02/25/2025
Dear all, Unfortunately it has become necessary to address some comments that have been made about our farm on the Central Texas Poultry page.
It is not something I would normally deal with in a public forum, but when the reputation of our farm is threatened publicly it becomes necessary. So, buckle up friends, I am about to lay it all out.......
We had a customer choose to come and pick up 2-3 month old chickens late on friday evening (about 6pm, temps here were about freezing). We get a message mid morning today (Monday) to say that all of our chickens were sick,(see screen shot of messages below- please read). I was upset enough about the accusations of abuse and neglect in that message that I asked my husband to respond in between his chores (hence the short sentences). You can read and judge for yourselves if this interaction was in anyway rude or unpleasant. We have no way of knowing if the pullets were sick before leaving here (remember that the customer chose to leave with the birds - if they were that sick at the point of purchase, why take them?), became sick due to the stress of being transported at such low temperatures and introduced to a new environment/new food new everything, or even if they are sick - it is impossible to say. All we can say is that none of our other pullets are showing any sign of sickness. However, instead of quibbling over who is to blame and in an attempt to keep the customer happy, her money was refunded.
Then a representative of the Sheriff's department animal control came out to inspect us at the customer's insistence. He found no evidence of sick birds, no abuse, no neglect, plenty of food and water provided and clean facilities (as clean as you can have with that many chickens producing that much p**p). He apologized for wasting our time on a bogus claim We will post a copy of that report when it is available, and as far as we were concerned that was the end of it...... until the post on the Central Texas Poultry page.
So to address the 3 claims on that post:
1. the interaction was unpleasant: I am not sure what this is about - the messages are posted for you to decide. We went above and beyond to try to make things right. The customer now has the chickens and the money..... I have seen enough Judge Judy to know that that isn't right.
2. we do not "practice safe breeding practices". I ask the question, how does this customer know? Our breeding is all done in the coops up on the hill that she never went to. (the animal control officer did though.....just sayin').
3. we do not practice "healthy keeping". I refer back to the comments from the animal control representative (and will post a copy of his report when it is available so you don't have to take my word for it)
If you are still with me, thanks for hearing our side of this interaction. With the odd obvious exception, we love the interactions that we have with our customers. We strive to address any issues to the satisfaction of all concerned as soon as we are made aware.
