Southern NY, Dutchess county and below

[Imprfctme]

Incubator whirring away. Replacement eggs on the way. Now where are the chicks???

After months of reporting my great experience with chickensforbackyards.com, I'm sorry to say I'm not pleased with their service. They say there were no problems with the hatch and the chicks SHOULD HAVE shipped yesterday as planned. But since the chicks ship from the hatchery, they cannot provide me with tracking information. "We don't do it that way." Well, they did it that way in September! Do you mean to tell me that in this electronic age the hatchery can't email them, or me, the tracking information provided by UPS or USPS? I find that very hard to believe.

Bottom line is, I have no idea where the chicks are at the moment. I could get a call in a couple of hours from the PO telling me they're here. Or not. Or tomorrow. Or not.

I sent Customer Service an email telling them how dissatisfied I am and how I will no longer be recommending them to people. I suggested they change their shipping procedures. After all, chicks may be "product" to them, but they're babies to us!

I'll keep you posted...

Ok, not to sound like my kids on a car trip but....

"ARE THEY HERE YET? ARE THEY HERE YET? ARE THEY HERE YET?!"

Kinda sucky about the customer service though. I agree, seems like they could have given you a tracking number.

 

[smkchick]

I JUST got off the phone with cfb. A very nice young man, who probably sensed that I was going to come through the phone and rip his throat out, said they would get me a tracking number in 2-3 hours.

I have already called the PO. They already got the first express mail deliveries of the day, and no chicks. If they come today, they SHOULD be there by 12 noon.

I am NOT amused. The nursery is all set up, I'm pacing the floor. I have only one thing to say:

 

[ChickenAl]

I JUST got off the phone with cfb. A very nice young man, who probably sensed that I was going to come through the phone and rip his throat out, said they would get me a tracking number in 2-3 hours.

I have already called the PO. They already got the first express mail deliveries of the day, and no chicks. If they come today, they SHOULD be there by 12 noon.

I am NOT amused. The nursery is all set up, I'm pacing the floor. I have only one thing to say:

It does seem distressing for a company that is dealing in live creatures not to have tracking numbers in place for every shipment they are contracted to send. At the least, the hatchery should provide those directly to the customer or dealer. how can they be so callous as to treat a living being that way? Very disappointing, to say the least. Hope you can keep your nerves and composure, Suzanne. I know I would be blowing a stack right about now.

 

[Toxic Chicken]

Omg I'm praying for your little chicks.
I know exactly how you feel

Here is a link to an incubation seminar video

http://vimeo.com/m/40180319

Haven't watched the whole thing yet. It's long.

 

[smkchick]

It does seem distressing for a company that is dealing in live creatures not to have tracking numbers in place for every shipment they are contracted to send. At the least, the hatchery should provide those directly to the customer or dealer. how can they be so callous as to treat a living being that way? Very disappointing, to say the least.
Hope you can keep your nerves and composure, Suzanne. I know I would be blowing a stack right about now.

Al, I feel like you know me too well! It has been a struggle keeping my composure. I did speak to a young man, Jacob, at Customer Service. He said he would try to get me tracking information. I was very calm, but insistent. I told him to send me an email. Which he did. With tracking information. Apparently, the chicks did NOT ship yesterday, but did ship today. They are in Lebanon, MO at the moment and are due to arrive tomorrow. I just feel better knowing I can keep track of their progress.

Jacob's email was polite, helpful and sympathetic. Whatever.

Part of my stress was that as of this morning, they hadn't gotten a sub for my class. But that's been taken care of. So now I can spend the day doing some cleaning and switching of clothes. The closet I need will be blocked by the brooding box, so today's a perfect time to take care of it. Maybe I'll even cook something.

We picked up the paneling at the crack of dawn this morning. Bobby finished the rest of the insulation and the ceiling. He thinks we can move the girls in over the weekend. Exterior finishing can wait til they're moved in. Ditto the run. We've been fine tuning details for that now.

Good thing I have all this to keep me busy or I'd be stressing about losing my job in another coupla months.

 

[ChickenAl]

Suzanne, you have a lot on your plate. Im sure none of this is easy for you. Good thing you have chickens to take your mind off the stressors of life. Seems like chickens are a multipurpose pet. They feed you, entertain you and even provide mental therapy. Everyone should have chickens at least one time in their life.

Good luck with the babies tomorrow. I'm sure all will be fine and you will do a great job mothering them in the bator.

 

[ChickenAl]

Omg I'm praying for your little chicks.
I know exactly how you feel

Here is a link to an incubation seminar video

http://vimeo.com/m/40180319

Haven't watched the whole thing yet. It's long.

This is a long video, but it looks like it is well worth the time if you are going to incubate your own. I'm afraid if I watch it I'll run out and get a bator and eggs...

 

[smkchick]

This is a long video, but it looks like it is well worth the time if you are going to incubate your own. I'm afraid if I watch it I'll run out and get a bator and eggs...

DO IT! DO IT!!

 

[stoopid]

X2!

 

[smkchick]

Got the three replacement Lav Orp eggs this morning. Will put them in the incubator tomorrow a.m. That makes 8. Hopefully 4 hatch. All girls of course.

I'm using this lost day wisely. Had PT, put in laundry and am making some Italian bread. I always double the recipe so I can eat about a loaf's worth of dough. Yummy.

Next up: switching the clothes from winter to summer. My life is riveting. Try to keep your jealousy in check, please.