Why me?

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Why me?

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Bodger

Joined: 23 May 2006
Posts: 13524

Posted: Tue Dec 20, 16 2:56 pm Post subject: Why me?

Kill a ï¿½minute or two by reading this.

I keep around thirty free range laying hens plus fifteen ducks. They are free to roam about on our four acres of orchards and pasture and all in all, I think they live quite an idyllic life.
In return, they give me the most fabulous eggs with deep orange yolks of which, I'm justifiably proud. To help pay for my hobby, I sell any surplus eggs at the farm gate. My customers can never have enough of them and even in the summer, when they're going full belt, I usually have a waiting list for eggs.

Now let me take you back three or four weeks in time to a knock on the front door. It was a middle aged women asking if I had any eggs for sale. I informed her that I did and at this stage, little did I know just exactly what I was letting myself in for.

Her ï¿½" Are they free range?"

Me ï¿½ " Yes, they have acres to roam over"

Her ï¿½" Are they organic? "

Me ï¿½ " No. The organic layers pellets are way more expensive than the non organic "

Her ï¿½" Do your pellets contain Soya"

Me ï¿½ " I honestly don't know "

Her ï¿½" Soya does enormous damage to the human body, I'll drop some medical research off for you to look at. Would you consider feeding all your birds on non soya organic feed ? "

Me ï¿½ ï¿½" I'll look into it is, by the way, I also feed my birds on whole wheat and barley which I get from a local farmer " Bloody nutter I thought, here's hoping I don't see you again.

Her ï¿½ ï¿½" Is your wheat and barley organic ? "

Me ï¿½ ï¿½ " I haven't got a clue but the farmer's nearly eighty years old. "

Three weeks forward, almost to present day and I have another knock on the door. Its the same woman again. This time, she's with her young son, a body builder and whose holding a 20kg ï¿½sack of organic layers pellets made by Allen and Page as if it was a feather.
I've sent off for this mail order she says. You don't have to pay me, I just want you to try your birds on it. !

Me ï¿½ ï¿½" Thanks very much, I'll give it a go and I'll look at whether its available locally."

Her ï¿½ ï¿½" I'll come and see you in the new year "

Oh shit ! I think, 2017 is going to be getting off to a cracking start. :laugh:

Her ï¿½ ï¿½ " By the way, can you keep your ducks and chickens away from your free range pigs, because their pig pellets will contain soya ? "

Then she thrusts this pearl drop into my hand.

So there you go folks, now you know how to get rid of your rats, or even the MIL. Simply feed them on plenty of chicken feed containing soya ï¿½

Yesterday, I found that my local Wynnstay can supply the Allan and Page products.

Here are the prices for a 20kg bag. It is, shall we say quite interesting.

Their organic non soya layers pellets ï¿½are ï¿½16.90 pence a bag

There Smallholder range of non organic but soya free layers pellets are ï¿½9. 89p

However, Wynnstays own brand of non organic pellets which contain genetically modified soya and maize costs ï¿½6.00 a bag.

At the moment, I'm ï¿½selling my free range eggs at ï¿½2.50p a dozen and by my reckoning, if I was to decide to go down the road that this lady wants me to, then I'd not only have to charge her ï¿½7.00 per dozen but also charge all my others customers the same too.

What do you think that I should tell this lady when she makes her next visit to my door ? ï¿½

As I said at the very beginning " WHY ME ?"

NorthernMonkeyGirl

Joined: 10 Apr 2011
Posts: 4630
Location: Peeping over your shoulder

Posted: Tue Dec 20, 16 3:33 pm Post subject:

Well I guess it's good that she cares about her food and cares about you and your flock (however...interestingly...demonstrated?)
Perhaps if she is so picky ("picky" sounds ruder than I intend. Fussy? Particular?) she should keep her own birds.
If she does come again, perhaps point out the price difference and say why it wouldn't be viable for you right now, and would she maybe like to contact manufacturers and nudge them/research herself about price differentials etc?

Bodger

Joined: 23 May 2006
Posts: 13524

Posted: Tue Dec 20, 16 3:41 pm Post subject:
Oh I know she's going to visit again ! I knew that organic was going to be dear but three times as expensive ?

RichardW

Joined: 24 Aug 2006
Posts: 8443
Location: Llyn Peninsular North Wales

Posted: Tue Dec 20, 16 5:43 pm Post subject:
Even if you do feed them organic feed the eggs still wont be organic as they are not from approved stock or on land that has been organic registered.

Bodger

Joined: 23 May 2006
Posts: 13524

Posted: Tue Dec 20, 16 6:04 pm Post subject:
True.

dpack

Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 46211
Location: yes

Posted: Tue Dec 20, 16 8:00 pm Post subject:

the customer is always right if they are prepared to pay enough for the privilege
otherwise the customer can be a bloody minded nuisance you don't need
principle applies.

maybe offer to sell her a starter flock?.

if you explain that ï¿½7 a doz plus a (is it 5yr) wait for a certificate and a share per egg of the several grand a year for registration on top of the extra feed costs would be more than your customers would pay she might go off to waitrose , buy organic eggs and hope the unseen chooks have as nice a time as yours have.

however if she wishes to supply you with free organic feed ( or the difference in price ) for some or all of your birds maybe you will be happy to sell her eggs at the current price or swap eggs for feed at a fair ratio or some such suitable deal .

diplomacy is war by other means and if you can find a way to win by making both parties happy etc etc . good luck

wellington womble

Joined: 08 Nov 2004
Posts: 15051
Location: East Midlands

Posted: Wed Dec 21, 16 12:44 pm Post subject:
I'm not laughing. Much.

Bodger

Joined: 23 May 2006
Posts: 13524

Posted: Wed Dec 21, 16 1:05 pm Post subject:
I'm not going to tell her this but I've already mixed the freebies with the el cheapo pellets.

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