Complaint Review: Bobbi Porto / Indigo Egg

If you had done your research on Buff Silkie chickens, you would know the Buff variety is a high cull. You have to be dedicated to perfecting it, but you cannot blame someone else for crooked beaks, smutty buff color, less than 5 toes, or the variety of their combs. It is a high cull color in silkies. Partridge is also another high cull. If you are wanting to show birds, you need to research and get proper information on the Silkie breed before you even begin, or possibly choose a different color.

 I have ordered several times..for years.. from bobbi and have always gotten what she says. I purchased chicks... juvenile pairs... and they have always been great! She helped me decide what I wanted... when I wanted them etc. I couldn't have been more pleased with my purchases from her any of the times I have ordered. Even she can miss something in a chick.. she ... as nobody is... claiming to be perfect. She offered to refund your money for the birds.. what else could you have asked for? I'm sure she has dealt with scam artists... and is just protecting herself. Did you expect to keep the birds and a refund? Tell me who does that! She is amazing.. great quality and customer service..I'd recommend her to anyone!

I saw this complaint and felt I had to say something.  I recently purchased four silkies from Bobbi.  I am completely satisfied and she was wonderful to deal with.  My daughter won CHFLEG with one of the pullets we received at her very first show!!  I can't be more pleased with Bobbi as a business person or with Bobbi's silkies.  I look forward to dealing with Bobbi in the future and would recommend her and her silkies to anyone I know!

I'm a satisfied customer of Bobbi Porto of Indigo Egg.
If this report is concerning her and her silkies I think it is misguided. She sells based on quality and would never intentionally sell someone chicks as stated by the original report.
Asking for pictures of the problem and/or a return of the problem merchandise is not uncommon and is requested by many many companies whether it is dealing with an actual chick or a product not even related to chickens.
She DOES care about what she breeds hence why she takes the time to separate her pet quality chicks from her BQ or SQ potential chicks.

Please anyone reading this do not take heart to the original complaint it sounds bogus to me. You can't please 100% of people 100% of the time.  I would buy from her again without hesitation and I recommend others to her frequently.

Just wanted to mention, in spite of the hard feelings between Bobbi and I, that our blue and splash pullets we bought from her both won RV in their first show. Either the judge did not notice or did not feel too concerned about the blue pullet's double toenail.

Pictures of the 5 roosters she sent to me is now available at Windchyme Silkies under the "Warning for egg or bird buyers" section as well as the birds shown in 2007 that she claimed were the roosters she sent me for anyone who is interested.

Pictures of the 5 roosters she sent to me is now available at Windchyme Silkies under the "Warning for egg or bird buyers" section as well as the birds shown in 2007 that she claimed were the roosters she sent me for anyone who is interested.

Pictures of the 5 roosters she sent to me is now available at Windchyme Silkies under the "Warning for egg or bird buyers" section as well as the birds shown in 2007 that she claimed were the roosters she sent me for anyone who is interested.

Pictures of the 5 roosters she sent to me is now available at Windchyme Silkies under the "Warning for egg or bird buyers" section as well as the birds shown in 2007 that she claimed were the roosters she sent me for anyone who is interested.

As for shipping birds together that was between me and Di, that had nothing to do with you as it was an agreement between her and I, I offered more money to Di after the fact when I was told shipping cost more to send to you or reimburse herself if she paid it, as I did understand we had to wait to ship them and costs did go up, and the offer was refused several times in public. I paid you the amount I was quoted by you for breeder quality birds as we had agreed- there was no favor involved on your part. You quoted a price for what I wanted, I paid it.

I was in fact sent all roosters and I do have pics of all of them on CD and their beaks showing them all clearly as roosters and all but one having bent beaks- I'll have to see if I can find that disc and put them back up on my site again since you want to tell mistruths about them now that I have taken the pictures down. They also all weren't all clear buffs, but that didn't matter so much to me- I didn't ask for show quality and didn't expect it. I paid more then $50...more around $100 is what I paid plus some shipping money to Di for reimbursement for my part of the shipping.

