INDIANA BYC'ers HERE!

[ChickCrazed]

Ok, here is my rant about retail bashing. Maybe it bothers me more than most because I actually work in retail.

First let all understand that the minimum chick number is not a store by store policy. EVERY single rural king, TSC, and Big R and a single Family Farm and Home (only one store remotely located to me) have this minimum number of chicks. I have only been to an Orschelns that does not have a minimum. While I don't know the reasoning behind such minimums, it is still policy and to think an employee is going to break policy for you, you are crazy! Why would I risk my job for a customer? Sure you are more than welcome to ask if you can get less chicks, but to start arguing and complaining is flat out ridiculous, IMO. If you don't like the stores policy, then shop somewhere else! Very simple!

For all the "idiots" working in the stores, most employees are hired for areas that are their strengths. Not everyone will be a chicken expert. These stores typically have a lot of specialized areas and to assume every employee is knowledgeable in every area is also ridiculous.

Now, letting a animal become injured and/or diseased and not treating it is not acceptable. As some mentioned, businesses are in it for money (I thought that was obvious), so if you don't like the business take your money elsewhere. But to go in and just become argumentative, loud, and quite honestly a pain in the butt, is not the solution. The vast majority of the time you will be yelling at the messenger who has no control over policies. When customers beat down employees like this, you are just causing the employee to not care and not want to improve him or herself. Why would they go try and help an employee in an unfamiliar area only to get yelled at by a customer?

I know I will try to go above and beyond to help my customers, however I don't do to well when you yell at me. And don't tell me how to do my job. And nots lot forget that I am NOT a dog and will not come to you when you whistle at me! Working in cabinets, I'm dealing with high dollar projects. Things go wrong that are out of my control. If a customer is reasonable I'm more than happy to try to correct the issue, be it compensation or upgrading for same price. However, if you start yelling and becoming in reasonable, my willingness to help is gone! Retail employees are still people and still should be treated as such!

I can understand the minimum chick requirement. I also agree that it is never right to take it frustration on store policy on employees and you should treat everyone you meet and interact with courteously. I DO think that a store that is selling live creatures needs to take that seriously and handle it responsibly. To me that includes educating the staff (or hiring educated staff) on how to properly care for the animals and monitoring closely so that when they become injured or sick (or are being cannibalized slowly by the other chicks) they can immediately be removed and treated. I think as a corporation Rural King (and the others I'm sure) need to be driving that change, and if there is something we can do to help it we should. However we aren't going to get anywhere by lecturing or yelling at one employee out of the sea of thousands.

 

[iamfivewire]

Well said, Bradselig !

 

[CCCCCCCCHICKENS]

brown cow ~ That would be a good topic for one of those HGTV home renovations shows! New Trend~ Brooder Rooms! or Build an Addition for your "Home Business."
Originally Posted by pginsber
Question for those of you with goats--can dwarf/ Pygmy goats be house trained? Has anybody had or heard of having them in the house as pets?

Here's a link: Pygmy Goats Can Make Good Pets! - Pet Columns, Office of Public …
They live 8 - 12 years. Just make sure ordinances allow it. There was a story here last fall about a guy who had to give his pet goat up because of a city ordinance that doesn't allow goats (chickens and some other animals are okay'd). He argued that his goat was smaller than many dogs, and it didn't bark, run loose, etc., but once ordinances have been on the books for decades, it's difficult to have them changed even if they make no sense.
Kiniska ~ Haha I will take photos of the chicks tomorrow in natural light. I just wish they would pose like kabhyper's chickens do!
And YES-- you need that horse! The winters are so bad, that you'll need him to ride to and from the chicken coop with supplies!
Btw, the horse said that his feet were freezing while you stopped to have this photo taken!

CCCHICKENS~ It's so funny to see how they react to something new. Mine look at me with suspicion like I'm trying to poison them. Apparently your white rock rooster thought that's what you were trying to do! Mine become very annoyed if it's anything slightly mushy that would cause them to have to wipe their beaks repeatedly. Next, they'll be requesting their food be placed a silver tray with a linen napkin to wipe their beaks.

Every day I let my smaller white rock cockerel run around in the barn. He always manages to get stuff all over his beak, and expects me to wipe it off. Some of them really do think they are royalty, haha!

