Warning for Egg or Bird Buyers

Seller Warnings-

This is warnings about sellers I have done business with as a silkie enthusiast. Most have been great but a few have been just a trial. I find too many times people don't tell about severe problems they have with sellers for various reasons. These are MY experiences with these sellers and may not be someone elses. Everyone should make their own decision, taking what they are told and hear under advisement. If you have a serious problem with a seller I would consider putting your story here as well.
All experiences below are either my own or related to me by others who have had problems. The views, stories and opinions expressed here are solely the responsibility of the individual relaying those views, stories or opinions for posting on this page.

~ Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free. ~
John 8:32 (New International Version)

Bobbi Porto of Indigo Egg and Brown Egg Blue Egg Tender/Affiliate- Eggbid.com- Florida the ONLY silkie breeder I know of who has operated in such a way as to earn a ripoffreport.com page with several upset customers.

More upset buyers reviews can be found HERE! it is still going on 3 years later in 2009. She produces more mistruths here about me.

Here is a post I made to an internet list some time ago about the subject which was returned to me in July 2009. I had not kept it initially.

Pictures of the birds involved as adults taken 12-06, still looking for the pictures taken the day they arrived. Click on pictures to get a bigger one in a seperate window. These are clearly all roosters, and not only one rooster and hens as she claimed on ripoffreport.com. These are not all clear buffs as she claimed and they are not the birds shown in 2007 as she claimed (see below for the birds shown less then a month after these pictures were taken).

The worst one Rooster 1 2nd worst Rooster 2 3rd Worst Rooster 3

4rth Worst Rooster 4 Unaffected Rooster Rooster 5

Here is the birds I showed in January 2007 that she claims were the ones she sent me, the roosters above, the first picture was taken at the same time the ones above were taken as I was on a roll, the second is the pullet at the show less then a month later, clearly she is a pullet or she'd have been disqualified instead of recieving 3rd place. She is obviously younger then the roosters above. The male was the same as shown in the first picture. These birds have nothing to do with her or her bloodline. These were my very first pair of buffs and my foundation birds. I had no additional buffs until these grew up and bred.

I am posting this to my webpage because I attempted to deal with it within the confines of a certian email list, when I did so I was shut down & moderated and Bobbi Porto was allowed to continue and spread mistruths about me. This was done by the list owner who owns and started Brown Egg Blue Egg and maintains the bulk of his flock with her. I did not and have not linked the way she does business with him and personally felt that he has limited control over how she conducts business with or without his birds and that he can not and should not be held responsible as a breeder for her practices. Since he is not allowing me to clear up mistruths and allowing her to spread them I have no choice but to assume he either approves of the way she has conducted business or simply didn't want this on the email list for whatever reasons. Regardless, I feel since I am not being allowed to deal with the mistruths there on the email list that I must do it on my own space as the issue keeps coming up in barbed comments of different sorts and sideways jabs. If nothing else, choosing to do business with her and then daring to ask for help with the problem that was dropped in my lap which let everyone know about what happened caused me to have to deal with these jabs and pointed comments of certian individuals. I am not the kind of person who refuses to "get involved" or fails to tell the truth when it could help others to save myself grief, or gives a positive feedback when something less is warranted- that's just not the kind of person I am. I also am the kind of person who expects to get what they are told they would get for a purchase price, no more, no less- if there is a problem or an issue I want to know about it up front and if a mistake is made, and they do happen, I would like reasonable and fair attempts to make it right with at least icy politeness if nothing else. I am not unreasonable faced with fairness and reasonable behavior. I would hate for this to happen to someone else when some prior information could assist them in what to watch out for or prevent problems. So here is my story and you can make your own decision.

I had just gotten into silkies and was looking for good stock..

I liked the Brown Egg Blue Egg/ Indigo Egg stock so bid on and won some eggs on eggbid from Bobbi Porto who owns Indigo egg and maintains the main flock from and does the bulk of business for and under Brown Egg Blue Egg (brown egg blue egg also maintains flocks with another couple breeders). They arrived with all but one air cell totally destroyed. I was dishearteded and Bobbi assured me that this always happens and you can't expect much better when shipping across country (nevermind that I recently sent eggs to a location within her state and close to her and 10 out of 12 went on to hatch). She seemed a bit offended when I nicely suggested that maybe the nifty packing she uses may not do the best for the eggs, I just let that drop, who am I to say. She told me that chicks were the only way to go and that I should buy chicks and that she could send me show/breeder quality babies. About the same time another local chicken person was, as luck had it, having chicks sent to her from Bobbi and offered that since my finances aren't the best that I could pay for chicks and have them shipped with hers (Bobbi tells that she shipped them for free which is not accurate- she got paid her shipping on the box). I agreed and managed to come up with the money to pay for my chicks.

