It never ceases to amaze me how people or companies will use what we want to hear to get our business whether or not that's the truth.
They don't even have to come out and say "we're a small cottage business" but you got that feeling from the way they presented themselves. They didn't have to say it. There's a lot of that going on out there, and I'm afraid it's made me a bit of a cynic. (Maybe that's good to a certain extent?)
I tend to ask a lot of questions. I tend to phrase my questions these days in the way that I'm sure businesses would hope I don't: I pin them down to a certain type of answer that will betray any misrepresentation of their product. I don't do it meanly - I usually have something else in mind for the product. If it does B, but they make it sound like it does A, sometimes it doing B is perfect and I don't need A. But I'd like for them to be honest about not actually doing A when they imply it does.
Case in point: there's an international company that makes a "wormer" (they use quotation marks at one point in their advertising - a red flag for me). Now they don't say their product kills, paralyzes, and expells worms. But if you read their literature it strongly implies it. If you really dig, you will find something that says their produce is the premier one at repelling worms.
Now see, there's nothing wrong with repelling worms, not to me anyway. I'd LOVE a product that honestly repels worms. But it implies that it gets rid of worms completely, lightly implies (particularly if you really want to hear that message) that it treats worms.
So I emailed them. Several days ago. I was quite specific, asking could they please provide a list of the species and life stages that their product expells paralyzes or removes. I explained I would love to recommend their product even if just for a repellent, but I' dlike to know exactly what it will and won't do so I can be accurate in my recommendation.
I think I'm going to mark a calendar on how long it takes to get a reply if at all.
Most advertisers tell us what we want to hear - or imply it. A kitchen cleaner will make my whole house look better and more trendy, a diet product will make me have an obvious work-out addicted body. But it really strikes home and irks me a bit when they do that to people who simply want something more wholesome in their life.
OK, rant over. /hugs I'm so sorry about this whole experience. Theoretically what you get from her will be the same as what you have. If you were to buy more chickens, possible ethics aside (who knows on that - she might be earnest) this still might be a better bet. We're not certain this illness is vertically transmitted so all new babies would be without it anyway hopefully. Quarantining new babies would be a good deal. I do like to keep new babies (mine or otherwise) apart from other birds until 4-5 months of age at least. I know from a behaviroral and nutritional standpoint that's the age where they can better blend in. But recently I've learned that doing so also allows them to better develop their immune system to its fullest so that they can better withstand whatever the adults have.
All I knew is that it worked; I didn't really fully understand why until now. Perhaps that will work for you as well.
