Getting bumped down a list. Has this happened to you?

[KingsCalls]

Jennifer.........I ship eggs and let me tell you....sometimes it's like a juggling act! You have some people wanting all one breed, some wanting 6 of one breed/color and 6 of another breed/color and some wanting 6 of one and 6 of a mix of others. It gets hard a lot of times to get certain orders together 1..."if you only keep so many of that breed/color 2...."if a certain breed/color for some unknown reason decides they are taking a few days off from laying". Then, trying to do this in the order that people are on your list and trying to be as fair as possible. Sometimes you have to skip 1 or 2 because you just can't get their specific order to come together and you have to make a decision either to hold onto the eggs a few extra days and take a chance on them going bad or skip to someone else and send what you have! And......even then sometimes you may wind up tossing a few eggs because the person that wanted a specific breed/color has decided to not get them for whatever reason.
The person you are dealing with should just be honest with you and tell you what the real deal is! Honesty, is after all the best policy!

 

[Solsken Farm]

Thanks KingsCall. This is what I was looking for, I think. I suspect what is occuring is just what you are describing. Communicating and giving me other options would have been much appreciated. Honesty really is the best policy and I would have no problem waiting if I felt I was getting the real story.

I appreciate your sharing a real picture of what filling egg orders is like. I can imagine it is tricky.

 

[ginasmarans]

I sell eggs and on occassion,something happens. I always communicate with the buyer. That's what happened this fall. I had a list of several people,thinking that once my birds moulted and the weather cooled and my hens quit being broody,I'd be rolling in eggs. DID NOT HAPPEN!I was able to fill one order completely,one order partially and one not at all before I called it quits. I offered a choice of a full refund,partial plus all the eggs I could gather or pre-paid for next Spring-Priority. As far as I know,everyone was satisifed. As a seller,you must communicate. I just sold 6 eggs on e-bay. I started collecting on Friday and got no eggs on Saturday. I had the 6 eggs to ship,but no extras. I hate sneding no extras,so I e-mailed the buyer to see if she wanted to wait a day o two and she is good with that. I can see no reason why your breeder would not at least answer you.

 

[Solsken Farm]

Gina, you sound like a great seller! I do realize that the girls have their own schedule regarding laying.

Yes, it is the poor communication that got me so frustrated. I would never have been angry if the communication was better. She is supposed to send some today, but two more times this week, was still confused as to what I wanted. lol I think this is just a case of being disorganized and too busy. I don't hold grudges and belive as others have said that patience pays off.

 

[horsejody]

I ordered eggs for early this year from a very well known breeder. She told me she would ship eggs as soon as they started laying well. I paid when she said the birds started laying. I trail ride a lot and can't have babies in the brooder once trail riding season is in full swing so I have to start as early as possible. Then I was told the birds were laying but it would be a few weeks because they were doing fertility tests and would start shipping eggs in 3 weeks. After that they had to hatch out enough for themselves so I would have to wait again. Blah. Blah. Blah. I asked for and got a refund. I hold no grudge because the money was refunded, but I wish people wouldn't say they have things available when they don't. Perhaps somebody else's order was put in front of mine. I don't know.

 

[Solsken Farm]

Ah, Jody. I am sorry about that. I understand the anxiety of needing the eggs at a certain time of year. I am anxious about the cold, and keeping chicks in the house all winter. I am pushing it, seriously, with my poor dh. It was 60 here today, so perhaps this mild weather will stay a bit longer.


The update is the breeder sent them today. I am very happy and hope they arrive intact after 4 months of waiting.

 

[greathorse]

I have been dealing with some folks across the country on shipped eggs of late and have been trying to do some research on a specific breed. I have not run into folks that I consider to be dishonest, but I must tell you I have struggled getting certian folks to communicate and answer questions etc. I am not sure why this business is like that but it does seem to come with the territory. I think it may have to do with the fact that for almost everyone it is a bit of a side line and though 5,00 or more per egg seems like a lot of money when you think about managing a lot of relatively small purchases and communicating several times for a 50.00 order is probably a bit of a challenge.

I think sellers have no idea how much it means to sit down take a few seconds and let folks know what is going on.

I recently found a breeder that is very generous with his time and information and keeps me very up to date on what is going on with fertility checks hens laying etc. I honor that and will do business with him as long and often as I can. This person is sort of just getting started in the business so may not be as jaded and perhaps cynical as others may be.

JMO

 

[BamaChicken]

I don't have list anymore because they are basically to much trouble for me. Once someone is on a list then you have to contact them back when you have eggs and then wait for the response and hope it comes in time and hope they don't decide they don't want them at this time so you have to go to the next one. I just don't have the time for it with this being a hobby and my busy schedule with work, Church and grandchildren.
The other thing is not being as young as I used to and getting so many request that it is hard somtimes to remember who said what. Every since I had ByPass Surgery my biggest complaint has been is I am not as sharp as I used to be and can't remember like I used to either.
Lastly the having the chickens cooperate. I have one group of girls that have been in the longest molt. I think I have only gotten one egg in the last six weeks. Another roo is not gettting the eggs fertile so I am now having to swap things around. So many variables.
I have been on the other side too. I waited 6 month to get some I wanted.
I am glad your eggs are on the way and hope they arrive safely and you get a good hatch.