Don’t want to be a “Bad Egg” WWYD?

[chickenmomma16]

Here’s the scenario, What would you do?

I normally don’t hatch chicks just to sell if I don’t already have someone lined up to buy the chicks. This year, I hatched a few extra Olive Egger chicks and instead of growing them out myself, my brooder is busting at the seems so decided to make a nice little ad for the 13 OE chicks straight run. Someone contacted me, wanted them all. Fantastic! Did not make arrangements to pickup while we were initially corresponding. Lifs busy I understand. A couple days later I reach out and ask about pick up and I was told they just got out of the hospital and only wanted 4 now. Twice I said please let me know when you can pick up. Last response was “I get that”. That was MONDAY. I need to move these chicks. Do I message her AGAIN? Or just sell them to someone else and chalk her up to a no show? I don’t want her to be upset I sold the chicks out from under her but she hasn’t set a time/date to pick up. I hate harassing people more than once, maybe twice.

What would you do?

This is why I don’t like to sell chicks to the public… I usually just hatch for myself and a few people that contact me through word of mouth.
Picture of said chickies they are an F1 cross of Wheaten Ameraucana x Wheaten Marans

 

[Chipmunk Chicks]

Oh my gosh, they are gorgeous. I wish I could take them myself.

I would say if you have someone else lined up and ready to pick up, you should just go for it. If they can't tell you a time, then they are not serious. Or even if they were like, omg I just got out of the HOSPITAL but I still really want four chicks, how long can you hold them for me? Okay maybe you can have a conversation. But if there really is no response then it's not your business to hold them indefinitely.

It's also not as if you hatched them FOR HER, then I would say reach out again and let her know you are going to have to sell them to someone else if you don't hear back. I mean, you COULD say that, but even then, I don't think you owe her that. I'd hate to see you turn away a serious buyer for someone who just flakes out on you.

 

[SourRoses]

Absolutely sell the chicks to someone else. I give people 1 day to respond, maybe 2 if they seem really nice. Someone that stops communicating is a flashing neon sign they are never going to come through.

The more we sell, the more I learn to be clear and firm.
Especially when every add I post on craigslist gets me 50 inquiries, and the majority expect me to carry the conversation by emailing "hey" or "available?"
full stop.

My adds now specify they need to tell me a little about themselves or their chicken situation so I know they're a real person and truly interested (plus I get a sense of whether they will be a caring home from what they write).

I've actually gotten better customers that way. The more words they write the better they follow through, and the more infatuated with the birds they seem

 

[chickenmomma16]

Oh my gosh, they are gorgeous. I wish I could take them myself.

I would say if you have someone else lined up and ready to pick up, you should just go for it. If they can't tell you a time, then they are not serious. Or even if they were like, omg I just got out of the HOSPITAL but I still really want four chicks, how long can you hold them for me? Okay maybe you can have a conversation. But if there really is no response then it's not your business to hold them indefinitely.

It's also not as if you hatched them FOR HER, then I would say reach out again and let her know you are going to have to sell them to someone else if you don't hear back. I mean, you COULD say that, but even then, I don't think you owe her that. I'd hate to see you turn away a serious buyer for someone who just flakes out on you.

I don’t have anyone lined up. I had someone lined up for the other 9 but they are MIA too. My ad says pending, I’ll just update it as available again. If they are serious I guess they can contact me again.

 

[chickenmomma16]

Absolutely sell the chicks to someone else. I give people 1 day to respond, maybe 2 if they seem really nice. Someone that stops communicating is a flashing neon sign they are never going to come through.

The more we sell, the more I learn to be clear and firm.
Especially when every add I post on craigslist gets me 50 inquiries, and the majority expect me to carry the conversation by emailing "hey" or "available?"
full stop.

My adds now specify they need to tell me a little about themselves or their chicken situation so I know they're a real person and truly interested (plus I get a sense of whether they will be a caring home from what they write).

I've actually gotten better customers that way. The more words they write the better they follow through, and the more infatuated with the birds they seem

Good points. I’ll implement some of those suggestions if I decide to sell any more. I really dislike dealing with flaky people.

 

[Chipmunk Chicks]

I don’t have anyone lined up. I had someone lined up for the other 9 but they are MIA too. My ad says pending, I’ll just update it as available again. If they are serious I guess they can contact me again.

Oh man. I literally just got feed store chicks that were "supposed" to be Wheaten Marans turn out to be starlight green eggers lol I would 1000% rather have yours. I know that doesn't help since we are on opposite sides of the country. I agree, maybe you can call around the feed / hw stores...

 

[RubelliteRose]

I would run the ad again. If she messages you or once you have found a new buyer, reply that you are sorry for their circumstances, but the babies are your priority and you don't have room to hold/grow them out.

 

[chickenmomma16]

I hate customers. Every one of them.

But, it's a great time to have excess chicks. It's a sellers market if there ever was one. I'd run the advert again but increase the price because they're a little older and are hardened off.

Or, better yet, contact your local feed stores and ask if they would like to buy them or trade for feed. The mom-and-pop stores are finding it difficult to get chicks right now. You would get rid of them all at once and if the store says they want them you have more confidence they will not back out. You might have to deliver but that can be a good thing because it gives you more flexibility.

Our locally owned feed store is well stocked with chicks. We do have an auction in the neighboring town I could list them with in a pinch. They have 2 auctions for poultry a week. One in person and one online.

 

[bobbi-j]

Since you have an auction close by, I would run the ad again and if you don’t get a serious response, take them there.

DH used to sell antique tractor parts. His business was based here at our farm. It seemed like more often than not, people would call, arrange to pick up a part and not show. He’d spend most of the day waiting and get frustrated. I put that partly on him, though. He’d say, “I’ve got a guy coming after lunch on Tuesday to pick up a….” I’d ask him what time after lunch. “I don’t know sometime after lunch.” I suggested many times that he get them to give him a time, and if they weren’t there within half an hour after that time without contacting him,he should go on with his day.

 

[5Australorpasaures]

Usually folks will see our chickens and stop to see if we have any available. One person hit it just right as we were growing out more than we needed. At 16 wks they picked them up. It worked out well for both parties as it gave them time to build their coop and run. I stopped in and told them chicks were ready and they followed me in the driveway. Any others went to auction and never made it to the auction block. I give more away than go to auction and have found gifts on the back steps which is more appreciated than the few dollars we would get. We give one notice with a time frame, no show , they go to someone else.