Announcement Please Help & Reply To Unanswered Threads

[Evadig]

I am trying to help out with the unanswered thread list because I feel sorry for the people who are waiting for an response, but I have a question after reading about five pages of the earlier conversation on this thread:

Since most threads are something I have no knowledge about, should I
1) write a friendly reply like “how is your chicken?”
2) just give a smiley face
Or
3) tag a more knowledgeable member (but I don’t know how to tag)

In other words, is it better to answer or not answer?

 

[Sussex19]

I am trying to help out with the unanswered thread list because I feel sorry for the people who are waiting for an response, but I have a question after reading about five pages of the earlier conversation on this thread:

Since most threads are something I have no knowledge about, should I
1) write a friendly reply like “how is your chicken?”
2) just give a smiley face
Or
3) tag a more knowledgeable member (but I don’t know how to tag)

In other words, is it better to answer or not answer?

I am interested to hear what other people say about this too.
My take on it; if it has been more then a few days since it was posted, then asking something like, 'how is your chicken going" is good, but then you have to be ready to either help, or know someone who can help, if they reply that its getting worse, for example.
Definitely don't just reply with a smiley, that is not helping in the slightest, and taking it off the list so no one else will see it.
If you know someone who can help with that exact problem, and who doesn't mind being tagged, or if the situation is desperate, then that could be a way to go.

One thing to remember, 'Bumping' threads is not allowed.

 

[Evadig]

Mmm

But if you give an answer won’t it bump the thread? Like a few have been there for at least a week.

 

[Sussex19]

Mmm

But if you give an answer won’t it bump the thread? Like a few have been there for at least a week.

Yes it will, but as long as you are helpful at the same time, it doesn't matter. What they don't want is people giving replies that don't have any purpure other then to bump it.

These are the reasons why I don't reply to many of those threads, in that I just don't have the knowledge to.

But like I said, I am really looking forward to hearing what other people say, so take all my answers with a grain of salt!

 

[Nifty-Chicken]

My first thought is "don't reply unless it's actually answering / helping the person with their request".

Replying just to "bump" won't usually make much difference, and will make it just drop off the unanswered list... which might do more harm than good.

Maybe a reply tagging someone who will almost sure know the answer and able/willing to help might be appropriate, but we don't want a situation where people are getting tagged like crazy and those members get annoyed and/or the original poster just sees a tag as a reply and nothing else.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

I'm in the "i don't answer if I don't think I know camp". and the if I think I know, I will answer and tag someone more knowledgable (this is common on the injury/illness thread - I can answer some basics about Permethrins and Corid/Amprolium, leave the rest to the real experts).

The only time I will post to "bump" is when the poster's comment really needs no answer, i.e. "Hi from X, this is my chicken {picture}" because I know I have a (mostly undeserved) following, and a few of them will likely coment as well, which provides a warmer welcome.

 

[Allsfairinloveandbugs]

3) tag a more knowledgeable member (but I don’t know how to tag)

To tag someone, simply type @ in front of the user name of the member you want to tag.
Like this. @Evadig

 

[DotToDot]

The threads are piling up again. I try to answer what I can, but the truth is that most of them are about topics that aren’t common knowledge (at least for me.)

 

[casportpony]

I just did a bunch, but I barely made a dent.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/pages/unanswered/
I started at the bottom and worked my way up.

 

[Kiki]

5 done.