CHICK DAYS TRACTOR SUPPLY BEWARE

[Pyxis]

The search bar actually reads chicken not chicks so that could be why adult birds are shown.

And all of those are brahmas, just in various colors. So if you specifically wanted light brahmas, you could just search 'light brahma chicks' and then you get this:

All of those are light brahma chicks and adults. So, a little research can easily confirm if the chicks in the bin are actually what they are labeled to be. If you don't care what you end up with then it's not really necessary but if you want a specific breed then it's best to do research before purchasing, as you would do for all major purchases.

Would it be better to be able to trust that what's in the bin is indeed what they say it is? Yes, but since that's not the case, better to do your research before buying if you want something specific.

 

[ByrdFeathers]

Well after spending most of yesterday there is still a chance I have 7 of the 9 could be Dark Brahmas, but two have no feathers on there legs I can live with that ratio. Although those two were the two I was most hoping were Brahmas as they are blues.....
chicken stuff is confusing and frustrating at times but I am loving it. I feed my Easter Eggers some Blueberries yesterday and they crack me up how when one takes a blueberry they all chase that one when there are 30 others in the dish.

 

[Pyxis]

Well after spending most of yesterday there is still a chance I have 7 of the 9 could be Dark Brahmas, but two have no feathers on there legs I can live with that ratio. Although those two were the two I was most hoping were Brahmas as they are blues.....

I looked at the pictures you posted of them when you first got them and yes, it does look like seven of them are dark brahmas. The other two don't have feathered legs, which is a dead giveaway that they're not brahmas.

Also, hatcheries don't have the fancy new project colors of brahmas. They only have light, dark, and buff, so those are the only brahma colors you're going to find when buying at a feed store. Anything not those colors isn't a brahma.

 

[Finnie]

this is the first year i tried raising chicks and i, too, got duped by TSC. of the 6 chicks i purchased, the white rock pullet and black sex link pullet were correctly labeled, i got 2 buff orpingtons that turned out to be appenzeller spitzhaubens, and i still don’t know what the heck my 2 “marans” are, besides probably cockerels. i’m chalking it up to my own inexperience, not knowing how unreliable TSC is about labeling their chicks. i think it will be a while before i need to raise new ones, but i’ll go to a more reputable source. those spitzhaubens, though...

Man, I would LOVE to get some Appenzeller Spitzhaubens from TSC! Lucky you!

My blue Cochins turned out to be black Cochins,

That's actually legit. The color "blue" doesn't breed true, so chicks from blue breeding can be black, blue or splash. And most hatcheries will not separate the three.

What 21 hens says. I might add my own advice regarding buying chicks at TSC. Don't! Their rep is notorious for selling straight run as pullets, and having breeds mis-labeled. At least in my area, the feed on the shelves can be 2 - 4 months old. I've learned that I'm far better off doing business with a store that pays attention to such details.

That's sad that you have a bad TSC. Both of the TSCs by me are great stores. Sometimes there are employee mistakes, which is par for the course of any entry level store workers. But I have found TSC managers to be very accommodating. I have found the Dumor and Purina feeds to always be fresh, but I quit buying Nutrena after having to return 2 musty smelling bags. (No problem getting a refund on the open bags.)

Why did you order shipped chicks from TSC? If you are shipping chicks, why not go straight from the hatchery? TSC chicks are from hatcheries, and you then have the complicating factor of a middle-man to deal with too.

Good point. You could compare the prices and policies from the TSC website to the actual hatchery website, if that is given. But at least when ordering TSC chicks shipped to you, they ship directly from the hatchery to your PO, and they get to skip any trauma related to being driven to the store, handled there, and then being driven to your home.

I placed a disclaimer to avoid hostile responses.

I don't know why people think that if they put a disclaimer, it gives them carte blanche to be as offensive as they want. It's actually not a good idea, because the disclaimer serves as a red flag to get people to scrutinize just what the offensive thing is that will follow. Draws extra criticism. (By the way, I don't think you were even very offensive. This is more directed at people in general, who intend to offend people on purpose.)

they crack me up how when one takes a blueberry they all chase that one when there are 30 others in the dish.

I know! Aren't chickens a hoot?

 

[Blooie]

I couldn't look a bin of chicks and correctly identify about 1/4 of them. When people post photos of new chicks and ask what they are, I usually don't even try to join the conversation.

 

[lazy gardener]

@Farmer Connie :Connie, I did not take your post as being offensive. Before asking any question, I usually do a thorough google search to see if I can find information which gives me a broad understanding of the topic I am searching. Regarding chicken breeds, it is sometimes even possible to pick up specifics about sexing certain breeds, even if they are not known to be auto sexing.

 

[pjintexas]

The trouble is the employees at Tractor Supply get no training for this and most of them have probably never had chickens nor do they know anything about the different breeds.

So if the hatchery happened to accidentally label what was in the box of chicks wrong, the TSC people would have no idea and just put whatever it said on the box. In my first batch of chicks ever I bought a 'gold laced wyandotte' that was actually a red sex link. They look totally different as chicks, but the TSC people didn't know and I, being new to chickens, didn't either.

Or if the box isn't labeled they might just guess and put a sign up for whatever they think they might be.

There's not really anything to be done about this unfortunately, because short of TSC training all its employees to identify most chicken breeds as chicks, mislabeling is gonna happen unless the hatchery gets what's in the box correctly labeled and sends TSC what they say they're sending them.

 

[ByrdFeathers]

For those who didn't see my post when I originally purchased the Brahmas, here they are. Again they all have feathered legs except the two blue looking ones. On another note I really appreciate the discussion, Farmer Connie my response wasn't intended to be hostile at all. I started the thread mainly to let others know that if they are buying from TSC they should be cautious and with all the tips and tricks shared throughout the thread so far maybe they can insure they are getting what they want.

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

every year this comes up and I get it it's frustrating when someone gets something that isn't what they think it is. However, I think that there is a responsibility especially when one is dealing with live animals to educate yourself about what you're getting in to. Even a newbie to chickens can learn the basics about the characteristics of a particular breed that they're looking to get. This is something that you would do if you were getting a new breed of dog or any other animal isn't it? It's rather easy to direct your ire at the retailer, and yes to a degree correct. But taking 5 or 10 minutes of your own time to do a little bit of research to at least know what the breeds you want look like (as chicks)… something that doesn't even have to be done at home ahead of time if you carry a smartphone with you and bring up a website at the moment you're in the store… you yourself can avoid many of these issues.

 

[pjintexas]

OK, I admit I can't remember one chicken's name from another, but I am 71 and can't always remember friends names. But I do know that I order my chickens from McMurray Hatchery, because I want chickens that get along, they are vaccinated and they can answer all my questions. They email me when they are shipped, and I stay in close contact with the Post Office so they don't have to sit in their shipping box and I have always had luck with them!! As for TRACTOR Supply...I get my food for all my animals there, but nothing that is alive....Go to the source.....I just got 11 and they are perfect.