Feed store hunting for chicks, a good idea?

[Whitehouse Quail]

I would check with the feed stores, and ask if you can preorder them. All my local feed stores have an order form that they let you pick out specific chicks in an order, and they just order with you to fill up there store.

TSC's Chick Days also lets you pick your breed, I think. Mine takes orders in January, if this helps.

 

[colby318]

I'm on the opposite side of the country, but hopefully this will work for you too. Our Tractor Supply Company uses Mt Healthy hatchery for its chicks. I backtracked to Mt Healthy's website to see what birds they sell. Mostly to see if they had any breeds I was interested in. Also, TSC would special order any of the birds that Mt Healthy carries if they didn't have them in stock at the store. That way I didn't have to buy the straight run chicks they had currently on location.


ps. I was aggravating TSC by picking out all the female barred rocks for the customers when they didn't want to buy the males. Thank goodness I'm on a first name basis with the staff or they probably would have thrown me out.

Colby

 

[bock]

Come to think of it, I have heard of TSC's chick days. Maybe I will order from them.....

 

[bock]

I just checked it out, and it says you have to order at least 25 or more, and in multiples of at least 5 per breed and gender.

I don't like their selection in the store, and they are crowed, filthy, and they almost never have any water. I think I will call some other feed stores around January.

 

[babalubird]

Oh, gosh! Every feed and ranch store I've been in mixes up the breeds of chicks and the hired help can never help you know what they are. Best of luck. You are lucky if they don't mix them up. Connie

 

[lleighmay]

My local feed stores, including Southern States, will order whatever kind you want from the hatchery they use. Most of them around here order from Mt. Healthy. VA law says you have to buy a minimum of 6 chicks/ducks/turkeys or any combo thereof; the stores have been happy to make up mixed orders as long as you order at least 6, even if they don't all come in at the same time. When they arrive they are sorted and marked in different boxes by breed/sex so it's easy to pick out the ones I want before they put the extras out for folks who haven't ordered. I've been very pleased with their services, and I feel certain if you hunt around your area (especially local or smaller regional stores) you should be able to get what you want without having to order a larger number from someplace like TSC or direct from the hatchery.