I never said I would kill them or even have them killed, I did say I would cull them which means get them out of my flock which I in fact did. I sold them for a couple bucks each- cull accomplished. But another common theme with you is anyone who complains about you sending deformed/cull/sick birds is not an animal lover and is abusive to animals and are going to kill them (see above entries). Whatever Bobbi. When you go to buy something, you expect to get what you are told you are going to get, do you not? If you pay a purebred price for a purebred dog and someone hands you a pound mutt, you may think it's cute and adorable and all of that but you are still going to be mighty upset at paying all that money for something you didn't get.

The birds I showed at the show were 4 months old at the time (barely old enough to show really while your birds had reached full maturity already, having been sent several months before at about 5 months of age) and after I had sold off your then grown birds. Those birds came from eggs from Joe Hadden (and I can prove that too thank you very much), and thank you yes, he provided me with some very nice birds for my foundation stock and on top of it treated me with honesty and respect. I had to do something after the fiasco with you as I was still determined to go on with my plans to have silkies, and I went to him and was well treated all the way around. Those buffs at the show had nothing to do with your bloodlines for good or for bad. Alan enquired about that at the show at the time and was told they were Hadden birds. Are you so desperate for wins that you'll try to steal another bloodlines wins or did you just assume they were yours despite the obvious age mismatch, did Alan not relay the appropriate information?

The reason Alan got a curt email was because of his not so nice remarks to me repeatedly at the show face to face- I don't need that kind of obnoxiousness (obviously he has no problem jumping in and giving people a hard time on Bobbi's behalf since- see experiences above). You don't have to be bipolar to be ticked off at being taken or treated extremely badly by someone you trusted to do business with, and further harrassed by their friends on top of that. And no I have never talked to you all these years, after the way I was treated I want nothing to do with talking to you, there is no point and we have nothing to talk about. Besides way back then you didn't want to deal with me privately and told me to "shut up about it to you" so I did and have ever since, this being the first time since that I have addressed you directly. What? Now you are irritated because you got exactly what you demanded?

I do keep showing my head you're right, telling what happened to me and putting in my 2 cents when the topic comes up because I believe what is going on is wrong and I want others, if they are going to walk into dealings with you to do so at least informed of what CAN happen.

I do find it very interesting that you claim everyone that has something negative to say about their experiences with you is out to get you for reasons other then the business transaction with you, or crazy, or animal abusers- all very convenient excuses to direct the focus off of what you did. That somehow these people ordered from you with a pre existing axe to grind with you and are saying these things solely to wrongfully mar your name for reasons that have nothing to do with the transaction and the birds you sent them. I fully believe that all these people did business with you in good faith just like I did, expected to get what they were promised just like I did and were quite happy with everything until the birds arrived that were not what they were supposed to be just like me. Of course now they are really not happy and telling people about their experiences to help protect others from have it happening to them. I think it's a very honest and upstanding thing to do to put yourself and your story out there to help and protect others. Kudos to the other indiviuals out there who shared their stories.

In the end I feel I was treated so outrageously that I will continue to put in my 2 cents and air my experiences when the subject comes up, especially when I hear it is still going on YEARS later. It is unfortunate that instead of taking responsibility for what you do and have done publicly you attempt to make others look bad to obscure and cover what you do and have done. That's too bad.

