Purchasing failure. What would you do?

[furbabymum]

This is stupid. I go to a feed store in another city, about 45 minutes away from my home, where they sell chicks pretty much all year round. I decided I needed more birds so off we went to get some. When we got there they had 20 Cornish that were too big for the cage. So I talked my DH into letting me take them all. The worker got a box that I didn't really think was big enough. But I got distracted with my 2 toddlers around and picking out the laying birds I wanted. When they put them all in that box I figured they had it handled and didn't think about it again. It's stupid. I feel stupid. We got home and only 7 were alive. They were in rough shape. I went about saving them but 1 still died overnight. So now of 20 I bought only 6 lived. The box was too small, as I had suspected. So obviously I feel horrible because I didn't say anything. I feel responsible. I also feel like they are responsible. I've bought birds from them quite often and they sell a lot so I had a certain level of trust in their ability to box up those birds. I called and they are going to "see what we can do". Would you feel like they should reimburse the dead birds or would you feel like you deserved to take the financial hit for not saying anything?

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I think that if the birds they sold you died within and hour they should reimburse. Lesson learned for them.

 

[SMonroe1990]

In my opinion the worker who was packing up the chickens should have noticed the box was too small. You can't shove to many of one animal into any container and expect them to live. I know how tough it is to take a toddler into a store and try to pay attention to what you are doing and what they are, so I don't think they should hold the fact that you didn't say anything over you. However if you had noticed when you got to the car that the box was too small, if you had another adult with you, you could have gone back in and asked for another box maybe, not sure if they would have given you one or what not. However I would hope the store would at least offer to give you a refund or some replacement chicks since their employee was obviously not smart enough to realize the box was too small in the first place. But then again some companies do some awful things. I hope they at the very least offer you a replacement, a refund, or even a gift certificate to their store for the trouble. Don't beat yourself up over this. Having a toddler with you is tough and anyone could have made the same mistake if they weren't paying careful enough attention. Keep us updated on the outcome.

 

[furbabymum]

In my opinion the worker who was packing up the chickens should have noticed the box was too small. You can't shove to many of one animal into any container and expect them to live. I know how tough it is to take a toddler into a store and try to pay attention to what you are doing and what they are, so I don't think they should hold the fact that you didn't say anything over you. However if you had noticed when you got to the car that the box was too small, if you had another adult with you, you could have gone back in and asked for another box maybe, not sure if they would have given you one or what not. However I would hope the store would at least offer to give you a refund or some replacement chicks since their employee was obviously not smart enough to realize the box was too small in the first place. But then again some companies do some awful things. I hope they at the very least offer you a replacement, a refund, or even a gift certificate to their store for the trouble. Don't beat yourself up over this. Having a toddler with you is tough and anyone could have made the same mistake if they weren't paying careful enough attention. Keep us updated on the outcome.

I didn't see the chicks inside the box, just the box closed. I think if I had had the forethought to open the box and see how they were I would have instantly known it was a death trap. I didn't look though. I just took the box and left. I failed and 14 birds died because of it. I feel awful.

 

[SMonroe1990]

No you didn't fail. I'm sorry if that's how you took my post. I didn't mean it that way. Ultimately it is the person at the feed store who is to blame. Any person who knows anything about animals knows you cannot over pack them. It is the same result with anything. The associate at the store should have taken the time assess the situation and realize that the box was too small, not just keep packing it. If the associate was unsure they should have asked for some help determining the situation whether it was ask you for your opinion or to get another associate from the store (your opinion would have been better). I am hoping the store you bought them from does something for you.
This is going to be a really bad comparison, but I work in a grocery store and I always make sure to ask the customer how they want their bags packed especially if I am unsure. If a customer comes in or phones in a complaint about how their bags where packed, say their bread was crushed, we offer to either refund or replace the product, whichever the customer wants. I think the feed store should do something of the same for you since it is not your fault the box was over packed, it was a mistake made by their associate.

 

[furbabymum]

No you didn't fail. I'm sorry if that's how you took my post. I didn't mean it that way. Ultimately it is the person at the feed store who is to blame. Any person who knows anything about animals knows you cannot over pack them. It is the same result with anything. The associate at the store should have taken the time assess the situation and realize that the box was too small, not just keep packing it. If the associate was unsure they should have asked for some help determining the situation whether it was ask you for your opinion or to get another associate from the store (your opinion would have been better). I am hoping the store you bought them from does something for you.
This is going to be a really bad comparison, but I work in a grocery store and I always make sure to ask the customer how they want their bags packed especially if I am unsure. If a customer comes in or phones in a complaint about how their bags where packed, say their bread was crushed, we offer to either refund or replace the product, whichever the customer wants. I think the feed store should do something of the same for you since it is not your fault the box was over packed, it was a mistake made by their associate.

No that was me. I feel like I failed. I should have known better is what I keep telling myself. It's silly but since they were over crowded in the cage I saw myself as saving them and giving them a good life and then good death. Instead I did neither. I'm taking it hard.

 

[SMonroe1990]

I'm sorry to hear that you are taking it hard. The loss of any animal not matter how long you had them is hard. Don't blame yourself solely. It wasn't all your fault. It seems like I can't help lessen the guilt you have already placed upon yourself, but it wasn't all your fault. I know you probably are going through all these thoughts in your head that if you did this and that differently it would have changed the outcome, and while some of these may be true you unfortunately cannot change the past. The best thing to do is learn from the mistake so the same thing doesn't happen in the future.

 

[duluthralphie]

Beating yourself up over the dead birds is a waste of time. It is sad it happened. It is not your fault.

We all defer in our actions to those we think should know best. Poop happens.

I would Demand with a capital D the feed store make this right, one way or another. I would contact the manager and if that did not work I would contact the owner of the store.

If that fails I would post/blog and write about the poor service from the store to anybody that will listen. I would be the squeaky wheel and not stop until I get satisfaction.

I would make a scene in the store at least once. They would give me more chicks just to never see me again..........