How long do you "guarantee" the birds you sell?

[Sunny Side Up]

I recently showed & sold 31 pullets & 3 cockerels at our county fair. I usually don't engage in this aspect of chicken-keeping, but wanted to use this opportunity to earn a little $$$ to finance the needs of the rest of the home flock. All the birds were 6 months old, the pullets just at the point of lay, in beautiful health & condition. They all won blue ribbons and 4 won trophies for best & reserve pullets.

I sold 31 of them, 28 of those were picked up by their buyers the last night of the Fair. I brought the 3 unsold ones home, along with 3 others who had been bought but not picked up. These 6 were placed back in the pen with 6 of their former flockmates.

Since their return they've all been doing/acting just fine, eating/drinking/pooping/laying normally. Yesterday I delivered 1 pullet to her new owner. She was looking/behaving well the whole while I was there.

But today her new owner called to say she was now laying in her nest and wouldn't/couldn't stand up. Wasn't interested in eating/drinking. She had even laid an egg yesterday, but today she wasn't doing well.

???!!!?!?!?!?!!!!???

I didn't know what to say. I haven't heard any complaints from any other buyers, have heard only good reports. All the pullets I brought home have been doing well, and this girl was doing fine when I left her. I told this man perhaps she ate something she shouldn't have. That sometimes these things happen to chickens, they're fine one day & ill the next. He was concerned that she could have picked up some illness at the Fair & I said sure, it's certainly possible considering all the people, many of them chicken-keepers, visiting the tent. I told him that the birds are tested for good health before they are exhibited, and that we watch throughout the fair for any signs of a sick bird, and remove it.

I gave him the number of a local vet who is knowledgeable about chickens, and also suggested he post his problem here on BYC.

But if she dies, must I refund his purchase price? I really don't think I owe it to him. I sold & delivered a well pullet to him. None of her flockmates exhibit any of those symptoms. It's possible she swallowed something there that's affecting her today, or perhaps their dogs stressed/injured her when the people weren't looking. How long is her health my responsibility?

 

[MandyH]

I guarantee my birds to be healthy at time of sale, and to be just what I say they are. When you see them and decide to buy them they are yours and my liability ends. You cannot help what happens after someone buys them. You don't know their housing situation, the feed they receive, the care they get, etc.

 

[al6517]

Quote:
I totally agree you cannot control what happens once the animal leaves your care, you are not bound by what you cannot control. you owe this person nothing, but since it is only one bird you may do as you wish.

Good luck in future shows
AL

 

[Sunny Side Up]

I'm not sure if they are even going to ask for a refund, or if they were just calling to find out more about her, to determine the reason for this behavior. It's only natural they would want to try to find any pieces of this puzzle. My thoughts are going first to the $$$ aspect since Mister just lost his job & our finances, or lack of them, are a primary concern to me now. Since I don't often sell chickens, and have never had such a problem with the ones I have sold, I was wondering what the standard protocol is for a situation like this.

 

[MandyH]

It's really up to you, but once a bird has left my farm I WILL NOT under any circumstance take a bird back. I have a thing about bio security. Maybe she's just sad about her new home and will come around soon, maybe she ate some mouse poison, who knows, that's why it's not your liability once she leaves your care.

 

[wclawrence]

Maybe she doesnt like the other chickens? Or laying and egg? Is she better yet, or dead, or did she hitch a ride home or what???

Is the owner a novice?

None of that has any bearing on your responsibility, which is zero at this point. If you sold a healthy chicken, then they bought a healthy chicken.

 

[onthespot]

probably the other chickens bullied her and she could be in shock or something

 

[chickenbottom]

i read a story about the same exact thing weird idk maybe it was the person who got it from you

 

[enola]

Personally, I woudn't replace/refund the chicken. But, if you decide to, demand to see the chicken. If he claims she died, then demand to see the body.

He may be trying to get a free chicken........

 

[MissPrissy]

There are a few issues here other than a refund or replacement for the chicken.

When the chickens were taken to the show they were exposed to alot of other chickens as well as put under a great deal of stress.

When the chickens were brought back home and returned to the flock the flock was exposed to all the germs the chickens brought home from the show as well as once again put under a great deal of stress with the move.

The chicken in question was again moved to a new home and again was put under a huge stress load.

It is this kind of stress that weakens the chickens and any and every disease they have been exposed to can rear its head and cause illness.

This is a very hard lesson to learn.

The chickens brought home from the show should have been quarentined for 30 days at the minimum away from all other birds and observed for illness and infections caused by virus/bacteria. After that time they could be safely reintroduced into the flock or sold.

According to your details if the hen became ill overnight it was predisposed to something that finally took a foothold and reared its head.

If it were me I would take back the chicken, cull it and offer the person another one that hasn't been under a stress load.

This is exactly why I have a closed flock, hatch my own stock and do not attend shows or let people wander through my barn.