Windchyme Silkies

5 years ago Di Montegue asked me to send Paula Shepherd of Windchyme some Buff Silkies and she would pay shipping. I agreed and saved Paula 5 clear Buffs from Rusty (a HatTrick Buff George Mihalik paid $220.00 for later. He was an excellent boy and many George Buffs came from him) and Nugget (who I also got from Lakeside Silkies that she hatched from HatTrick eggs and whose sister sold for $300.00. She was beautiful and clear) They were Nugget's first chicks, but not the last. They were clear Buffs.
I had to hang onto the chicks for 3 months because of the weather. We couldn't ship in the summer back then. Paula had paid me $50.00 total, but Di ended up not sending enough for her shipping.. only enough for her own birds since they had grown, so Paula got 5 clear Buffs (4 girls and 1 boy) that were 4 months old shipped to her for a total of $50.00. Yes, one had a bent beak, but she got them for free and I would not split them up since they all grew up with each other. I did not have any other Buffs to send. One other had a slight bend. I still have the pictures she sent me. She told people they were all roosters, but there was only one. You can see their cute little Buff heads in the pics before and after she butchered their beaks.
A month later I read on a chat site that she was going to kill them and later drop-kick them. I offered her $100.00 to ship them back to me. I begged her to send them back, but she wouldn't and got mad at me for asking her to for so many times on the chat. I must have embarassed her. Also they were worth much more than just $50.00. $50.00 is what it cost me to ship them. I would have loved to have had them back. They were very valuable to me. Money did not matter. The fact that one had a bent beak and another was slightly off did not bother me at all. There were 5 of them. I could have found them a wonderful home and kept the other beauties. She later made a whole web site of lies about me that have angered other people who don't know me. I was only trying to help her and she got totally ugly. I am so sad that she would not send those birds back to me. I so hope she took care of them.
She later showed them at a show and Alan remarked how nice they were and where did she get them... She was OK then, but later sent a very ugly email to Alan. He forwarded it to me. She is admittedly Bi-polar so she probably can't help herself. I feel that God is teaching me fortitude. She has been ugly to me, yet never called to talk to me personally... all these years. I personally do not want to talk to her since she is not a Silkie lover. I want no war. I'd rather forget it, but she keeps raising her head. Wouldn't it have been so much easier to just send them back, find the bent beak ones a good home and keep the free nice ones and not be so negative. I feel she doesn't deserve to own Silkies.

I recieved several buffs from Bobbi Porto in 2006 when I was fairly new and just starting out and on a small fixed income. I was supposed to recieve breeder quality - a couple hens and a roo. It took every last cent of spare money I had to afford them back then. I was sent all roosters. At the time being new I wasn't sure but now after more then a couple years experience I know for a fact that she was at least suspicious that they were roosters when she picked them. In a breeding program the roosters are the most difficult to find homes for. All but one had clearly bent beaks the day they arrived, the combs were great...everything else was great. Bent beaks is a genetically passed condition. The roosters in addition were highly aggressive birds. My own birds might jump up and down and maybe grab at each other a little, these would pick a fight and were willing to fight to the death. All but one was also very nasty with people. Some people are ok with that, I am not. I never bred them and sold them for a couple bucks each, not very much. I didn't have the heart to do the ultimate cull, I don't do that to animals.

When confronted with it with icy politeness, she became enraged and belligerant in emails for the better part of a week. She accused me of animal abuse and called names and suggested I was lying until I produced pictures taken the day I recieved them. I suggested a solution where I was refunded a certian amount to make the price I paid more in keeping with what I got- about $20 in all. She continued her verbal abuse and refused that option. She demanded that I ship them back knowing I was new and had no clue about shipping, the kids were attached, and counting on the fact that I wouldn't feel like tackling that or put the birds or kids through it so soon again. She basically said that if I refused to send them back then I was happy with them. When I countered that more verbal abuse ensued. She ended up demanding that I ship them to her to recieve one penny back (like I am supposed to trust that after all the poor behavior)because she didn't want me to have them (well I gotta say we agreed on that one). I refused that option. More verbal abuse and she ended by telling me to either send them or shut up to her about it. So I obliged and respected her wishes, no problem, and didn't say another word to her about it and instead putting a warning on my website about it. I was then harrassed in email by her friends threatening me if I didn't remove it from my website ( I am not the kind of person who threatens well). I was even told that I was going to be blacklisted and would not get any good birds or eggs from anyone (we say how well THAT actually worked LOL). She also said to others that my roosters were a "favor", I paid the price she quoted me for breeder quality started birds...there was no favor involved on her end.

Alan Stanford who I never had a problem with really gave me a bit of grief with a couple of unappreciated smart comments (Alan if you lay in bed with dogs you can't help but get fleas- what can I tell you??? I was never after YOU). He was obviously not happy with me but at least he showed some self restraint in his dealings with me most of the time. I don't understand why he seems to condone such behavior. Perhaps he is being "taken" too.

I can understand that breeders have issues with their birds, I don't have a problem with that- it happens to everyone. In fact I have seen a white rooster from her eggs that was gorgeous (well except he had a straight comb- the people came to me for a female for him). What I have a problem with is sending someone deformed cull roosters while telling them they'll get some of each sex in breeder quality. I further have a problem with being verbally abused and threatened like people think they are the Mafia when I turn around and have something to say about the problem- that was alot of money for me at the time. I have a huge problem with people trying to bully me and throw what weight they think they have around. I have a whole flock of good birds now I am really happy with from other sources. I don't suggest that anyone do business with Bobbi Porto. I have moved on a long time ago but was browsing and was not surprised to see that it is still going on years later and I had to chime in that this has been going on a very long time.