 

[CCCCCCCCHICKENS]

I DO think that a store that is selling live creatures needs to take that seriously and handle it responsibly. To me that includes educating the staff (or hiring educated staff) on how to properly care for the animals and monitoring closely so that when they become injured or sick (or are being cannibalized slowly by the other chicks) they can immediately be removed and treated. I think as a corporation Rural King (and the others I'm sure) need to be driving that change, and if there is something we can do to help it we should.

Just to clarify- When I said many of the workers are "idiots", I didn't say that because there lack of knowledge on chickens specifically, although it would be nice if they had one person. I guess I shouldn't of said all of them, because there are a few I just like to talk to and are helpful. They have poor customer service. It is pretty sad when I can go up to that little counter they at rural king, and there are 3 workers standing there talking (not work related, something about getting together after work). I stood right beside them for 5 mins, because I did't want to interupt their conversation. I finally said something and they just ignored me. Now I know exactly what I want, in and out. I would spend my money somewhere else, but that is hard to do if they are one of the few stores that carry it. And I choose RK over TSC. There are 2 workers there that are very helpful, but they are both older and don't work very many hours. Usually when I go in they happen not to be working. I am also not one who yell at workers. Especially since most, if not all, are older than I am (I don't know how many times in my life I have heard "you are suppose to respect your elders" from my mom). I have seen some one make a girl cry, while she was working. I felt really bad for her.

 

[minmin1258]

Akers Hatchery in southern Indiana has BLRW and Lavender Orps I believe.  They said they would start having chicks in Feb or March so we are close.  

Thank you for that so I suppose my next question is how long do chicks do ok in a car ride. It'll be about two hrs in the car. Should be ok right?

Lol chicks better be ok for more than two hours in a car... I plan on driving 7.5 hrs to go get some bitties "next week"!!!

 

[goatluver20]

Akers Hatchery in southern Indiana has BLRW and Lavender Orps I believe. They said they would start having chicks in Feb or March so we are close.

That is where I will be getting my chicks this year. So excited! Their website says they will be hatching in late Feb

 

[CRSelvey]

Lol chicks better be ok for more than two hours in a car... I plan on driving 7.5 hrs to go get some bitties "next week"!!!

I saw that Mother2Hens had grapes along for the ride for her babies and I think she said it was suggested by another member. Are there any other suggestions for safe chick travel because I'm hoping to go get some as well this spring and would love ideas.

 

[amwchickin]

Wow, it took forever to catch up with all the posts! So ready for winter to be over with! We have what, 4-6 more weeks?

My Einstein would like the snow to disappear! She makes me bring all the food and treats right to her her little house.


After a 4 month hiatus of no eggs, she laid a nice green egg the other day (of course when I found it, it was frozen and cracked). I am a little apprehensive in eating her eggs, just with the illness thing. I know she didn't get sick, but I really wonder...

So after seeing all the post about chicks at RK's, TSC's, etc. I decided to check my RK. I had to get some pig ears for the dogs anyway (nice excuse, right!!) and they had the little yellow chick foot prints all the way to the bins! I love that! They were about half out already. And I know I said I wanted some started pullets so I didn't have to mess with so much of the chick stuff, I COULD NOT resist!

I bought a BR, RIR, GLW, BO, and 2 EE's (which they had labeled Araucana's and I just laughed). I do think they went with a new supplier this year though. Even though its freezing out and it's really early in the season, the chicks just looked healthier than last year. Only saw a few that were dead and I found a trash bin for them. I, too, pick out my own and box them. I know what I want better than the employees. So I had to bring them to my apartment for the night before I was able to take them up to the farm. My cat sat with them all night and watched. She went from thinking I brought her a treat to complete amusement very quickly. She kept licking their heads!


Look at these puffy cheeks!

She's going to be a lovely EE in a few months! Only 4 months until I have my own fresh eggs again!!

 

[goatluver20]

Your cat looks like my brother's former cat. She lived to be 18 I think.

 

[ChickCrazed]

Updated pics of the 6 week old Marans from Brad! Mr. Roo is getting very handsome! He is already getting the white on his chest!! I'm starting to think I have two pullets! Lucky lucky! The girls are shown together, the one in the front is the tiny one I am worried about. She is so small! She still is way behind on feathering too. She seems active though, so I'm hoping she is just small and not unhealthy.

Mr. Roo


The girls...

Mr. Roo

The tiny pullet (I hope!!!)

The girls saying helllooooooooooo