Feed store chicks

TFM3

In the Brooder
7 Years
Nov 17, 2012
19
0
22
In the spring I plan to start raising a small flock ( 6 or so) of chicks, and will probably look
to a Tractor supply or feed store for so small an amount. I am curious as to what types of
chicks these places usually carry. Any chance they would have buff orpingtons?
 
New backyard chicken convert here. I purchased ours from two different feed stores after doing lots of research on this site and others. What I experienced is that the chickens the feed stores had at the time I started my research were not the same ones they had when I was ready to purchase. The stores by us get different breeds every few weeks. They had a calendar for me to look at to determine what breeds were coming in and when.

The chicks we purchased from the two stores were different ages (within 3 weeks of each other) and have gotten along just fine so far. Purchased in early October. One didn't make it past 3 days but the store gave a credit since that particular batch seemed to have an abundance of unhealthy chicks. My other chicks survived just fine. Good luck and have tons of fun !
 
Thanks for the info "kacklinkelly", I will definately ask if a calendar is available. On my last stop
at Tractor supply I asked a young lady what type of chicks they carry, and she said "the fluffy
yellow ones". Oh well, live and learn.
 
TSC stocks 3 bins in my local store. The selection is always a bin of broilers, a bin of production layers, and a straight-run bin of their "featured breed" for the week. That's it, every week, so if you just want layers for cheap, they'll have them. At the higher-volume stores, they will stock a 4th bin with ducks or turkeys for a couple of weeks. So yes, they might have buff Orps at some point in the season as their featured breed but you'd have to buy them straight-run and have a plan for what to do with the roosters. OTOH, at the county co-op, they stock sexed pullets and feature 2-3 different breeds per week as well as offering production layers/broilers on a rotating basis. They also post a sign by the chick bins that says what they are getting and when so you can *gasp* plan ahead! Imagine! That would be where I'd go if I were buying feed store chicks.
 
Thanks debid, that gives me another option. I will check with my local co-op. Sexed pullets might be the way to go.
 
I got 3 chicks from my local feed store Buff Orpington,RIR,and Barred Rock although the barred rock turned out to be a rooster
sad.png
but they should have a website or something saying what chicks they have when they get them in.
 
TSC stocks 3 bins in my local store. The selection is always a bin of broilers, a bin of production layers, and a straight-run bin of their "featured breed" for the week. That's it, every week, so if you just want layers for cheap, they'll have them. At the higher-volume stores, they will stock a 4th bin with ducks or turkeys for a couple of weeks. So yes, they might have buff Orps at some point in the season as their featured breed but you'd have to buy them straight-run and have a plan for what to do with the roosters. OTOH, at the county co-op, they stock sexed pullets and feature 2-3 different breeds per week as well as offering production layers/broilers on a rotating basis. They also post a sign by the chick bins that says what they are getting and when so you can *gasp* plan ahead! Imagine! That would be where I'd go if I were buying feed store chicks.
Our TSC usually has a bin of mixed bantams in addition to the ones you mentioned.

As a note: Around here the ducks and broilers sell out fast.. so be sure to check with TSC every few days when "Chick Days" starts to see when they are expecting a delivery if you ever get the notion to get ducks or broilers.
They can do special orders.. but I believe there is a minimum of how many you have to order before they will place the order for you. The details are usually on their website when "Chick Days" is getting ready to start

I got 3 chicks from my local feed store Buff Orpington,RIR,and Barred Rock although the barred rock turned out to be a rooster
sad.png
but they should have a website or something saying what chicks they have when they get them in.
Our local feed store that sells chicks still uses a hand cranked cash register.. lol.. they aren't on the web yet.
I did ask and ours said they get their chicks from Ideal hatchery.. so that helps narrow down what kinds they could be getting in. They also have a notebook up by the register where they make a note of what breeds you are looking for and will call if they get any in. The owner's daughter told me that Ideal usually sends them a mix of their "extras" so sometimes they don't even know what they are getting until the chicks arrive and they look over the invoice.. and then it's a matter of matching the color of the chicks to a poster they have hanging in the store. So if looking for a particular breed it helps to know what that breed's chicks look like.
I know every feed store is different.. but if you can find an employee who has been there a while.. they can usually fill you in on the details of where their chicks come from and if they can do a special order for you or not. Sometimes they will hold a few of a specific breed if you provide them with contact info and let them know you are still interested in that type should they become available.
 

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