My experience with Tractor Supply chicks

[GirlsHuntToo]

As with anything it's buyer beware... or in this case the buyer should be educated.
Know what the chicks should look like for the breed(s) you are getting.

They are limited on tanks so often the unsold chicks in the store are occupying tanks that would be needed to keep chicks sorted. The entire shipment gets put in one or two tanks in the back while they try to free up tanks the public can see. Then when tanks open up they have to try to sort the ones in the back....often making mistakes.

I have had to correct them that that is a Bantam not a Black Copper Maran and Wyandottes not Buff Orpingtons. Its almost ridiculous! But at the same time funny!

 

[21hens-incharge]

I have had to correct them that that is a Bantam not a Black Copper Maran and Wyandottes not Buff Orpingtons. Its almost ridiculous! But at the same time funny!

When (as stated before by another poster) minimum wage kids fresh from high school are the ones trying to sort chicks it's unlikely they know a buff orpington from a wyandotte let alone a cornish cross.

Gotta know what you are looking at as a buyer.
If they have several breeds listed that look similar as chicks it may be best to either take the chance in getting a wrong breed or wait for more diversity in what chicks are available.

I think they try hard and when they get a hundred chicks a week mistakes happen. I don't think it's on purpose.

 

[GirlsHuntToo]

When (as stated before by another poster) minimum wage kids fresh from high school are the ones trying to sort chicks it's unlikely they know a buff orpington from a wyandotte let alone a cornish cross.

Gotta know what you are looking at as a buyer.
If they have several breeds listed that look similar as chicks it may be best to either take the chance in getting a wrong breed or wait for more diversity in what chicks are available.

I think they try hard and when they get a hundred chicks a week mistakes happen. I don't think it's on purpose.

Neither do I but everyone that works at my Tractor Supply are older people. Not teens.

 

[Chicklette6678]

I have gotten most of my chickens from Tractor Supply. Mostly follow the same story other people use about them jumping into my box, into the cart, on the checkout counter, and into my car, and somehow came home into my brooder. I tell myself all the time, I'm just going to get shavings and duck feed. But I come home with pine shavings, ducks feed, and 4 cute baby chicks.
" But they are Buff Orpington, Easter Eggers, Black Copper Marans, Wyandottes! " It really doesn't matter what breed they are, if they are a cute, little baby chick - it's most likely coming home. And that's how I almost have 100 chickens right now. The same happens year after year! haha Last year I doubled by flock doing this!!
Anyway I have always had a pretty good experience with chicks from Tractor Supply. My first chickens came from Tractor Supply and they were Isa Brown, I really wasn't pleased with them because they died so soon about a year old - but that wasn't Tractor Supply's fault, that's just the breed that they are!!
The only time that I really wasn't pleased was the time that I got 4 '' Barred Rock. '' One my favorite chickens had died that day very suddenly, I found out that it was sudden death syndrome, and I was feeling really sad about it. I though some chickies would help a little bit, and they did.
But as they grew only one developed Barred patterns. They other 3 turned out to be Black Australorps. I wasn't really upset about it because they are really cute too!!
One day I was in Tractor Supply, picking up what I always need to get pine shavings, because at the time I didn't have ducks.
My best trip was when I was getting my chicks in April and I always call down to Tractor Supply to see what they have there before I order baby chicks from Meyer Hatchery, and they told me about their 25 cent deal. Really all is it was, if you get 20 Straight Run baby chicks you can have them for 25 cents each! That was a deal that I could not pass up. And as they grew, I only got 1 male. lol What are the odds!! I told myself the next person that thought the same as me probably got 19 males and 1 female!!
I have gotten many many other chicks since then and have been pleased with them as well. I just got some Midnight Majesty Marans from there, and that was the first time I seen them there and wanted them and they were only 5 dollars each. If you order them from a hatchery, they are like 10 - 15 dollars!! And out here in the country, most of the time chickens don't last long without nearly or getting eaten by a predator!
So anyway I could go on and on about my chickens but ....
Thank so reading and I just wanted to post this to tell you my experience with Tractor Supply chicks, hope it helps any!
Also please share your experience and what you just needed to have...

I know this is an old thread but it just popped up in my feed. Good golly do I love your enthusiasm!!

 

[GirlsHuntToo]

I know this is an old thread but it just popped up in my feed. Good golly do I love your enthusiasm!!

Thanks, I'll take that as a compliment!