Feed store chicks vs. hatchery chicks

[donrae]

I guess I forget how blessed I am with my local feed store. Its a Grange Co-op and I've nothing but good to say about them. Great customer service, I can special order birds, I can have birds held up to a week and they always look good....it's just a great place. I'm sorry everyone doesn't have that, but I guess I should keep that in mind when giving advice.

 

[lazy gardener]

Donrae: We all speak to the issues presented based on our own experience. You are simply coming from a different experience base than I am. Prior to last year, I would have been speaking from a purely positive experience with special ordered chicks from the local small feed store. Last year was a real eye opener for me. There is a feed store about 45 minutes away from me which may provide better management. I guess, the important thing is to ask LOTS of questions before placing that order. The hard part is for the newbie who doesn't even know what kinds of questions to ask, or what is reasonable to expect. That is why I posted my negative experience, so folks would be aware that there are very important differences in chick care from one feed store to an other, and IMO, it's all related to management. Even, boiling down to who's available as store manager on the day chicks are delivered. If you weren't so far away, I'd get special order chicks from your store!

 

[EggcitedChick]

Stressed chicks are definitely what I'm concerned about. Luckily, I live very close to my feed store and we're on a first name basis so I don't think it will be much of a problem for me to order some from them.

Thanks for all the replies and advice guys!