We received a nice email from Bobbi apologizing for and acknowledging the errors made with the birds we purchased from her. We hope to leave things on this positive note and appreciate that she was thoughful enough to write to us in this regard - not an easy thing for anyone to do.

After discovering that one of the birds (referenced in our previous post) that we bought from Bobbi had a double-fused fourth toe, which may or may not be considered a DQ in showing, Bobbi apologized and replaced that bird for free and without shipping charges. We appreciated that and went ahead and purchased a fourth bird, then split the cost of shipping with her.

The two new birds arrived. The replacement bird looked fine, but we eventually noticed that the new bird we'd purchased ALSO had a double toe nail and thicker fourth toe. We informed Bobbi that the same mistake had been made and were asked to return both birds (both with the toe problem) for a refund of the cost of the fourth bird plus shipping. She also said that if we chose to keep the birds then we were implying we were "happy" with them.

We think the birds are beautiful but are incredulous that a breeder would make this same mistake twice, the first time perhaps unintentionally, and then again as part of her solutiuon to fixing the first problem. We informed her we weren't planning to ship the birds back in this heat, that our autistic five-year-old son, who's a Junior member of the American Silkie Bantam Club, had worked very hard to bond with the birds, that we didn't care about the money, and that we had decided we were not going to bother doing business with her anymore.

Since then we have received two curt emails from her "partner" Alan Stanford of Brown Egg Blue Egg telling us to return the birds to Bobbi and suggesting that we are neither honest nor as caring as Bobbi. We've inferred that his emails were meant to be threatening.

We will neither do business with Bobbi Porto of Indigo Egg nor with Alan Stanford of Brown Egg Blue Egg, and recommend others carefully consider either breeder unelss they are willing to deal with the potential issues we've experienced.

We regret having suggested that previous posters to this site were unfair to Bobbi since we now realize that the problems they faced were handled by Bobbi in much the same way that she dealt with us in the end.

Before purchasing our two silkies we scoured the internet and researched breeders. We liked the look of Indigo Egg's birds and the reputation it had in the world of showing and breeding. Having only found the two negative comments from this particular site we decided to go ahead and give Bobbi the benefit of the doubt. Very glad we did! We willingly spent a little more (nothing exorbitant) to ensure that the birds we purchased were old enough to determine some of their future potential and better qualities. We got what we paid for - two stunning looking 4-month old splash chicks!

Everyone makes mistakes, but it was hard for us to imagine that Bobbi Porto would have spent all of these years building a breeding program as well as her showing/breeding reputation and then intentionally send out inferior birds. I'm sure those who complained above feel their concerns are legitimate, but I don't blame Bobbi or any other company for being leery about issuing refunds sight-unseen. This would be particularly the case if she felt confident that she'd sent reasonable-quality birds.

Sometimes we consumers are legitimately disappointed, and I'm sorry that the other two folks here were not pleased with what they received, but the wording in the initial complaint here really struck us as being intentionally defamatory. Chelsea certainly has a right to her frustration, but I would like to let others know that we were extremely pleased with our birds, the incredibly fast shipping (from FL to NC in 16.5 hours!!!), and Bobbi's willingness to listen to what we were looking for and offer several options and choices. We won't hesitate to buy from her in the future.

I originally offered a full refund and return postage, but he killed my baby birds. I am refunding anyway (always planned to) because I shipped 60 babies that day and might not have caught a bent sideways beak.... but I have no proof to refund... just this guy's word. Sandy originally said he did not want anything since he was pleased with the others, so I did not think he would mind if I was busy and didn't mail right away. I thought he might send proof... but I guess he couldn't since he killed them. When he asked about the check.. my Mom and I were in the ER all day with her broken ribs so I could not get back to him. He did not call. My phone number is on my site. 813-949-3002 www.IndigoEgg.US BlueEggChick@aol.com Any other business would have 30 days to refund. Why not me? Any other business would need proof or the merchandise returned. We are talking (once) live chicks here. He won't be getting any more.

