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

[byclover2]

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

Hi there, can you tell me which TSC this was? The TSC minimum is 6 chicks, not due to state or local laws, but to ensure folks are buying them for ag purposes and not as gifts. TSC is actually looking at possibly lowering this number, but that's TBD.

However, the 6 birds do NOT need to be the same breed. You can mix and match, and people do all the time. If you let me know which store said that, I'll pass it along.

 

[SoNNeR79]

Hi there, can you tell me which TSC this was? The TSC minimum is 6 chicks, not due to state or local laws, but to ensure folks are buying them for ag purposes and not as gifts. TSC is actually looking at possibly lowering this number, but that's TBD.

However, the 6 birds do NOT need to be the same breed. You can mix and match, and people do all the time. If you let me know which store said that, I'll pass it along.

Hello. Thank you for the quick reply. It was the tsc in baldwinsville ny

 

[byclover2]

I know for shipping purposes (warmth and such) that there has to be a minimum, but I cant imagine why TSC would have such a policy? I would love to hear the response you get from them...

The 6-bird minimum is a TSC chainwide policy that ensures people buy them for ag purposes and not as gifts. As well, chickens are social and do better in a environment with multiples. For buying TSC birds online, the minimum is 10 birds, and that direction comes from the hatchery.

 

[lilwildrabbit]

I didn't know you could buy birds online!!

 

[byclover2]

New this year 20-25 breeds of chicks, ducks and turkeys via TractorSupply.com -- http://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/catalog/poultry/poultry-supplies/live-baby-chicks-ducks---turkeys

You'll see the breeds available from the hatchery (Hoover's), and they update every day based on what's being hatched. They ship out every week and arrive in a few days, so no waiting months!

 

[byclover2]

I didn't know you could buy birds online!!

Oh, and they will be available year-round, so not just during spring Chick Days.

 

[lilwildrabbit]

Oh, and they will be available year-round, so not just during spring Chick Days.

Nice!!

 

[Tikkijane]

The 6-bird minimum is a TSC chainwide policy that ensures people buy them for ag purposes and not as gifts. As well, chickens are social and do better in a environment with multiples. For buying TSC birds online, the minimum is 10 birds, and that direction comes from the hatchery.

Check that, though. I have never seen where you can order online through TSC; just print the order forn. And per all of the hatcheries they order from, the minimum was 25 {they need the numbers for heat during shipping so they don't freeze to death}; with multiples of 5 per breed. When I ordered 4 years ago, they called around to each of the hatcheries to see which one could ship my combo of birds. Then I had to wait almost 2 months.

That being said, even though my dd works there and gives me daily updates on breeds, I may be doing another order instead of waiting and hoping they get pullets in the breeds I'm looking for. We'll see.

Oh- and hatcheries often ship with "packing peanuts" {males} to help with heat. Last time I ordered 40, and got 3 cockerels, which I though was great!

 

[rooster58]

Ok, I am seething mad right now. 

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!!

Actually you are lucky with a six chick minimum. I understand the rule. It prevents people from buying just one as an Easter present and then it not being taken care of. Here in the town I'm at TSC will not sell chicks because the ordinance is a minimum of 30 chicks per person. Yes the MINIMUM is 30 per sale here. 6 at a time is totally reasonable in my eyes. This is in Oswego NY.

 

[Tikkijane]

New this year 20-25 breeds of chicks, ducks and turkeys via TractorSupply.com -- http://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/catalog/poultry/poultry-supplies/live-baby-chicks-ducks---turkeys

You'll see the breeds available from the hatchery (Hoover's), and they update every day based on what's being hatched. They ship out every week and arrive in a few days, so no waiting months!

That is seriously awesome! I'll have to keep checking back to see if gender availibility changes. Now, if they would just give stores a list of what's being shipped when.....