Neighbor paid for 10 chicks, has not picked them up for three weeks...

[fat brown hen]

I split a hatchery order with a neighbor. I agreed to deal with post office pickup and the first 48 hours, then they would pick up their portion soon after. Three weeks and many excuses later, I still have all the chicks. I've considered driving over and dropping them off, but the person says their brooder isn't ready. In fact they just offered me 20 bucks to hold all the chicks for yet another week.

At this point, what should I do with the chicks? Wrong answers welcome, such as:
- set them free
- take them to the pound
- secretly replace them with 10 cockerels if they ever do pick 'em up

 

[DobieLover]

You've covered all the expenses of rearing their 10 chicks. You didn't set up for this many chicks. I would inform them that you do not have the capacity to continue to house them, that you were not prepared for this and it isn't fair to the birds or you. Then inform them that you are going to advertise and sell them as started pullets and refund their up front money for the purchase (and then keep the rest of the money to compensate you for your expenses and inconvenience.)

 

[wrathsfarm]

Do you have the space to accommodate these 10?

If you do then charge accordingly... $20 for 3 weeks of care for 10 chicks? Is that not enough?
Honest questions... But if your not happy with the price, make it known. You've gone from being neighborly to now being a service provider. Inform the neighbor of the upcharge.

If you don't have the space, inform the neighbor they've got (a time limit) to collect his property or they forfeit it along with any money paid.

The brutal truth is you've past the point of being neighborly and are now being taken advantage of.. act accordingly or continue to get burned.

Edited to add... Switching out for 10 cockerels is a good one...

 

[LaFleche]

I agreed to deal with post office pickup and the first 48 hours, then they would pick up their portion soon after.

Three weeks and many excuses later, I still have all the chicks.

Just sell the ones you do not want/need without further notice to your neighbour.

I've considered driving over and dropping them off, but the person says their brooder isn't ready.

Your neighbour was well aware that the chicks would need the brooder set up and ready on arriving, so they might just think of themselves to be very clever making you keep the chicks until the costly and tedious phase of raising them is over, genders will show and they can just pick out the pullets, leaving the rest/cockerels for you.

Don't let them take advantage of you any longer and sell what you don't want.

And when the neighbour one day arrives to pick up ready to lay pullets, just give them back their day old chick money.

 

[wrathsfarm]

Your neighbour was well aware that the chicks would need the brooder set up and ready on arriving, so they might just think of themselves to be very clever making you keep the chicks until the costly and tedious phase of raising them is over, genders will show and they can just pick out the pullets, leaving the rest/cockerels for you.

It is pretty convenient that the neighbor is at the 4 week gender area code...

 

[LaFleche]

It is pretty convenient that the neighbor is at the 4 week gender area code...

Exactly!

 

[fat brown hen]

Then inform them that you are going to advertise and sell them as started pullets and refund their up front money for the purchase (and then keep the rest of the money to compensate you for your expenses and inconvenience.)

That's the thing... I quietly listed the chicks for sale on various sites the first time my neighbor rescheduled. It's not easy to sell them around here, I can't compete with Tractor Supply's $6 chicks. Plus Craigslist buyers are every bit as flaky as my neighbor, maybe even flakier.

 

[Sally PB]

Your neighbor sounds flaky. This does not bode well for the chicks.

Soon, if not already, these chicks will need a coop and run. Does she have that set up yet?

 

[fat brown hen]

Do you have the space to accommodate these 10?

If you do then charge accordingly... $20 for 3 weeks of care for 10 chicks? Is that not enough?
Honest questions... But if your not happy with the price, make it known. You've gone from being neighborly to now being a service provider. Inform the neighbor of the upcharge.

I don't mean to brag, but I'm an adult with a job. I don't care about $20. I am just frustrated with the situation. If I had known it was going to be such a hassle, I would have paid the hatchery a $30 small-order fee and not taken on anyone else's chicks.

 

[Sally PB]

I don't mean to brag, but I'm an adult with a job. I don't care about $20. I am just frustrated with the situation. If I had known it was going to be such a hassle, I would have paid the hatchery a $30 small-order fee and not taken on anyone else's chicks.

You're not bragging at all. I understand exactly where you're coming from.

Your neighbor sounds very much like mine. She wanted to split an order, but didn't get back to me, so I told her I had to order and did it. The money wasn't the issue for me either. I like my neighbor, she's a nice lady, they're a nice family. But our lifestyles and management styles are so different that I wouldn't depend on her.

Go talk to your neighbor in person. Tell her what's what. If she tries to put you off again, tell her you can't wait, YOUR chicks are getting overcrowded and you need to deal with YOUR situation. Now.