Version 1.1 · Effective 4 November 2026 · Replaces version 1.0 of 8 October 2026
In short: we do not accept returns because you changed your mind. We only take products back, replace them or refund you in exceptional cases: when something is wrong, short, damaged, defective or not what you ordered. Your rights under South African consumer law always apply, and nothing in this policy takes them away.
This policy applies to inputs and small poultry equipment bought through Easy Chicken Club’s coordinated procurement, from the Placement Planner or the Easy Chicken Shop. It forms part of our Terms of Service.
1. Our general rule: no change-of-mind returns
Once you have accepted a quotation and we have placed your order, we do not accept returns because you changed your mind, ordered too much, or found a cheaper price elsewhere. This is because:
- We buy for you. We combine your request with other farmers’ and order from suppliers on your behalf. Suppliers do not take back stock we ordered for you.
- Many inputs are live, perishable or temperature-sensitive. Day-old chicks, vaccines and some supplements cannot be resold once they leave the supplier or the cold chain.
- Biosecurity. Products that have been on a farm can carry disease to other farms. We cannot put them back into supply.
You can avoid most problems by checking your quotation carefully before you accept. Until you accept, you can change or cancel your request at no cost.
2. Your legal rights we always honour
Our no-returns rule never overrides the law. Where the Consumer Protection Act, 2008 (CPA) applies to you, you keep these rights:
- Defective or unsafe goods, up to 6 months: every product must be of good quality, work as it should and be free of defects. If a product is defective or unsafe, you can return it within 6 months of delivery, at our risk and cost. You choose whether we repair it, replace it or refund you.
- Wrong or not as described: if you could not inspect the goods before delivery and they are not the type or quality you ordered, you may return them within 10 business days of delivery.
- Not fit for the purpose you told us: if you told us the specific purpose you needed a product for, and it is not suitable, you may return it within 10 business days.
- Cancelling an advance order: you can cancel an order placed in advance. We may charge only a reasonable cancellation fee that covers our real costs, such as a supplier’s fee for booked chicks.
- Buying online: where the Electronic Communications and Transactions Act gives you a cooling-off right on online orders, it does not apply to goods that deteriorate quickly, such as day-old chicks and vaccines, or to goods ordered to your specification.
The CPA protects individuals and smaller businesses. It does not apply to companies whose annual turnover or assets are above the threshold set by the Minister (currently R2 million). Even if the CPA does not apply to you, we still follow sections 3 to 7 of this policy.
3. When we accept a return or claim
These are the exceptional cases where we will put things right. Report problems as quickly as possible, because evidence is easier to check early. Our reporting times do not shorten your legal rights in section 2.
| Situation | Please report within | What we do |
|---|---|---|
| Wrong product or pack size delivered | At delivery, or 24 hours for chicks, vaccines and perishables; 7 days for other products | Collect it at our cost and deliver the right product, or refund you |
| Short delivery (fewer bags, bales, vials or chicks than on your invoice) | At delivery, or within 24 hours | Deliver the balance, or refund the difference |
| Damaged in transit (torn or wet bags, broken bottles, warm vaccines) | At delivery, or within 24 hours | Replace the damaged items, or refund you |
| Expired or past use-by date on arrival | 24 hours for vaccines; 7 days for other products | Replace or refund |
| Hidden defect found later (for example, mouldy feed in a sealed bag, a faulty product) | As soon as you notice, and within 6 months of delivery | Repair, replace or refund, whichever you choose |
| Substitute sent that you did not agree to | 10 business days | Collect it at our cost and refund you, or send what you ordered |
| Day-old chick problems | See section 5 | See section 5 |
A claim is not accepted if the problem was caused by how the product was stored, mixed or used after delivery, for example feed left in the rain, vaccines not kept cold, equipment not installed or used as the manufacturer says (section 5A), or not following the label.
4. What we cannot take back
Unless the product was defective, wrong or damaged when it arrived (section 3), we cannot accept these back:
| Product | Why |
|---|---|
| Day-old chicks | Live animals; they cannot be returned to a hatchery or resold |
| Vaccines | Must stay in an unbroken cold chain. Once delivered, we cannot confirm they were stored correctly |
| Opened supplements, stress packs, probiotics and herbal products | Hygiene and product safety |
| Opened or used disinfectants and detergents | Product safety |
| Feed that has been opened, or stored on your farm | Biosecurity and quality; it may have absorbed moisture or been contaminated |
| Litter (wood shavings, biochar and other litter) once delivered or opened | Biosecurity |
| Products ordered specially for you, or in non-standard quantities | The supplier will not take them back |
| Equipment that has been used or installed on your farm | Biosecurity; it may carry disease to other farms |
Sealed, undamaged feed, supplements or disinfectants sent by our mistake are always covered by section 3.