The chicks came. They were pretty but 2 had badly bent beaks and a third had a milder bent beak- possibly a genetic defect but also can be caused by other things I later found out. I asked on a certian list if anyone knew anything I could do to correct these bent beaks. After all the babies were young and I thought that maybe there was a way to correct it and that it wasn't serious. Surely she wouldn't have sent me babies with serious problems...would she? I mentioned her name as I had seen everyone be pretty open with the problems they encountered in their flocks, didn't think it was an issue and simply mentioned that these were the birds that I had talked about on list that she was going to send me to infer how important they were and how important it was to make them better if I could. Just wanted to make these babies better and perhaps those more experienced knew more about her line and how to best treat this. I'll admit that it was likely a big boo boo on my part to have mentioned her name but I didn't do it vindictively. I found out very quickly that it could very well be serious, possibly genetic and it couldn't be corrected. I was suggested to contact Bobbi privately as I had not yet done so (and I hadn't as I hoped this was nothing of any consequence). I did so once I was informed of the seriousness of the condition and I must say at that point I was rather tersely polite, probably more terse then I could/should have been now that I had likely special needs birds on my hands courtesy of her and I might have to face something I dread- putting an animal down. This could have all been prevented had Bobbi looked the birds over for problems before she sent them. I wasn't happy at all but I could have lived with this if it wasn't for the following.

She responded immidiately with high levels of aggression, accusations of lying and trying to "take her", name calling, accusing me of possible animal abuse and other obnoxiousness in scorching emails. Her responses moved on to near hysterical and almost psychotic in my opinion in nature. She in detail described how she doesn't make any money on these birds, how she is in debt up to her eyeballs to the tune of 10s of thousands she put on her credit card to build chicken facilities, how she had trouble paying her bills and buying food to eat and how it was a trial and an expense to drive them to the airport for shipment and how she had some problem for the previous couple of days getting some hormone medication or another- all reasons she shouldn't or couldn't refund money, all issues I can understand and sympathise with but which have no place in business. I paid what she asked for the quality of birds she said she would send- period. She was not simply terse with me (because I had been terse with her) which I could have understood and deserved but an all out continuing scathing attack. I realized that I shouldn't have been so terse in the first email after I sent it no matter how I might be feeling and I corrected myself in further communications and apologised publicly for being terse in private and mentioning her name in what she took to be a negative manner ON list . The aggression and the attacks continued. I offered as a solution that she could partially refund some of the purchase price on the defective birds only and that would work- we're talking $12-$15 total as opposed to her paying $40 shipping to get all the birds back. She demanded return of all the birds not just the defective ones to get any refund from her whatsoever and that she would pay for the shipping back. There was alot of reasons that wouldn't work for me- no shipping boxes, nearest shipping station an hour away, kids attachment to the birds, illness on my part that makes it hard to get out especially to go far away, needing the correct birds, not being able to afford the shipping cost to send them back right away so she could refund it back to me later (which she may or may not have done, I had no reason to trust that with her behavior)- a whole host of reasons. She told me soundly she was not interested in my solution and either I sent back all the birds or I could basically shut my mouth about it. When asked why I must send back all the birds she told me it was because she didn't like me and didn't want me to have them. Well that said it all about her for me. On the side, every last one of them are roosters. I can't and am not willing to say it was on purpose but I wonder sometimes considering everything else. It was all a huge trauma that I have no intention of repeating.You'll have to decide for yourself.

