RANT: Tractor Supply won't sell less than six chicks!!!

[ShanandGem]

Support your local breeders! My online classifieds are full of small farms with chicks available right now. Unless you're in the big city, how hard can it be?

 

[byclover2]

Hi y'all -- yes, the 6-chick and 2-duck minimums are to make sure people are buying the birds for ag purposes and not as gifts. It's a company-wide TSC policy, rather than a state law situation.

 

[pipAchick]

Hi y'all -- yes, the 6-chick and 2-duck minimums are to make sure people are buying the birds for ag purposes and not as gifts. It's a company-wide TSC policy, rather than a state law situation.

Thanks for info. Actually makes sense to me.

 

[KyACO]

Dear original poster. Tractor supply company is not regulated by the Department of Agriculture with selling a minimum of six chicks. Router they're regulated by state animal control laws that dictate that no one can sell chicks ducks or goslings under a minimum quantity of 6. Most states have the same quantity laws with a few exceptions. So depending on where the chicks are coming from dictates the minimum quantity but they are allowed to sell. While I'm sure there's other Animal Control Officers feel free to blame me for this quantity limit on tractor supply company. Back when I was an ACO for Kentucky or local TSC sold chicks in quantities of one it up which was against the law. They also used to sell pink purple and other dye color animals at TSC. This was also against the law. These laws were put in place for cruelty requirements and survival requirements. I had to go in or local TSC and issue a citation warning to discontinue the sale of these animals under the state requirement of six. If TSC continue to sell them and not abide by state laws then they would face penalties for each sale. Those penalties are also dictated by state. Hopefully this helps you understand why TSC and other retail stores have to abide by a quantity limit.

 

[byclover2]

Dear original poster. Tractor supply company is not regulated by the Department of Agriculture with selling a minimum of six chicks. Router they're regulated by state animal control laws that dictate that no one can sell chicks ducks or goslings under a minimum quantity of 6. Most states have the same quantity laws with a few exceptions. So depending on where the chicks are coming from dictates the minimum quantity but they are allowed to sell. While I'm sure there's other Animal Control Officers feel free to blame me for this quantity limit on tractor supply company. Back when I was an ACO for Kentucky or local TSC sold chicks in quantities of one it up which was against the law. They also used to sell pink purple and other dye color animals at TSC. This was also against the law. These laws were put in place for cruelty requirements and survival requirements. I had to go in or local TSC and issue a citation warning to discontinue the sale of these animals under the state requirement of six. If TSC continue to sell them and not abide by state laws then they would face penalties for each sale. Those penalties are also dictated by state. Hopefully this helps you understand why TSC and other retail stores have to abide by a quantity limit.

Hi, let's be clear -- TSC sells chicks 6 or more at a time NOT because of state or local laws (which are all different) -- this is the chainwide policy in every store, which is to encourage people to purchase them for ag reasons and not unprepared or as gifts. Nothing dictates this policy other than TSC's interest in the well-being of the birds and those buying them.
Dyed or colored animals have never been part of TSC's Chick Days, as the company works very closely with the CDC, NPIP and other organizations.

 

[oldrooster]

Quote:
Most other big box feed stores have similar rules as TSC, most of the time many chains go with what the strictest law is (if there is one state or federal) for all their stores sometimes the laws are so lax or so stupidly written that no one could ever break it then they make thier own policy on what makes sense to a normal human like 5 or 6 for a minimum.

 

[skidoolady]

Ok, I am seething mad right now. 

The Tsc here has a 10 Chick MINIMUM!

I went to TSC today to buy two new chicks.  I already have four full grown chickens, and although we are expanding our run this weekend by about 5 times it's original size, my husband wants me to limit the new chickens to two or three this year, and maybe we can get a couple more next year.  He wants to keep our flock small.

Well, when I get there and request two chicks, they ( there were three employees ) tell me I have to buy six!  I told them last year I bought two from them, one died, came back the next day and bought one, and no one said boo about it.  They said that person didn't know what they were doing- I said "both of the employees? And the cashier who checked me out?" 

I ask "why? What sense does this make?"  Then they said it was just store policy.  No exceptions.  I asked if there was someone higher up or someone I could call about this because that it is absolutely ridiculous!!  Lots of people have flocks of two or three birds, and many people just don't have room for any more than that!   They said it's not really TSC's fault and there's nothing they can do because it's actually the Dept. of Agriculture that's cracking down and mandating a six chick purchase minimum.  Who is the government to tell me how few or many chickens I have to buy???

I've looked online and haven't been able to find this regulation.  Also, Mypetchicken.com will sell me 4 chicks (though I'll spend a fortune on shipping and have to wait a few months), so if this regulation is real, how are they getting away with it?  I think TS is B-Sing me.

I'm going to write them an email demanding an explanation, but I need to cool down a little first...  In the meantime I'm going to get with a friend of ours and see if he will take the extra chicks if I break down and buy the half dozen...

Thanks for listening to my rant, and any info on this policy would be much appreciated!!

 

[lilwildrabbit]

I have to say that I have had good luck with TSC myself went into the store last year and left the store with about 65 chicks (was 70 but gave a soldier and his wife 5 for free ) all I paid was about 30 dollars lol. It was just after the tubs were put away they received more chicks and had them sitting at the register in two boxes one with full sized with about 50 and one with bantams about 20. Looked at the lady at the counter and said I'll give you 20 for the larg breeds after getting the ok from the manager I looked at the other box and said ahhh heck I'll give you 10 for them too so I came home with more than I wanted but knowing that about 20- 30% probibally wouldn't live to maturity I set out to raise chicks. Well I raised 50 lost 15 so it wasn't bad for my first time lost most after they got bigger from neiborhood dogs than anything else

 

[popsicle]

I have to say that I have had good luck with TSC myself went into the store last year and left the store with about 65 chicks (was 70 but gave a soldier and his wife 5 for free ) all I paid was about 30 dollars lol. It was just after the tubs were put away they received more chicks and had them sitting at the register in two boxes one with full sized with about 50 and one with bantams about 20. Looked at the lady at the counter and said I'll give you 20 for the larg breeds after getting the ok from the manager I looked at the other box and said ahhh heck I'll give you 10 for them too so I came home with more than I wanted but knowing that about 20- 30% probibally wouldn't live to maturity I set out to raise chicks. Well I raised 50 lost 15 so it wasn't bad for my first time lost most after they got bigger from neiborhood dogs than anything else

This has been my general experience with getting birds at TSC also. Go in for a couple of ducks and they give me a deal to take everybody in the bin.

 

[SoNNeR79]

Figure i will add to this rant. Hello everyone my family and i are new to byc but we are loving our baby chicks (2-3 weeks old) we purchased them from tsc and they got us with the buy 6 policy... and to top it off they had to be 6 of the same breed. We were going to get rir to begin with but we really wanted something stand outish and entertaining from a visual stand point. All of our chicks are happy and healthy and chirping away but i am still a little upset that we couldnt select what we wanted and how many. So next year i will most likely expand our coop to put some fancys out there in the mix with the girls. We live in upstate ny. I dont believe it is a state law because our local runnings sells them one to a thousand. I know for future reference and will most likely order online from now on