In April of 2009 I was also sent started Buff Silkie chicks from Bobbi Porto with crooked beaks and single combs. I went through all the motions with Bobbi and her wanting photos and sending the chicks back at my expense. I told her I wanted nothing from her though twice she told me she was going to refund me $60 which I've yet to see and she refuses to reply to my last two emails. I also bought White and Partridge Silkie chicks from Bobbi and I am very pleased with them. My only problem with Bobbi is why does she keep on doing this with the Buffs? I'm the third person in 6 months to get sent Buff Silkies chicks with crooked beaks and single combs. Doing this once is a mistake, doing it twice is very stupid mistake and three times... that's no longer making a mistake. Three people in a six month period? I'd bet there's been more of this between October 2008 and my own experience in April of 2009. I would like to warn people away from acquiring Buff Silkies from Bobbi at this point. I know she is working on eliminating the problem, but in the mean time I don't feel innocent consumers should be subjected to her sending such birds. Crooked beaks and single combs are incredibly easy to spot on chicks at the age she sends them out. There is no excuse for this. I think anyone would be more than pleased with her other colors, but after seeing I haven't been the only victim of being sent problem Buffs, I have to question her ethics at this point. There are more reputable breeders out there to give the business to.

Chelsea's husband, Robert, bought the birds at a discount because they were not of good color. I even sent pictures of them because he sent them back with the check. I offered a complete refund plus postage because I missed the bent beak ones, even though my refund policy is not to refund postage because I make no money on my Silkies and they are all beautiful to me. I posted this publicly on the yahoo group. This is a hobby with many repeat buyers. Chelsea Disher and Paula Shepard of Wyndchime are the only two people that someone else purchased the birds for them for cheap and then they didn't like them, but would not send them back for a refund. I speak my mind, so I might have embarassed them. I am not fond of anyone who does not like animals. Both have made up lies about me telling lies. I guess God is teaching me fortitude. I'm not going down over a chicken. I'm turning the other cheek! :) ))

If you want to know about me.... go to the Silkie sites or (((link redacted))) and ask or see the responses. I have many friends in the Silkie world that love my birds.
My web site is www.IndigoEgg.US and email is BlueEggChick@aol.com

CLICK here to see why Rip-off Report, as a matter of policy, deleted either a phone number, link or e-mail address from this Report.

Chelsea must be talking about a different Bobbi Porto than I know.

I have purchased eggs from Bobbi several times over the past few years and have recieved only highly viable eggs with an unusually high hatch rate.

WITHOUT EXCEPTION every bird hatched from one of her eggs has been exceptional and the best I have ever seen.

The service I have recieved from Bobbi has always been great and I have found her to be very honest, fair, and accomodating in every way. She has been polite and gracious every time I have dealt with her and I will continue to order from her in the future.

I have been a bird breeder for nearly twenty years and people like Bobbi are the reason people get into showing in the first place while people like Chelsea on the other hand, with her untrue accusations and hateful behavior on this site as well as others, are the reason it gets harder every year to find good quality breeders.

This lady must have read my emails out of order. (I'm giving her the benefit of the doubt) I offered her a refund for the 3 chicks... but after she said it was 5, I knew I'd need them returned for a full refund. I gave her a discounted price because of the color... and my refund policy is no secret... It is on my website. I'm not giving my chicks away when I know they are more valuable than that. I offered her a full refund for the chicks and return postage. Chelsea (minpingurl1@gmail.com) has slandered my name all over the chicken boards and I have responded.

Another lady I offered a full refund to that didn't want to return my chicks has gotten her all worked up. She too was offered a full refund and postage, but didn't want to return them. I don't know what else to do. There are lots of lies being spread about me. I am a God loving person that makes no profit and no money for my time to raise these chickens. I don't want anyone to have to pay for them... or to have them unless they love them. I don't want them abused.
She is still welcome to a full refund and shipping to return. And I pray she will not harm them. References are on www.eggbid.com if that's what you mean by giving references. My website is www.IndigoEgg.US I am sorry she doesn't like my sweet, cute chicks and I'd like them back. Bobbi Porto