It was bad enough I got sent the birds I did when I was told I'd get something else but one could take that as an innocent though thoughtless mistake. The biggest deal to me here is the way I was treated when I questioned (about the eggs), or disagreed, or otherwise had a complaint with her. She immidiately fired back with huge amounts of venom as if how dare you question or disagree with me. Further, this send them all back or no refund at all bit because I don't want you to have them was for one immature and for another in my opinion was calculated to avoid having to take any responsibility. I offered her a $12-$15 way out of this and she insisted on a solution that would cost HER $40 on shipping at least (assuming she actually planned to reimburse me for it once she had the birds- and I can't say because I didn't choose that option) knowing how important these birds were to me and that I clearly wanted to keep those that were unaffected. This effectively let her claim to others that she had tried to settle the issue and refund money and say that I refused so I have no right to say any more and kept her from having to refund one penny. I feel not only taken to a degree but then beat up on for daring to mention it at all. jIt's just not right, that's all I have to say about it.

To be fair, according to her she has hundreds of satisfied customers and who knows, maybe she does, I am not one of them obviously. Maybe it was a fluke and a bad day/week, maybe not- I can't say. All I know is MY experience was horrible and something I don't want to repeat no matter how nice her birds might be.

I have put away the emails if one is interested in looking them over for my truthfulness as well as pictures of the defective birds. It's all in the emails. I would hate for this to happen to another buyer.

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Here is an email from another unsatisfied individual-

My name is [name witheld at authors request].
I came across your write up about Bobbi Porto. Wow!!!!!!!!! I thought maybe she was having a bad week too, that it had to be a fluke. I Got ROYALLY stiffed too. I got Silkie chicks from her too. 27 total. About 6 or 7 had serious deformed beaks. Most grew up to BAD quality. AND the BIG thing is......... They were carrying some sort of respiratory illness. I tried and tried to cure them over the months. Losing 1 or 2 a week along the way. Finally, the last group of them had to be put down they were so sick.

Only one really , really nice bird from her is still alive. Beautiful bird. It never got sick and is still fine. When I sent her a pic, she was mad and kind of asked for it back in so many words. She thought it was a splash that she sent. But, that bird is useless to me. She may be carrying whatever this illness is. I can never put her with my other chickens. I am looking to sell to somebody who is willing to keep her away from other birds or pair her with a possibly immune older bird. ( None of the older birds got it )

I thought this was a fluke when I got them, because she told me all the same things. So....... like a fool, I trusted her, and ordered 2 pair of 9 month old Jersey Giants, 1 blue pair and a black pair. $230 for them. Both hens are no good. Every egg gotten from them has had lot's blood spots in them. AND with the Silkies, and Giants both, she WAY over charged me for shipping. NEVER reimbursed me. About $55 total. So my Silkies and Giants have been a total wash !!!!!!
Anyway, just wanted to let you know my story.

Well, I hope it makes you feel better to know, someone else had your same experience with Bobbi.
Take Care !!!

This is permission to use this email and why this person wants their name witheld. I can't say as they are completely wrong about the way people try to throw weight around sometimes and it is sad.

Sure, go ahead (and use the email). Just take my name off from everywhere. Some of these breeders seem to wield too much power, and can mess things up for you.

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2-1-07 I recieved ANOTHER of many negative, nasty and threatening emails since this all started from the friend of Bobbi Porto after several sideways jabs in person at a show. I asked politely today in email for this person to please refrain from sending me these nasty and threatening emails and in the future it was a good idea if we just don't associate and that we would have to agree to disagree. The response was " Not until you get rid of the crap on your web page". Again, this is apparently what you risk when you do business with Bobbi Porto and dare to mention a problem or issue or fail to comply with her demands. This is exactly why the person above wanted their name kept private.

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Yet another upset individual

1-12-2008

Hi, my name is (name witheld at author request), I was looking at your website and saw your page about your experiences with Bobbi Porto. I am an avid eggbid user (both buying & selling), and I got my first 2 negative feedbacks from her & her friend Kristy Varga. So I have a similar story to tell. it was 2004 and I was a complete novice about Silkies. I had a small flock, and I assumed all Silkies were bearded. I didn't know they came in non-bearded too. So I listed my eggs as "Bearded Buff Silkie eggs", not thinking to carefully look my birds over. Well, next thing I know, Bobbi & Kristy had placed a bid (together) on my eggs. After that, they asked if my Silkies were bearded or not. What a time to ask that question! So I went and looked them over carefully and found that only 2 had beards, small ones at that. Well, they lit into me about my Silkies not being bearded, and refused to pay for my eggs after they won them. They refused to pay and left me 2 negative feedbacks! You are only allowed to leave 1 feedback per transaction. Per eggbid rules. I only left Kristy 1 bad feedback. I got 2. I couldn't help that I was a novice, it was an honest mistake. And they called me a False seller! I will never do business with either of them ever again. But that doesn't make up for my 2 bad feedbacks, which are permanent. You can put this email on your website, you have my permission. Just leave my name out, I don't want to start any crap with her/them. I hope this helps to reduce your stress level, knowing you are not alone in being screwed by Bobbi Porto.

