I sentenced two of my girls to die - and they want more!

[Sjisty]

I'm so upset. Last week I sold two beautiful Brahma pullets to a couple who wanted to get started with chickens, a gold partridge and a red pyle. They were at the point of lay and just beautiful. He talked me into the red pyle; I only had three of them but his wife so wanted her.

He called me yesterday. Guess what? They're gone! They let them free range and yesterday they were killed. The red one had just laid her first egg yesterday morning! Yes, I know, stuff happens, but I just can't shake this feeling that if they were here they would still be alive.

Bottom line, he tells me they want to get two more and can they come right out? He promised they will not free range and that he has a huge pen/coop for them. I told him I would let him know, to call me after Thanksgiving. I don't know what I'm going to tell him. I understand things happen and I have lost some of my chickens before, too, but this one really bothers me. I'll probably let him buy two more - maybe he learned a hard lesson.

RIP my beautiful girls -

(Edited because of typo)

 

[stoopid]

I am so sorry. I too, have had the same problem. I would wait a few weeks, and see if they really have gotten more responsible.
This job of owning a chicken is not to be taken lightly, especially if they have someone who can easily replace them.
Give it some time, and let them know you are upset with them.

 

[duckyfromoz]

So sorry... That really is so sad, but you dint know that was going to happen- dont be too hard on yourself. They had a wonderful life with you while you had them at least. They really were lovely looking birds.

I dread opening emails sometimes from people I sold ducks to in the past. Most of them are good news- like someone has laid a first egg- or someone is sitting on a nest- but I am always nervous it will be more along the line of.... *&#^^$%^ Fox came last night, and I lost them all.

It really is a hard decision to make to sell more to the same people so quickly. I usually ask what measures they have taken to make sure it doesnt happen again. I sometimes offer to drop off new ones of the person doesnt live to far away- and offer to help them make sure their coop area is safe. If they are very against it- I take this to mean that they have no intentions of fixing anything up- and that If I sell more they to will eventually be taken too.

I have flat out refused to sell ducks to some people making contact for the first time as well. I often get emails saying they have lost some birds and want to replace them- I ask a lot of questions- and sometimes they put off buying form me because of it- But I feel i do have a responsibility to make sure my babies are going to caring homes where they will be well cared for. Of course in some cases accidents still happen. Family emergencies and getting home after dark...

 

[sonew123]

Aw crappers!

I hate that! I'd be upset too..Can you just simply tell them you have no more available for a bit and that will give them plenty of time to get their coop and run set up? A month??

 

[gamelife]

Hopefully he learned his lesson. Some people have to learn the hard way(sadly).
You should tell him to keep them penned up and in a good pen, then if he wishes to free range do
it under supervision. That way he will know what the chickens are up against, and keep them secure
at night. We who have flocks need to know what predators we have in our area.
I know what it's like to give someone a bird and not have them take of it properly. If he wants
another one give him your conditions.

 

[Sjisty]

He said they have a 40-foot fenced and covered coop/pen area, but wanted to let the girls free range for a little while. He promises they will only free range under direct supervision from now on, which is the only reason I am considering selling him two more. I gave him a discount on the first two. If he really wants two more from me, they will cost regular price - he hurt me in the heart and I'm going to hurt him in the pocket! I always have extra partridge girls.

In his defense, he was very contrite. As I said, a hard lesson learned. It sounds like he will be doing the right thing in the future. I just wish it didn't take losing the other two girls to teach him!

I really wish he would go somewhere else to buy his replacements, but he and his wife fell in love with my flock.

 

[gritsar]

I'm sorry

 

[annie3001]

sorry, thats stinky of them and alot of nerve to ask for more? i would not sell to them, unless you need the money. these chickens mean alot to you and should go to good homes. have you seen his/her coop? i dunno. good luck tho.

 

[chickenzoo]

It sounds like he has a good space for them, and he just wanted them to be happy and free range a bit. I know I hate when that happens, when i hear one of my animals has been killed at another place... but it does with chickens sometimes. I think I would be more worried if he kept them stuffed in a tiny pen with no room, or if he left them out all the time and just tossed them some food knowing their were predators. If he sounds sincere and you think he really tried to protect them and just made a mistake, then I would let them buy more. I had someone buy 2 geese from me.... one got killed. She said she fixed the problem and talked to the owner of the dog that killed the goose. I sold her another because i didn't want the other to be lonely. The dog came back and killed another. She wanted me to sell another too her, but I declined. She did not fix the fence well enough to keep the dog out and i wasn't going to lose another sweet goose.

 

[theoldchick]

I don't blame you. Nothing worse than investing all that time, money, and emotion only to have someone simply throw your chickens to the elements to survive on their own. I would tell them no thanks to getting more of your chickens, and refer them to someone else who may have chickens more suitable for that type of situation.