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Warning: Diseased Birds for Sale

I recently bought poultry from Donohoe Poultry in Glenmore, Kilkenny. I got two ducks, a lemon brahma, two hybrids and two silkies.

I didn't pay attention when the chap was boxing the birds for me, I trusted him and was chatting with another buyer.

However, when I got the birds home I discovered the hybrids were sick, one very, and the brahma had one eye swollen and badly infected.

I got antibiotics and ointment.

However one hybrid is dead, the brahma is not improving and now one of the silkies is gasping for air and looking grim. I tried isolating the sick birds but the vet said it won't have made a difference.

He suspects avian coryza.

I rang the chap in Donohoe poultry who refused to accept the birds had been sick when he gave them to me. I can't stress enough that they were in that state when I got them home (all of a 20-minute drive). What was more worrying was that he didn't seem alarmed about what I was telling him, that the vet suspected avian coryza.

This is infectious and all birds who get it carry it for life. I will have no choice I think but to cull this flock, use disinfectant, wait a month or two before restocking. The only responsible thing to do as I have a lot of neighbours and friends with poultry.

I posted a review on Donohoe Poultry's Facebook page expressing my disappointment, and he then messaged me to say if I took the review down he would come over to my house and "sort the issue out." I took the review down and he just disabled the function so I can't re-post. He then told me he would ring me on Tuesday evening gone, and that was the last I heard from him.

If you are in the market for hens, steer clear of Donohoe poultry.

Eb2
Thursday, July 12th, 2018

you should have taken them straight back if they are that close to u.

pearl
Thursday, July 12th, 2018

This chap ordered 100 hatching hen eggs off me to be collected at portlaoise sale last Sunday.
After collecting for 5 days and refusing other customers looking for eggs I decided to call him saturday night to confirm the order.
He not only didn't answer my txts but turned of his phone on my second call.
I don't know this chap but he seems to have the wrong attitude.

happy hatching
Friday, July 13th, 2018

Had you taken them straight back as Pearl says you would only have had to burn the carrier, cop on
buying birds without examining
them you are just as irresponsible as he.

bantam1
Friday, July 13th, 2018

Eb2 how do you feel about the point you should have brought them straight back if your so close
It's a valid point.

happy hatching
Saturday, July 14th, 2018

Ps I do still feel your pain.

happy hatching
Saturday, July 14th, 2018

Bantam1 stop your so wrong.
What about the absolute novist . Most people are not like us and know very little about poultry.
We breeders and sellers depend on our regular customers who might know very little apart from what's guided by us breeders
If he did this to one of his own (a breeder) what can he get away with a novist.
This guy is the reason sales are dropping and they are and guess what there's no defending this type of seller. Shame on you.
Maybe he should come back and give his account of the situation before we here any more (stirring)
Come back (FARMBOY ) that's your name here.
Here's your chance to say your piece

swan 555
Saturday, July 14th, 2018

Ps Eb2 i see your frustration.

swan 555
Saturday, July 14th, 2018

Well swan555 ,I quote
(I did not pay attention but when I got home I noticed the birds were sick.) The novice learned after a 20 minutes drive,I think not.

bantam1
Sunday, July 15th, 2018

Not a very nice situation to be in but unfortunately there are people who will take advantage of buyers with limited knowledge.
The old saying still holds good to this day and beyond for that matter "Caveat Emptor" or Buyer Beware.
Hopefully lesson learned, in future don,t buy off anyone unless they have been recommended to you as a trusted source of healthy stock and if you have to buy from an unknown source bring someone with you who knows the score.
Personally i would cull the lot,disinfect everything with Vircon,put it down to experience and move on.
At least everyone knows now to steer clear of this person and thats that only way to hurt them,in the pocket,shame on them !

nama-man
Sunday, July 15th, 2018

There's some very dishonest and unfair people out there, I bought a dozen "fertile" eggs from a guy in Derry who had an add up on some deal for silkie, leghorn and andalusain eggs. I ordered the eggs and sent off a postal order that was all fine the eggs arrived a few days later and I put them under a broody duck. On hatch day only 4 out of the 12 came out and one of those got killed by the ducks big feet! But when I opened the rest of them eggs 3 days later they were pure liquid. Now I asked the guy would he send down another 8 for the ones that didn't hatch if I payed postage. No answer, I texted numerous times I rang I tryed everything,I was completely ignored, yet when I got a friend to text him he replyed almost instantly. Very annoying, Funnily enough he was very polite when I was ordering the eggs.
I would steer clear of this seller in future as from my experience, he's a very dishonest and rude man.

Niall124
Wednesday, July 18th, 2018

Niall I would almost expect 4 out of 12 to hatch if you are hatching posted eggs, it's a risk you take. They will not be handled well during transit.
They may not have been fertile in the first place or stored incorrectly..fair enough but you can't prove that and there's no point getting mad at the seller. If you want good birds, buying adult birds anyway is the only way.

Adrian Kelly
Thursday, July 19th, 2018

I had a guy on donedeal saying he could sell me a nice sussex rooster and sussex hens saying they were 3 months old when he came to my house and I checked them in the box they were not sussexs and clearly not 3 months old and he went all mad that he had travelled an hour and that the hens were looking the way they were because they were maxed out. I refused to pay him or take the hens as they were not at all what he had advertised. I think you have to always check before paying and always make sure if you are picking hens they are the ones you chose and also I have found that eggs by post is rather risky and might not fertile when you get them as they have not been handled correctly or sometimes packed well during transit.

eire
Saturday, July 21st, 2018

Yeah , oh well it's a lesson learned

Niall124
Saturday, July 21st, 2018

But the guy should not have ignored you in such a manner.

eire
Sunday, July 22nd, 2018


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