I recently sold 2 brooders to a lady who got my name from the local feed store. They had sold me all their brooders and knew I was going to sell some. She called and asked if I would be willing to sell a couple. Well, I had two that I had finished rewiring, so I said sure. I had just used them to brood my meat birds and had them all cleaned up and put away. I have more to rebuild and thought that selling these would help pay to finish the others. I sold one for $75 and one for $65 telling her up front that I had cracked the switch casing while I was rebuilding it, that's why it was cheaper. Well, come to find out she didn't have a clue about these things. The way she talked on the phone I thought she'd had one before. She called today all upset because her birds came today, and she can't get the temp above 80 degs. She's blaming me for the death of one of her chicks because of it. She wants her money back because she's tired of messing with them and they don't work. I told her no, but she could bring them down and I'd test them again and replace the wafers. Which I think is more than most people would do. I'm so upset. I don't want people mad at me and I'd never screw anybody intentionally. I sold them in good faith that they worked. Heck I just used them myself and ate one of the birds I brooded in it just tonight! WHY IS HER IGNORANCE MY FAULT? I warned her up front that wafers were difficult to regulate, that she should have an extra wafer on hand just in case. Not only that, but why is she waiting until the chicks get here to get that stuff regulated? Most of you know that you aren't a true chicken person till you've fought the wafer war! Anyway, it's got me so upset and I having anxiety attacks over it. DH finally said to take the high road, our good name isn't worth the $140 dollars, to tell her we'd give her her money back if she brought them back CLEAN tomorrow. I'm sick of this kind of stuff. I did nothing wrong, shady or even close to grey and I'm feeling awful because of it. I take meds for anxiety already but stuff like this sets me off. I guess the fact that we worked all day yesterday to make $800 just to find out that we ruined a $624 tractor tire and last week it was a $150 tractor tire etc isn't helping matters either. It's just been a bad month getting worse. Sorry for the long rant.
Anxiety is terrible & I wouldn't wish it upon anyone. What is a wafer anyway? I'm new to this & have heard the term before but don't know what it is.
The most important thing isn't anything but your health right now. Let your husband do whatever he thinks is right, and remove yourself from dealing with things like this for a while. It's just not worth it. Play in the garden, read, post...and just try to remove as much stress as possible. I'm so sorry this became controversial.
Tried to get DH to deal with it, but he says it's my deal and won't. Shoot, half the time he makes me deal with his problems and that cause me anxiety.
i'd just say i explained everything up front and honest to u and i can't take returns due to biosecurity reasons since she has placed other animals in it. u should never take returns on anything poultry related u could bring something back to ur flock and it is not worth it. i would tell her it also was sold as is and she knew that when she got it and she agreed to that when she purchased it on sale after all ur not walmart,lol. another thing mabe tell her u could help her set it up at her place and regulate it for her to show her how it needs set up or right out directions for her if that would help since she don't know what she is doing. but i would not accept it back on the property once other birds were in it pooping and such u don't know how well it was cleaned or if done right and i'd never risk that with my flock. hope that helps, silkie
as an added thought if it is a 5 tier brooder like i have, what a dingus she is, all she has to do is hang clamp lights on the side of it alone and they r cheaper to run and will up the temp of the brooders. just clip one heat lamp to each one so every level has one. i don't use the heat elemints i just use heat lamps on mine but every brooder has a light and heat eliment u don't have to use that part. heck she could probably even use them together for newborns but i've not tried that was affraid i'd fry them,lol. also if she just got babies in my guess is it died due to shipping stress wich has nothing to do with u.
I also think trying to show her what she's doing wrong might be the answer. Good luck! She is quite a dingus for waiting until the last minute to get everything regulated. I've always just used a big box and heat lamps!
It is the 5 teired brooder. I only sold her two of them and still have 3. You can also change out the 7.5 watt light to a high wattage. But the room has to be 70 degs to start with as well. I'm feeling a little better this morning. Didn't get much sleep last night. I don't know why it bugs me so much, I guess I just hate to be called a liar.
You did the right thing, have offered more than could be expected so try not to let it get you down. Remember: a failure to have knowledge or prepare on your part does not constitute an emeregency or problem on mine.