once they leave your property. If she doesn't want them than they are her's to sell.

I agree with Percheron chick. If she's changed her mind and doesn't want them, then she can sell them. I'm sure there are plenty of other people who would love to have them.

 

[sarahsladies]

I agree, but I made the mistake of offering to buy them back! I have never offered that before and I regretted it as soon as I did. I just want to politely decline, but I don't think I can without sounding rude. And I don't want her to go around spreading that I don't stand behind my product! I live in a relatively small community and that could potentially affect future business and I could be wrong, but with as difficult as she has been I feel like she is going to.

 

[Michael OShay]

I agree, but I made the mistake of offering to buy them back! I have never offered that before and I regretted it as soon as I did. I just want to politely decline, but I don't think I can without sounding rude. And I don't want her to go around spreading that I don't stand behind my product! I live in a relatively small community and that could potentially affect future business and I could be wrong, but with as difficult as she has been I feel like she is going to.

If you told her that you would buy them back, then you should go ahead and keep your word, even if it costs you some money. But from now on, I would definitely have an understood policy up front with customers that all sales are final.

 

[sarahsladies]

If you told her that you would buy them back, then you should go ahead and keep your word, even if it costs you some money. But from now on, I would definitely have an understood policy up front with customers that all sales are final.

This is where I am torn- I feel like I am getting ripped off because I know she is hatching out their eggs, otherwise it honestly wouldn't bother me that much to buy them back. She even told me they were fertile and their hatch date is the 21st. HOW does she not realize that is rude!!!! It is like someone buying a prom dress, tucking the tags and bringing it back after it was worn to the dance! I think she thought my friendly offer was a life-long guarantee, not even Wal-Mart offers that!

 

[Michael OShay]

This is where I am torn- I feel like I am getting ripped off because I know she is hatching out their eggs, otherwise it honestly wouldn't bother me that much to buy them back. She even told me they were fertile and their hatch date is the 21st. HOW does she not realize that is rude!!!! It is like someone buying a prom dress, tucking the tags and bringing it back after it was worn to the dance! I think she thought my friendly offer was a life-long guarantee, not even Wal-Mart offers that!

I understand your dilemma. Sometimes doing the right thing is a difficult choice.

 

[sarahsladies]

This is true. Very true. I guess I will text her back. Bah.

 

[Percheron chick]

I live in the capital of PC (Boulder) and quite honestly, I'm sick and tired of it. Call her out on it. Nothing wrong with speaking up for yourself as long as you do it right. I know we're only talking around $60 for the hens so it's not going to break you or her. I don't lose any sleep over people like her. Good lesson for all of us.

 

[KIWI CHICK]

Could you buy them back at what she paid you for them, minus the cost of a dozen fertile eggs?