Hoffman Hatchery, Amazing Customer Service (Not)

[chickenannie]

Quote:
I think they're a small farm operation, not having tons of marketing employees and not that web savvy either. I just don't think you can compare the service to a huge place like McMurray. I know local small family farm businesses that produce a good quality but don't "get" the whole customer service thing.

I'm not making excuses, if they are not doing good business that's another matter, but personally what I am most interested in is quality of chicks, survival rate, etc. I love little Mom n'Pop places and sometimes am willing to deal with their "inconviences" so that I can get the better quality and health.

I don't know if they order birds elsewhere. Let me know if anyone finds out this information.

 

[My Little Sister's Farm]

in today's world - you can't afford to have poor customer service. people like us on boards like these can really hurt you, just by talking about their service and deciding to take our little business of 25 chicks a year elsewhere.

i have had over 400 chicks shipped to me and not a single problem, my post office loves it, they know when it is truly spring because the chicks come

 

[ozark hen]

I sent Hoffman's a polite email stating we have over ten thousand members. Advertising tell folks where you are at but word of mouth tells folks what kind of quality in doing business with them.
If you all take the time to read...it is very long... but if you read the last few pages you might just think twice about purchasing from hatcheries unless you prefer your birds to just live two -3 years.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=47199

 

[greyfields]

Well I wasn't hoping you would all e-mail and flame them! It was more me venting my frustration. Hopefully their customer service will improve based on the feedback.

By the way, anyone looking for a Freedom Ranger equivelant check out JM Hatchery.

 

[ozark hen]

Again, I said I sent a polite email. Perhaps they will reconsider their methods. They do not state on their "shipping" section that they do not ship to certain states now do they? You can't stay in business if you are discourteous to your customers no matter how small or big you are.

 

[blue90292]

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that's true, they could put on their website what states they ship to, that way we wouldn't be "bothering them".

btw, i love your sig line

 

[hinkjc]

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One situation does not dictate the quality or life span of all hatchery birds. While I don't care for hatcheries myself, I don't think this is a fair assumption or factual statement by any means. I know many folks who have hatchery birds that have lived and are still alive for well over 5 years. Some still living and very healthy at 8-9 years of age. To say all hatchery birds die in 2-3 years is simply incorrect and a false statement. I am sure there are many folks on this board who could testify otherwise. Until there is proven ties to the deaths, this is simply people's speculation. I am very sorry for what is happening with those birds, but I think this is pushing things a bit too far.

As far as where hatcheries ship...I will speak from experience that I do not stipulate on my site where I do and don't ship. It is an individual decision based on many factors. One of the most critical is whether my birds can arrive at their destination safely. If not, I refuse the order. That is the responsible thing to do IMO. There is no reason to be rude about, but I feel I have that right and customers deserve an honest response in a courteous manner. The safety of my birds always comes first, no matter how demanding a customer may be. You wouldn't believe the calls we get asking for birds shipped when its too hot or too few birds when its much too cold. My bird's lives are more valuable than that. Hatcheries that will ship anywhere just to make a buck, without regard for the live birds, don't deserve the respect they get sometimes. JMHO

Jody

 

[speckledhen]

To be fair, we have no idea what is happening to these two year old hatchery birds, so I wouldn't make any assumptions or come to any conclusions about that as yet. Jody is correct about my situation. We are just in the middle of discussing my situation and doing some fact-finding, seeing others who are having the same thing happen to their birds, so it's a bit premature to lump all hatchery stock together and say they all have a short lifespan.
In regard to Hoffman, phone courtesy is the least of what you should encounter with a hatchery. No matter what they have to tell you, they should be polite when they do it or risk losing future customers. Small hatcheries will not be able to do the same thing that the large ones do, obviously. Concern for welfare of the birds is what I would want to see no matter who I deal with.

 

[blue90292]

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cyn, i am soooo sorry to hear that your hawkeye passed away. i don't venture much out of certain sections in this forum and therefore did not know your loss. i know it may not be much but i hope you find comfort in knowing that so many of his great offsprings our out there with the wonderful members of byc. my prayers are with you, your husband and your birds.

michele

 

[ozark hen]

I spoke out of turn and sent Jody a pm apologizing to her. We cannot blame hatcheries , just grasping at straws trying to help find a solution to Speckled Hen and other's problems with their birds. Hatcheries cannot ship when the weather is too hot or cold and we surely understand that. But they need to have on their websites which states they will not ship to.