Fed Up with TSC Chicks

[Anianna]

I wrote TSC requesting more information on the Tetra Tints chicks they supposedly sell "exclusively". There are already complaints all over these forums about TSC employees' general lack of knowledge regarding the chicks they sell as well as complaints of a high roo to pullet ratio. I don't know why I expected them to redeem themselves, but this is the response I received:

Quote:
Since the Tetra Tints are a TSC exclusive, I would think TSC would know something about them. That's not to mention that I had already pointed out in my original question that the local stores were unable to provide the information I was requesting.

There are plenty of other feed stores, local breeders, online sellers, and regional swaps to keep me swimming in chickens and whatever I need for them. I'm done with TSC.

 

[tinydancer87]

I don't even bother asking the employees about the chicks anymore. I carry my Murray McMurray catalog with me, which has pictures of the babies of each breed, and just figure it our for myself. Many times they are labeled wrong.

 

[Ariel301]

They're not exclusive, I have seen them online from other hatcheries.

Places like Tractor Supply often hire people who don't know a whole lot so that they can pay them less. I've been turned down for jobs at a lot of the big chain pet supply stores because I "know too much", being a tropical fish breeder and former parrot breeder/veterinary student. They want someone they can train easily who doesn't ask a lot of questions or worry about the store's policies about animal care, or inform the customers that the animal/item they are wanting to buy is not right for them.

It's not true of all places, but a lot of the bigger ones are that way.

 

[emvickrey]

I don't buy chicks from them and never will. They want way too much as far as i'm concerned. I can swap eggs and get better quailty of birds or just hatch some of my own.

 

[Carolyn]

TSC uses different hatcheries to order their chicks from. I have had more success finding out which hatchery they ordered from and directing my questions to that hatchery. Ordering or checking out their on line catalogue to get specific info has helped me figure out what breeds I have picked out. At times I have been fortunate to have a fellow chicken lover working at TSC or RK when I purchased chicks and they were actually helpful (One young lady helped me pick out pullets from a straight run group but she told me it might not work.) Most of the time they know very little about the chicks.

 

[mommto3kiddos]

Once while at a TSC (not my local one) they were selling Cornish X in the "red pullet bin".. When I pointed it out the girls told me "oh they are all the same anyway" HUH...

She looked like she was about 16 though and had NO CLUE!!!

 

[Anianna]

I find this all very irresponsible on their part.

The local store asked my husband to provide them with rabbits. I have no interest in dealing with irresponsible animal dealers. They don't even know enough (or simply don't bother) to raise the waterer and feeder a little to keep them cleaner in the chick bins. I've only ever seen filthy water in their animal bins. They might as well be running a puppy mill. I am between two Southern States and the local hardware store holds monthly swaps in the spring. The Southern States here always knows what they are selling and posts information at the bins complete with pictures. I'd rather buy from people who give a darn and know to some degree what they are talking about.

 

[AZSummer]

Years ago, my DH and I had a part time job answering email inquiries for a company. We were given access to a system with canned responses and paid by the email. We weren't given any real training and discouraged from answering questions individually. Don't take the canned response personally.

 

[Anianna]

No offense to you, AZSummer, but I think every customer should take a canned response personally. It's insulting to the customer and reflects poorly on the company. It's just bad business.

 

[Kitt]

I went to tsc the other day and looked at the chicks with no intent on getting any more. The employee was letting some lady hold chicks by their feet with some goofy notion that you can tell male from female. I saw 2 with pasty butt so bad and i informed the lady and she said it was no big problem that they would be fine. And they were selling male sexlinks as pullets. I bought the 2 with pasty butt (and the others to make the min of 6 )and cleaned them in a parking lot...for 20 minutes, that is how bad they were. and that was just enough to get the vent area clean where they could go.