Townline Poultry?

I have went to townline and bought chicks as I live an hour north of them and they do very well. If your looking for breed stock you will want to look elsewhere. But if you want chickens just to have around and to lay eggs. You do not have to look much farther than townline chicks. They grow very well and their Isa Browns are awesome.

I pick up a few chicks each year at Townline or from tractor supply that cam from townline just for egg layers but for the breeds that I am breeding I look for breeders that deal specifically with the breeds I raise.

I am just looking for egg layers. i just picked up 6 pullets from TSC. But I do plan on getting some from the local feed store since they are so cheap and I don't have to get a minimum #. I am thinking 5 Isa Browns and 10 EEs but lord knows that could change in a heart beat lol

Price is good. Quality of the birds is good as well. We get them through our Rural King store. They have done well so far. I recommend for egg layers and eaters.

We live in SE Michigan and considered the drive out to Zeeland to pick up chicks. We really have been looking locally to get some Orpingtons, but haven't had any luck. We only want 6 (or so) chicks/pullets and the minimum order online is 15-25. However, I wrote to them and asked if we did a hatchery pick-up, would they sell fewer, which they said they would.

I wonder if our local TSC (Saline) sells Townline chicks then. Unfortunately, Orpingtons are not their standard offering, so we'd have to wait for a week when they'd have Orps as featured chicks (and I think they are straight runs for their featured chicks anyway).

Rusnakes said:

We live in SE Michigan and considered the drive out to Zeeland to pick up chicks.  We really have been looking locally to get some Orpingtons, but haven't had any luck.  We only want 6 (or so) chicks/pullets and the minimum order online is 15-25.  However, I wrote to them and asked if we did a hatchery pick-up, would they sell fewer, which they said they would.  

I wonder if our local TSC (Saline) sells Townline chicks then.  Unfortunately, Orpingtons are not their standard offering, so we'd have to wait for a week when they'd have Orps as featured chicks (and I think they are straight runs for their featured chicks anyway).

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Your TSC gets them from TL. Our TSC starts chick days on February 24th here in Lapeer.

I got 7 pullets from Tractor Supply yesterday (March 19) and they are now 8 days old. Robust, healthy critters. R.I. Red and they labelled the others as "Red Pullets," but Townline, where T.S.C.gets their hatches, doesn't list Red sex links, so I don't know what they are. They look too yellow to be red Pullets, but we'll see. It's an adventure as always. $2.00/bird, and I didn't have to buy 25 like at another hatchery.

Rancho El Mecca said:

I got 7 pullets from Tractor Supply yesterday (March 19) and they are now 8 days old. Robust, healthy critters. R.I. Red and they labelled the others as "Red Pullets," but Townline, where T.S.C.gets their hatches, doesn't list Red sex links, so I don't know what they are. They look too yellow to be red Pullets, but we'll see. It's an adventure as always. $2.00/bird, and I didn't have to buy 25 like at another hatchery.

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Could be Isa Browns, or maybe Amber links.

If they have strips on their Bach they are ISA browns. If light red they are new hamps. They aren't Amberlinks

Rancho El Mecca said:

I got 7 pullets from Tractor Supply yesterday (March 19) and they are now 8 days old. Robust, healthy critters. R.I. Red and they labelled the others as "Red Pullets," but Townline, where T.S.C.gets their hatches, doesn't list Red sex links, so I don't know what they are. They look too yellow to be red Pullets, but we'll see. It's an adventure as always. $2.00/bird, and I didn't have to buy 25 like at another hatchery.

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Do you have pictures you can post?

ghulst said:

If they have strips on their Bach they are ISA browns. If light red they are new hamps. They aren't Amberlinks

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I bought ISA Browns a few years ago from Townline. Do you still work there part time? You helped me on BYC about them when I bought them.

All my chicks and keets so far have been townline from Rural King and honestly, they've done great. Rural King rarely EVER loses chicks in store due to natural causes, my friend works there and basically the only chicks they lose are to idiot customers who squash them or knock lamps around...and the store won't allow the employees to put up signs stating for instance how many chicks have been lost this year because people aren't mindful and don't control their children so I'm about to put them up myself.
I've gotten 2 barred rocks, 1 Amerecuana, 3 pearl guinea keets and even 2 silver sebrights. Even the silver sebrights are now 2 weeks old and so far very healthy and active (they have slight pasty butt but I believe this is due to how short they are basically...and I rarely see pasty butt in Rural King, who gets all their birds from townline).
Aside from the sebright's dirty butts none oft birds have had a single problem whatsoever this far and the oldest are 3 mos old. I'm brand new to poultry so I would say if a novice like me has had such smooth sailing (knock on wood) that must mean Townline has good stock. I was nervous buying feed store chicks because I had heard they're usually less healthy but all of mine have made it through the most high risk period of chickhood no problem and my 4 day old keet is amazingly rambunctious and healthy so far, he's with my 12 day old sebright pair and they're like 3 tiny fluffy peas in a pod, thank god. The guys at Rural King also told me that Townline really does do well in terms of quality chicks and the fact that even in the busy noisy store the chicks rarely ever die unless there's an accident backs that up. I'm in there at least once a week and I see first hand how hardy the little guys appear to be despite the stress of activity and incessant handling.
ETA: I've been informed that my Ameracuana is actually an Auracana-Ameracuana/Easter egger but still good healthy young birds so far !
Also, they breed their sebrights on site and take very very close precaution to prevent diseases in their birds. They do not allow any visitors onto the property anymore, even to pick up orders. That makes me feel better.