Cochin Thread!!!

[Jharper]

Here is another picture of her. After she pecked my hand to death. Haha!

 

[3BirdGirlz]

I love Cochins! I haven't had them since high school, but now that I have my own place with my family now, I decided to hatch shipped eggs to get some colors I wanted. I have Millie's and some silver laced. The breeder sent me extras of another color, but I'm planning on giving those away.

 

[suncatcher]

Here is another picture of her. After she pecked my hand to death. Haha!

Very pretty!

 

[Jharper]

Very pretty!

She's still got a lot of feathers to grow back. I didn't want to post one a few months back because she looked horrible after a broody molt and a dog attack.

 

[Fancy Feathers]

Yep I created an account at USPS online so I can have the "online" price instead of the "Post Office" price... bought a printer, and a special scale specifically for this (because my bathroom scale was always wrong), and apparently it's OFF! If there's a way to reconfigure it (?) it's beyond me. So I'm back to guessing again, and when you under guess you have to pay the difference, but when you over guess? (as I did with the other shipment today) you don't get reimbursed of course!

At least, so far, I haven't run into Not being able to ship to a zip!
I feel for ya Lynne, and I'm praying with you that your birds (and mine!) arrive safe and sound - and that their receivers love them!

& Amy you've hit a very good point. Lynne herself, and Westknoll Amy and Twyla and Erin, have all shipped birds to me, and if it wasn't for their willingness to do so I wouldn't have the Mille Fleur program that I have now. I'm so grateful to them.
& I'm grateful for people like you who know what you want and when you find it, don't want it for nothing!

I've been griped at because the shipping quote I gave someone was "too high" (lots of times..) even when I send someone to the USPS website and tell them to look it up themselves! (& the majority of people just don't realize shipping a bird is going to cost more then twenty bucks, and just bow out, but every now and then you get someone who gets mad about it!) I've been told I shouldn't be charging for boxes (but, I have to pay for them?) and one person even griped at me after the fact for overcharging on shipping.. this is why many breeders don't want to deal with shipping; it's hard, it's not fun, it takes all day, it's expensive, it's stressful and then to get griped at on top of it all?

But then, you know, you have people like Mike (and many others!) who love their birds from me

or like Garold who have hatched eggs from me and I get pictures and stories and some of my birds have gone on to make contributions in other people's programs. This is what makes it worthwhile, and this is why I'll keep doing it, as long as there are people who appreciate it

 

[CyndiChick]

I can't imagine griping at someone over shipping - especially when you are getting beautiful birds at the end of the hassle! I know sometimes I underestimate shipping and may moan at the computer when adding shipping puts something out of my price range, but certainly not going to have a go at the seller! I'll take any birds and/or eggs anyhow I can get them lol

 

[wwmicasa1]

Yep I created an account at USPS online so I can have the "online" price instead of the "Post Office" price... bought a printer, and a special scale specifically for this (because my bathroom scale was always wrong), and apparently it's OFF! If there's a way to reconfigure it (?) it's beyond me. So I'm back to guessing again, and when you under guess you have to pay the difference, but when you over guess? (as I did with the other shipment today) you don't get reimbursed of course!

At least, so far, I haven't run into Not being able to ship to a zip!
I feel for ya Lynne, and I'm praying with you that your birds (and mine!) arrive safe and sound - and that their receivers love them!

& Amy you've hit a very good point. Lynne herself, and Westknoll Amy and Twyla and Erin, have all shipped birds to me, and if it wasn't for their willingness to do so I wouldn't have the Mille Fleur program that I have now. I'm so grateful to them.
& I'm grateful for people like you who know what you want and when you find it, don't want it for nothing!

I've been griped at because the shipping quote I gave someone was "too high" (lots of times..) even when I send someone to the USPS website and tell them to look it up themselves! (& the majority of people just don't realize shipping a bird is going to cost more then twenty bucks, and just bow out, but every now and then you get someone who gets mad about it!) I've been told I shouldn't be charging for boxes (but, I have to pay for them?) and one person even griped at me after the fact for overcharging on shipping.. this is why many breeders don't want to deal with shipping; it's hard, it's not fun, it takes all day, it's expensive, it's stressful and then to get griped at on top of it all?

But then, you know, you have people like Mike (and many others!) who love their birds from me

or like Garold who have hatched eggs from me and I get pictures and stories and some of my birds have gone on to make contributions in other people's programs. This is what makes it worthwhile, and this is why I'll keep doing it, as long as there are people who appreciate it

Nancy,

I learned the hard way in May when I shipped birds to Illinois. I made the label, dropped the birds off at my local PO (they "never" reweigh the birds) & left. I had not called expidited services to check on the zip as I had shipped to that state before. The following morning I get a message from the Main PO that the birds are being returned to me that afternoon. OMG what is the problem? I went to my local PO & picked them up. I asked why they had been returned & no one had a clue. So when I got home I called expedited services to complain. Seems that I can't ship to Illinois from Ca any longer. Not only did I have to return all the $$ to my customer, but since the label I printed & "paid for" had been used, I was out the entire cost of shipping. Very expensive lesson....

Lilcrow-I would be happy to show you how to print your own labels. My PO is so happy they don't have to mess with the task that they let me "do my thing"~! Also if you take the birds to the PO to be processed, they charge you a handling fee. You avoid that fee by printing your own label.

 

[chick-among-us]

Don't you have to be NPIP to ship?

 

[wwmicasa1]

Don't you have to be NPIP to ship?

California doesn't require NPIP

 

[Black Cochin Bantams]

I think anyone who complains about shipping costs is wrong. I spend hrs putting it together and driving to the PO 1/2 hr before the truck picks them up. I always send fruit of some sort in the box for a bird so they can get some moisture and some food in case of some sort of screw up. while shipping. Boxes cost about $11 a box when purchases by the case. I have heard of a few places cheaper where you have to install the protective ventilation.

The comment about Illinois not accepting birds from Ca is interesting. I do know that for me to show in Illinois I have to get an entry permit # for my birds and give a destination. My birds have never been checked while in state yet but the rules are in place to be quite restrictive.