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9-11-2008 It was reported to me on an email list I am on that yet another individual (name witheld) has been "snookered" by Bobbi Porto- I also personally reviewed pictures of the birds.. She was supposed to send 7 show quality clear buff silkies to this individual. This individual was sent 3 birds with single combs (a disqualification for show) and 2 with crooked beaks just like I recieved and all whose coloring that is not clear. She told the individual that the beaks were due to new pullet eggs (like she told me). This is so obviously not true- it's in her genetics. She told the individual first that she would give her a refund, then that she would have to send pictures for the refund, and then when pictures were produced she would have to ship the chicks back to her to get a refund. They said that they would re-sell the chicks, or use them to breed. What good breeder would ever use straight combed or crooked beaked birds to breed back to. Bobbi Porto keeps using these badly flawed birds in a breeding program rather then depopulate and get some better stock. She also sends the culls out to those in other states who like myself and this individual find it too burdensome to send the birds back fully knowing that is the reaction, and in this way keeps their money. I strongly suggest at this point that she be paid with Paypal ONLY as then there is a way to recover your money back- well in fact I don't see why anyone needs to deal with her, there are many people out there that breed nice birds and engage in fair business practices.

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Here's an email from yet another dismayed customer- name witheld upon request.

You can add my bad experience with Bobbi to your website too (but please do not put my name, for fear of retribution from her or others.)

I first got into Silkies two years ago. I ordered some hatching eggs from Bobbi. I paid A LOT of money for them. She shipped them in a terrible box – poorly packaged, very flimsy (despite me paying extra for the foam egg holders.) At least four or five were broken, and yolk was splashed over a bunch of the other eggs. When I called her to complain, she made light of it, saying it happened all the time, and I should just live with it (no mention of a refund, partial or otherwise.) And she did not insure the eggs, even though I had asked her to.

I had asked her to send me only Blue, Black, and Splash eggs. When they hatched (the few that did, I think it was something like 12 out of the 36 I ordered) I had Black, Partridge, and White. I contacted her again, to express dismay over no Blue and no Splash. She shrugged my complaint off, saying I could always just sell the others as pets. But I didn’t want pets! I finally got fed up with trying to reason with her, and ordered eggs from Kate Morreales, who sent some great eggs that hatched well and were only the colors I asked for.

If I were thinking about buying chicks or eggs, I would avoid Bobbi Porto like the plague.

Best,

(Name witheld at authors request)

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Michelle D Cotey aka Joco Poultry aka mb_cotey aka
Jewelry for Cheap on ebay of Fort Myers Florida

I won an auction for an opened but never used incubator from this person. I paid $81.00 immidiately through Paypal. The incubator has not arrived more then 3 weeks later. When asked about it I get a bunch of reasons and excuses as to why it hasn't been sent. I am told it was sent but with the wrong zip code and was sent back and she fixed it and sent it back out on Jan 2 2007. It couldn't possibly have been as that was a day of mourning and the post offices were closed. I am told that they sent it parcel post and was charged $44 for an 11 pound item. I ask for tracking or a copy of the reciept showing it was sent and I am promised that the next day- I wait three days and no paperwork. It is becoming pretty evident that I'm not going to get the incubator.

When I checked into it as I recall a seller with the name of Joco-Poultry some time ago (which is what her paypal name still is)
I discover that in October after a couple of negative feedbacks she terminated the Joco-Poultry ebay ID and apparently had another id which she changed to mb_cotey. The negative feedbacks on the Joco-Poultry id are very similar to what I am dealing with. Paid immidiately, wait many weeks and never recieve item. I initiated a seller protection dispute that has gone unanswered by her and will cost me $25 if I escelate it to an actual claim to recover my money. Doing business with this person is highly risky. You may get your item, you may not.