Losses with Metzer Farms ducklings and goslings this week

[HallFamilyFarm]

Seen this on a Yahoo group. So sad. Glad John Metzer is trying to let his customesr know. Great work USPS. Guess they never thought about opening the truck door so the chicks could breath! Not Metzer's fault.

Losses with Metzer Farms ducklings and goslings this week
Posted by: "John Metzer" [email protected] metzerjohn
Wed Apr 6, 2011 9:08 am (PDT)


Many of our customers experienced losses this week. A postal truck was
hauling a large number of our birds from our post office to a major
distribution center on Monday and was pulled over for mechanical
problems. The truck sat in the sun for 90 minutes before a mechanic
could fix the problem. Due to this delay, these birds were dead by
Monday afternoon, not 80 miles from here. Grogel would not have helped
in this situation.

This has never happened before. Nothing was insured as normally the
Post Office provides excellent service throughout the country.

We are getting many, many calls this morning. We hope customers are
patient when they phone as there are only three of us trying to answer
all the calls. We should be able to replace ducklings within two
weeks. Goslings are another problem as some breeds are sold out of for
the year.

If you did experience losses, please give us a call.

Thank you,
John Metzer​

 

[annie3001]

yikes, so sad.


i received ducklings from metzer about 3 weeks ago. sad.

 

[HallFamilyFarm]

Just spoke to one of my 4H club members. He is 15. His Metzer order arrived yesterday. ALL DEAD! Goslings and ducklings. However, Metzer was very helpful, friendly and appologetic.

FYI: I have a class A CDL.

This driver knew he had live birds! He knew he should have opened the doors! Yet, he did nothing but sit on his butt waiting for the mechanic. He knew to open the doors and allow the heat to escape. He should be fired, his CDL suspended and he should be charged criminally for animal cruelty.

ETA: The truck was sealed, but the seal should have been broken by law enforcement to allow the birds to cool.

 

[tdgill]

So, is this Meyer or Metzer? I have seen both related to this tragic occurance. I will not say accident!

 

[HallFamilyFarm]

This was Metzer: the waterfowl hatchery.

Seems the contract driver could not, under federal regulations break the seal and open the truck. As a Class A CDL holder, I would have called law enforcement and requested a commercial officer to break the seal. In California, a commercial officer could have breoken the seal, stayed with the truck until repaired and resealed the truck. i have had roadside inspections where the commercial officer broke a seal and resealed the load. He just made a notation on my paperwork.

I do agree, it was not an accident, but a sad and tragic occurance. However, Metzer was not at fault. Metzer could have told their customers to file a claim with the USPS or the contract carrier. Instead John Metzer issued his concern and offered replacements for all. Nice to have someone like John Metzer in our Fancy!

The only gripe I have with Metzer stock is that the Buff Ducks I acquired last fall... are tooooooo friendly! Sometimes I just need to feed/water and leave. No time to sit down and visit a spell. Explain that to a Metzer duck! They think the sole reason you go out to the poultry pens are for them. We do have other breeds/species. Just because I am carrying a feed bucket does not mean it belongs to them. And I do not appreciate them sticking their heads in the bucket while I am trying to get feed out of it for bantams.

I also walk on the soles of my feet and have little appreciation for anything that walks on the top of my shoes! I may not be Moses, but the parting of the Red Sea is easier than parting a flock of Buff Ducks so one can walk past them.

This gentleness does not come from wild parents. This gentleness comes from a long line of well cared for waterfowl. Thanks Metzer!

 

[HiddenHill Heretic]

John Metzer is one of the stand up guys in this Fancy. He will always do the right thing to take care of his birds and customers. I have 50 healthy ducks and a goose from Metzer, and I have had NO problems at all. SO sorry for the loss to both John and the customers. Dead birds are no fun. Way to do the right thing, John. I would not have expected anything less. Metzer is a treasure.

 

[StevenW.]

Quote:
The only reason that they are linked is because Meyer gets theres ducklings and goslings from Mezter.

 

[tdgill]

Quote:
The only reason that they are linked is because Meyer gets theres ducklings and goslings from Mezter.

ic. I thought it might have happened to BOTH companies and was even more flabbergastedly upset. I find fault entirely with the driver for not finding out how to avoid this tragic ending. I hope in the future they will know how to handle this situation. If the driver was unaware of his load (is it possible?) then maybe I can sympathize with him also....

 

[HallFamilyFarm]

Since this was a shipment of US Mail, there was a federal seal on the trailer. Only a postal inspector or a commercial vehicle officer may break a seal. Had the driver broken the seal, he could have went to jail. Surely the driver know what he was hauling. Thus he should have called for a postal inspector or someone that could have helped.

Most of these contractors have decent trucks anad rarely break down. I have seen a new Freightliner with 2,000 miles on it break down. The transmission "forgot" it was married to the engine. Would not engage. Thankfully, it was not my truck.

They never said what the breakdown was. Hopefully this never happens again, but if it does, they will send another truck out to take the load.

 

[bock]

Sad.

9 of my ducks and 2 of my geese are from Metzer Farms, love them to death!