Possible new low for Tractor Supply

[GravityWaves]

I had to go to town today so I stopped at Tractor Supply just to see what chicks they had. Only 1 tank: Cinnamon Queen pullets and straight run Black Sex Links. Wait, what? The CQ indeed looked correct but every single one of the BSL had a white dot on their head. All cockerels! I thought maybe they just had some leftover Barred Rocks but that was not the case.

So I asked the lady back there about them and she proceeded to try to explain to me what "straight run" meant. I told her I knew what it meant and I knew what a BSL was and that they were all cockerels. Then she tried to sell me on them!!! I explained to her how a BSL was a red male over barred female and male chicks have the spot on their head while female chicks are ALL black. She told me that "well, that's really not how it works" and that the only way they know they're pullets for sure is when the hatchery sends them sexed. Then she conceded that there could be some boys in there. I feel sorry for whoever buys those chicks thinking they're gonna get a bunch of nice big eggs. To make it even worse, the sign for the BSL shows the chicks with white head spots!! So incredibly dishonest and taking advantage of folks who don't know any better. Below are a couple pics. What's everyone else think about this?

 

[Poultrybonkers]

Its not tsc fault if they buy straight run but the hatchery dumps all their males as females are sold out already... Everyone knows straight run is mostly males if not all.

 

[Isadora]

Everyone knows straight run is mostly males if not all.

Not many people know this, especially newbies.

 

[Poultrybonkers]

Not many people know this, especially newbies.

Well people should research before jumping to get chicks because they think their "cute"

 

[MeanCheek]

My Tractor Supply had these "white Leghorns" that looked just like Bielefelders.

 

[GravityWaves]

Well people should research before jumping to get chicks because they think their "cute"

I researched (for years actually) before I got mine several years ago but I'm what you'd call a "country boy." What if a family really wants to try and be self-sufficient so they plant a little garden and get a few chickens but they didn't grow up around a farm or in the country? They hear sex-links are great layers so they go to Tractor Supply and get 10 of them. Woops!

 

[Isadora]

Well people should research before jumping to get chicks because they think their "cute"

In a perfect world.

What if a family really wants to try and be self-sufficient so they plant a little garden and get a few chickens but they didn't grow up around a farm or in the country? They hear sex-links are great layers so they go to Tractor Supply and get 10 of them. Woops!

Exactly.

 

[nuthatched]

Our tsc employees are actually pretty good with good info.
I agree, most employees need a bit more training in this area but on the flips idea, I get awful sick of people getting on here with ' tsc lied to me' etc. Listen, if you know what breeds you wanted, be bothered to learn what they look like as chicks or order them! No one goes to a car dealer wanting a vw Bug not knowing what one looks like!

 

[GravityWaves]

Our tsc employees are actually pretty good with good info.
I agree, most employees need a bit more training in this area but on the flips idea, I get awful sick of people getting on here with ' tsc lied to me' etc. Listen, if you know what breeds you wanted, be bothered to learn what they look like as chicks or order them! No one goes to a car dealer wanting a vw Bug not knowing what one looks like!

What got me and why I even posted this was her brash attitude and how she talked to me about them. I explained to her plain as day how a sex link is created and that's why you actually can tell if they're boys or girls but she wouldn't even listen to me.

And for the last part, okay, say the family didn't actually know what a good starter breed was. They're all set up and go to TSC and ask this lady about them. She talks them into buying 10 cockerels. Woops! I agree people need to research before they jump in but idk, it really seemed to me like she knew they were males and was just trying to get rid of them. I know when I first started reading about and looking at pictures of chickens it was still kinda difficult to tell breeds and sexes of chicks apart.

 

[featherhead007]

I would love to have a mutt breed, of a black/white Barred EE with muffs, beard, the works. And also has feathers on her feet! (Fill that order anyone?)