5. Day-old chick claims
Chicks are live animals, so we handle problems as claims, not returns. We assess each claim with the hatchery.
We may credit or refund you for:
- chicks missing from the number on your invoice (counted at delivery)
- dead-on-arrival chicks, and chicks that are clearly weak, deformed or unhealthy at delivery
- unusually high losses in the first 7 days, when the evidence points to chick quality and not brooding conditions
What we need:
- Count the chicks and record dead-on-arrival chicks before the driver leaves, or report within 24 hours.
- Take photos or video of the boxes and of any dead or weak chicks.
- Record the placement in the app: add the flock with the chicks delivered and the dead on arrival.
- Keep daily records in the app for the first 7 days: losses, feed, and min/max house temperatures.
We cannot accept claims for losses caused by the house not being ready, cold or overheated brooding, no feed or water, disease that comes from the farm, or predators.
5A. Equipment and warranties
Small poultry equipment, such as gas brooders, brooding lights, drinkers, feeders, fans, thermometers, scales and crates, is covered by sections 2 and 3: if it is faulty or unsafe, you can return it within 6 months of delivery and choose a repair, a replacement or a refund.
- Check it when it arrives. Count the items and look for damage before the driver leaves. Test equipment that uses gas or electricity as soon as you can, and report a problem as in section 6.
- Manufacturer’s warranty. If the manufacturer gives a warranty that lasts longer than 6 months, you keep it. After the first 6 months, we help you claim under it from the manufacturer or supplier.
- Install and use it as the manufacturer says, with the right gas, regulator, power supply and ventilation. We cannot accept claims for faults caused by wrong installation, the wrong gas or power supply, misuse, accidents or normal wear and tear.
- Gas brooders. If a gas brooder leaks or does not light properly, turn off the gas, stop using it and contact us. Never use gas equipment you think is faulty.
6. How to report a problem
- Check your delivery against the delivery note and your quotation before the driver leaves. Write any problem on the delivery note.
- Report it in the app: open the delivered order in My requests and tap Report a problem. You can also report it on WhatsApp at +27 69 339 4013, or by email to [email protected], with your request number (shown on your quotation, for example ECC-20261005-001).
- Send evidence: photos or video, the delivery note, and batch numbers, expiry dates or serial numbers where relevant. In the app you add them to your report.
- Keep the product as it is, and stored correctly, until we tell you what to do. Don’t throw it away, open it further or use it.
7. What happens next
- We reply within 2 working days. We may ask for more photos, check with the supplier or hatchery, or arrange to inspect or collect the product. You can follow your case, and write to us about it, in the app (Help → My complaints).
- We collect at our cost when a return is accepted. You never pay to send back a product that was wrong, damaged or defective.
- You get one of these: a replacement, a credit on your next order, or a refund. Where the CPA gives you the choice (section 2), you decide which.
- Refunds are paid by EFT to the account you paid from, within 10 working days after we accept the claim.
- If we turn down a claim, we explain why in writing. If you disagree, contact us again and the claim will be reviewed by a manager. You can also contact the National Consumer Commission.
8. Cancelling before delivery
| When you cancel | What it costs |
|---|---|
| Before you accept a quotation | Nothing |
| After you accept, before we place the order with suppliers | Nothing. We refund you in full |
| After we have placed the order | Day-old chicks, vaccines and special orders usually cannot be cancelled. If a supplier lets us cancel but charges a fee, we pass on only that fee, and tell you the amount before you decide |
After you submit a request you can’t delete it in the app, but you can ask us to cancel it at any of the stages above.
If we cancel, for example because a supplier cannot deliver or a disease outbreak blocks delivery, you get a full refund or a new date that you agree to.
9. Contact us
- Easy Chicken Club (Pty) Ltd, registration number 2024/340113/07
- 1997 Kwaggafontein A, Mpumalanga, 0458
- Email: [email protected]
- WhatsApp: +27 69 339 4013
- Website: easychicken.club