Hatching eggs and business advice

[Rcornerranch]

Sorry, this is totally not answering the poster, but I worked with plant dyes a couple years back and it was an amazing experience. The book I used was called "Wild Color", but you can get a lot of info online.

OP, is there anything else specifically we can answer for you?

That's fine lol! I guess I feel a lot more validated. This is my first year really trying to run it like a business, and it is very difficult dealing with the people aspect of it. It seems like a no fertility guarantee agreement of some kind is a great idea. Also, an agreement that I am not liable for replacing eggs or birds is a good idea. I will update my website and incorporate some of these things. I will stand firm on my prices as well. Maybe I will grow up my ducklings and try to sell them while they are older. That might be interesting to see if that works. I could sell extra drakes for meat. Anyone know what an adult size duck goes for for hungry buyers?

 

[Saveria]

That's fine lol! I guess I feel a lot more validated. This is my first year really trying to run it like a business, and it is very difficult dealing with the people aspect of it. It seems like a no fertility guarantee agreement of some kind is a great idea. Also, an agreement that I am not liable for replacing eggs or birds is a good idea. I will update my website and incorporate some of these things. I will stand firm on my prices as well. Maybe I will grow up my ducklings and try to sell them while they are older. That might be interesting to see if that works. I could sell extra drakes for meat. Anyone know what an adult size duck goes for for hungry buyers?

The one good thing is that these people are teaching you what not to tolerate, and what type of person you should not do business with.

I would look around and see what other places policies are around hatching eggs. This must be an across the board issue, especially since shipping them can cause damage.

I think a website or at least something similar could help. Sometimes when folks are dealing with a person one on one they think it is more okay to be a jerk, for some weird reason. A business front would work against that.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

I know many people try to talk down businesses on everything. I am reminding myself of that! But I would NEVER be so bold and disrespectful to disagree with a business on their prices (to their face anyway lol), and it is weird to me so many people just will do that without thinking about the other person's point of view. When the one woman shorted me, she said it didn't seem like I needed the $11 anyway. It was so incredibly rude. When you are starting a business, the money does count!

I'd have taken back the $11 worth of product she refused to pay for

 

[2ndTink]

As others have said, if you have a quality product, stand your ground on what you price them. The clientele who will appreciate quality, will have the $ to buy them and likely pass the word on to other people who are truly looking for quality poultry. If someone doesn't have the money to purchase your critters up front, what kind of care and quality of feed are they likely to get? Ok, I'm making a lot of assumptions and fully flying my opinion here... Unless you are way out of range on price, know your worth! I agree as others said on having a notice about no guarantees on hatching.

I used to have a small leather shop where I repaired and sold used tack and did custom work on weekends and evenings. I was making $4 to $5 dollars an hour and often heard comments about how expensive my stuff was, one person even asked me why they should pay me so much when they could go to Tractor Supply and get it for $20, yup, and they were literally there with a broken bridle from a local farm store that was low quality. I'm not doing leatherwork anymore because my time is worth way more than $5/hr. I've also had a few people give me free rein (get it, lol) to create custom pieces no matter the price because they did want custom and one of a kind.

Long story shorter, you are right, don't sell yourself short, haters gonna hate, quality is worth something to the right people.

 

[Urb sustain]

Chickens will be more available and their prices will be lower next year.

I hate customers; every one of them.

Not mine

 

[Rcornerranch]

I'd have taken back the $11 worth of product she refused to pay for

Oh, I wanted to, but she scratched her car up and is threatening to sue, saying it happened while she was getting her chicks from me. She claims it was from a dog, but I know the damage is from a human. She thought about how to retaliate for 24 hours after I asked her if she would pay me back the money she owed. I had hoped we could patch things up over the "accidental" mistake. She claimed there was no agreement she would be paying my pullet prices because now that she has them, she thinks they are too small to sex. I sent her a screenshot of her saying they needed to be pullets and insisting she could only get them if they were pullets. She agreed to the price I set for pullets before pickup. Now she is claiming we agreed to straight run after getting pullets from me. Very convenient for her. She also claimed I didn't need that money, anyway. Thanks...

When I sent her back a screenshot of our convo, she went silent. Suddenly her car had damage the next day. She sent happy emojis along with her saying a dog where I live did the damage, and she would not pursue the damage if I dropped the $11. I am hoping for no further contact from her. Really hoping it just ends without any more weirdness.

 

[Sally PB]

Really hoping it just ends without any more weirdness.

That is a person to never do any business with again. Of any kind.

 

[Rcornerranch]

As others have said, if you have a quality product, stand your ground on what you price them. The clientele who will appreciate quality, will have the $ to buy them and likely pass the word on to other people who are truly looking for quality poultry. If someone doesn't have the money to purchase your critters up front, what kind of care and quality of feed are they likely to get? Ok, I'm making a lot of assumptions and fully flying my opinion here... Unless you are way out of range on price, know your worth! I agree as others said on having a notice about no guarantees on hatching.

I used to have a small leather shop where I repaired and sold used tack and did custom work on weekends and evenings. I was making $4 to $5 dollars an hour and often heard comments about how expensive my stuff was, one person even asked me why they should pay me so much when they could go to Tractor Supply and get it for $20, yup, and they were literally there with a broken bridle from a local farm store that was low quality. I'm not doing leatherwork anymore because my time is worth way more than $5/hr. I've also had a few people give me free rein (get it, lol) to create custom pieces no matter the price because they did want custom and one of a kind.

Long story shorter, you are right, don't sell yourself short, haters gonna hate, quality is worth something to the right people.

I am asking $18 for Lavender Ameraucana pullets. $12 straight run. $8 for cockerels.

Barnevelders are $12 pullets. $8 straight run. Cockerels are $4.

Silver Spangled Appenzeller Spitzhaubens are $8 straight run.

The Welsh Harlequin female ducks are $18. Drakes are $9.

Saxony ducks are $25 for female ducklings. Straight run is $18. Drakes are $12.

I will figure out the Blue Swedish when they hatch.

The Ameraucana chicks (and eggs) and Harlequin ducklings (and eggs) seem to bring in the theatrics about price. I think I have nice birds. Hatcheries charging crazy numbers for Lavender Ameraucanas are sold out. I would rather just keep all the pullets if people expect under $8 for those. They could get easter eggers instead. I need to keep repeating this to myself! It's hard when you are actually speaking to a person to stay true to your own rules. I feel so pressured to go with the flow.

 

[Rcornerranch]

That is a person to never do any business with again. Of any kind.

I absolutely agree!

 

[Rcornerranch]

She only had $11 worth of car damage? Getting the tires muddy costs more than that.

That's why I hate customers; every one of them

That is weird to me, too. I am waiting for her to sue me, since she is either 1) willing to blame me for some unfortunate damage that happened to occur to her car, or 2) willing to damage her own car just to be "right" and intimidate me. If she is telling the truth, it was odd for her to wait 2 days to say anything and to not mention it immediately when I messaged her about her owing money. I HIGHLY doubt it was a coincidence. I am trying my best to handle it in a professional way and imitated how I think a successful business would respond to her without adding further drama while denying her allegation. I am not contacting her at all anymore, of course. Just hoping nothing further comes of this. What a joyful person to teach me a few new lessons about people!