Estes Hatchery Made Good! UPDATE***CHICKS ARE HERE***

[Anny]

Sorry about your loss. I have heard about some breeds being hardier then others. Perhaps they just didn't do will with the other breeds (got bullied around to much) Maybe next time they should be kept seperate so they can get enough food and such.


I'm so sorry of your loss

 

[SundownWaterfowl]

supposedly faverolle chicks are supposed to be more fragile than other breeds of chicks. That being said, I haven't lost one chick I hatched from my flock this year.

 

[HenPen]

I think chickn might have some eggs....I just bough SF chicks from her last week.

 

[Mrs MIA]

Most hatcheries will only guarantee the chicks for the first 48-72 hours. 8 weeks old is old enough that they should be doing just fine on their own and well beyond a "bad/weak hatch". It is possible that the SFs are just delicate during their youth... I know my silver grey dorkings are. Once you get them fully feathered, though, they're just fine.
I'm sorry for your loss...

I know it's hard when you've waited so long, but I'm hesitant to think that it's anything that the hatchery has control over. Don't give up!

 

[Akane]

If they are dying after the first week and especially the first 2-3weeks I can see the hatchery not giving a refund. Really any deaths related to problems from the hatchery should be seen quickly. Not that estes is the biggest fanciest hatchery around with the best lines in their birds. I have several EE and a cochin from them just because all the local Orschelns feed stores buy from them. The EE don't lay very nicely colored eggs at all and I sure wouldn't enter the cochin in any shows.

They aren't unhealthy though. I've seen hundreds of their chicks in feed stores and before buying any I talked to the people handling them. They haven't had any significant losses, I've never seen a sick chick in the bins, and no one that's bought their chicks have had complaints. Maybe at a couple weeks old I would say possible genetic problems and weak lines. At 7 weeks old I find it hard to blame the problem on the hatchery.

 

[cochinbantam-lover]

Quote:

That stinks. I wish I had known they weren't as hardy before I got them. Everything I read said they were a really hardy breed.
I will try again because I really love the breed but I will probably just hatch some eggs or something. Anyone here with SF eggs?

What are S.F.s ?

 

[EweSheep]

SF meaning Salmon Faverolles

 

[RendonRoo]

Salmon Favorelles are a breed that originated in France. They are very pretty birds. I believe they are a hearty bird as adults but not as much so as infants.

 

[ChooksChick]

I've had really good luck with my Estes birds, and I called to talk to them about a few questions I had about some I got from the local Orscheln's too- they were very nice and helpful- perhaps it was just that individual.

Regardless, I wouldn't blame the hatchery at this point, but blame the individual for being rather heartless- you deserve some compassion from them as a customer, even if they don't believe it's their matter any longer.

I'm so sorry that this has happened, and I'm crossing my fingers for the ones you have left.

 

[PineBurrowPeeps]

I wasn't particulary blaming the problem on the hatchery, I was mainly calling them to let them know about the situation and I was not looking for a refund.
Several people had said (my state vet included) that I should contact them because these were the only chicks dying and to see if anyone else had complained. After chewing on it for a little bit, I decided I would do just that. But it was like I would have been better off talking to a brick wall.
And I do think that if you have a weak/poor hatch those birds are always going to be weak, even if they look fine, they'll have weaker immune systems or something. That's why you wouldn't use those birds in breeding or whatnot. You want your chicks to come from strong lines.

My main concern was simply that their customer service was bad. I would have never ordered from them at all if I could have found the breed I wanted elsewhere to begin with. And I won't order from them again. For me it was simply that I have been treated like gold by Ideal in the past, if you have an issue they will listen to you. This woman made me feel like I was inconviencing her by calling and expressing my concern. I would rather buy lower quality birds from a company with stellar customer relations, than amazing birds from a place that will treat you like dirt.
Not saying either has great birds, but just sayin'