Baby chicks this year 2025

[cher1190]

Hi everyone,
I'm just wondering if anyone has had alot of issues with baby chicks dying that they bought at Tractor Supply? I keep seeing
posts on FB of different areas where people bought chicks and most or all are dying within the first week. We bought some at Rural King 13 Rainbow chicks, we lost one on the 2nd day, not too abnormal. We then bought 5 barred rock and 5 silver laced wyndotte straight run cause thats all they had, at Tractor Supply, as of today we have lost 5 of them. We have raised chickens for a long time, clear back to when I was a youngster and never had an issue like this before. We do all the things to make sure they have whats needed before they come home. Heat lamps, warm water with added probiotic and electrolytes, good medium pine shavings, chick starter feed etc. Was just wondering if anyone on here has noticed alot are not living after buying at a retailer. Thank you all in advance

 

[cavemanrich]

I don't have an answer to Tractor supply sourced chicks.
But I do have a thought about FB postings.

It is a possibility, that some of the FB peeps are new in the chicken raising endeavor.
With eggs going up in price quite high, many think solution is to have your own chickens. This translates to "many novices"

Wishing you best with your chicks,,,,,,

 

[Iluveggers]

TSC and the postal service have a different arrangement this year. Someone on here who works for the postal service told us that the USPS used to deliver chicks directly to TSC but can’t now. So when they arrive they have to call the store & wait to speak to a manager (can take awhile), and then keep the chicks until someone can pick them up (can take hours until the manager gets them). Other stores/chains may have the same change, I’m not sure. But all of that can contribute to shipping stress and if the chicks haven’t had much time to warm/settle, might cause more deaths once they are brought home.

Just a thought.

 

[amydawnn]

We bought 16 chicks from tsc thus past Wednesday and have lost 14 as of today. We contacted the store and we're told they are having problems with the chicks passing this year and she wasn't sure why. However she has been in contact with the Hatchery

 

[cher1190]

Could I ask your location of Tractor Supply? Ours is located in Rockwood, TN

 

[AshVau22]

My experience with Tractor Supply and moldy feed this year both their brand and others brands they carry, has been horrible and this is 3 different store in my area. I've spent so much time the last 4 months returning feed to them it was crazy was always at least 1 bag contaminated. I was actually opening the bag in my car before even leaving because I was so sick of having to go back and return it. And 2 time I had to take feed back in. So I now buy all my feed through chewy and switch to all Kalmbach brand feed. So far no problems So maybe it's not the chicks themselves but bad feed. In my stores it's mostly younger people caring for the chicks and I dout they'd notice or catch moldy feed. Just a thought. Most the feed I had problems with was the crumble and scratch grains.

 

[cher1190]

Oh, wow, you may be right. Thankfully we actually get our chick starter at Rural King, no issues there with the chicks or feed AND Hoover Hatchery supplies both Rural King and Tractor Supply with their chicks. Thanks for the info

 

[amydawnn]

Could I ask your location of Tractor Supply? Ours is located in Rockwood, TN

Norge, Virginia

 

[cher1190]

At least we know it isn't just in one area now too so that's a plus

 

[ValkerieGunn]

Out of 13 chicks bought from TSC I only lost one almost a week in. It had chronic pasty butt and didn't look like it grew at all before passing so I'm guessing failure to thrive. But I also got mine the day they arrived, as in TSC called me told me the chicks are here and I went into town immediately before too much more stress was slapped onto the chicks.