thoughts on this TSC brooder situation?

[Texasclucker]

yeah i get that I'm not one to usually use this word but it doesn't seem ethical at all its just kind of mean

 

[Ratchnick]

Seem like the brooder plates are to high/ not warm enough.

 

[KaleIAm]

I don't go to tsc, and I haven't seen the way they take care of their ducklings and chicks. But if they are treating live animals improperly I believe we shouldn't be supporting them by purchasing animals or anything else from them. If you want them to change it may help to let them know your intentions and get as many people in with you as possible. If you make their animal abuse nonprofitable why would they continue?

 

[Stoney Meadow Maple]

I would like to think that the individual employees care about the health and safety of the birds...or that at lease there are employees at each store that care. I know personally I have a few folks in my circle who have what I consider..interesting.. techniques for care of their birds that I don't consider acceptable, but then hey, I am fairly new at this too. I firmly believe it is up to corporate to train their employees and to do some testing on new products before installing a nation wide entirely new system to be run by largely untrained personnel. furthermore, thermostatically controlled brooders are not that hard to create, the technology is simple and economical, compared to lost birds it is downright cheap, it would be a much safer way for people who are not well educated in care and situations that involve a multitude of individuals providing care to offer consistent and safe conditions for the animals they are selling there and would be a good addition to the brooders they are selling there to new and experienced owners.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

I would like to think that the individual employees care about the health and safety of the birds...or that at lease there are employees at each store that care. I know personally I have a few folks in my circle who have what I consider..interesting.. techniques for care of their birds that I don't consider acceptable, but then hey, I am fairly new at this too. I firmly believe it is up to corporate to train their employees and to do some testing on new products before installing a nation wide entirely new system to be run by largely untrained personnel. furthermore, thermostatically controlled brooders are not that hard to create, the technology is simple and economical, compared to lost birds it is downright cheap, it would be a much safer way for people who are not well educated in care and situations that involve a multitude of individuals providing care to offer consistent and safe conditions for the animals they are selling there and would be a good addition to the brooders they are selling there to new and experienced owners.

Well, apparently some stores had these brooders last year. I'd consider that to be a good enough test to go all out this year

 

[KaleIAm]

I would like to think that the individual employees care about the health and safety of the birds...or that at lease there are employees at each store that care. I know personally I have a few folks in my circle who have what I consider..interesting.. techniques for care of their birds that I don't consider acceptable, but then hey, I am fairly new at this too. I firmly believe it is up to corporate to train their employees and to do some testing on new products before installing a nation wide entirely new system to be run by largely untrained personnel. furthermore, thermostatically controlled brooders are not that hard to create, the technology is simple and economical, compared to lost birds it is downright cheap, it would be a much safer way for people who are not well educated in care and situations that involve a multitude of individuals providing care to offer consistent and safe conditions for the animals they are selling there and would be a good addition to the brooders they are selling there to new and experienced owners.

I don't know anything about tsc's business model, but about 20 years ago I worked for a popular chain pet store for a few years. This pet store sells small animals, does not have great standards of animal care, and does not make money on the animals. The reason the store keeps selling small animals is because the people who buy those animals will return to buy supplies for the life of that animal. I suspect it is similar at tsc.

Lots of people working at the store I worked at cared about animals, but we were being paid at minimum wage or slightly above. If we brought concerns to the store managers we were told to go do our jobs (stock, cashier, sweep, whatever), or follow procedure for that issue - which was to put the animal in the back out of the customer's sight.

 

[MeganFair]

I would like to think that the individual employees care about the health and safety of the birds...or that at lease there are employees at each store that care. I know personally I have a few folks in my circle who have what I consider..interesting.. techniques for care of their birds that I don't consider acceptable, but then hey, I am fairly new at this too. I firmly believe it is up to corporate to train their employees and to do some testing on new products before installing a nation wide entirely new system to be run by largely untrained personnel. furthermore, thermostatically controlled brooders are not that hard to create, the technology is simple and economical, compared to lost birds it is downright cheap, it would be a much safer way for people who are not well educated in care and situations that involve a multitude of individuals providing care to offer consistent and safe conditions for the animals they are selling there and would be a good addition to the brooders they are selling there to new and experienced owners.

I’m fortunate to know at least two local TSC’s have good employees that treat the animals well. The problem is that you can’t count on that at all stores.

I was thinking about it last night and I realized something. The brooder they were selling said the maximum was twenty chicks up to six weeks of age - could the high death rates be from overcrowding and the stress of being out in the open? I know for a fact I’ve seen way more than twenty chicks or ducklings in those brooders at the store. And the old stock tank method gave em way more room to move and better access to food and water in their high density situation. I imagine the stress of being crowded and overstimulated could cause a lot of babies to shut down.

Here’s the listing.

Take a look at the specs and reviews. Some of those are probably sketch, but looking at the design of the product … it shouldn’t actually be that bad of a set up. They have a PDF of the instructions and everything. Needs a better heater though. For home brooding this probably isn’t the worst, but I feel like in a retail situation this design causes way too much stress on the birds.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

I’m fortunate to know at least two local TSC’s have good employees that treat the animals well. The problem is that you can’t count on that at all stores.

I was thinking about it last night and I realized something. The brooder they were selling said the maximum was twenty chicks up to six weeks of age - could the high death rates be from overcrowding and the stress of being out in the open? I know for a fact I’ve seen way more than twenty chicks or ducklings in those brooders at the store. And the old stock tank method gave em way more room to move and better access to food and water in their high density situation. I imagine the stress of being crowded and overstimulated could cause a lot of babies to shut down.

Here’s the listing.

Take a look at the specs and reviews. Some of those are probably sketch, but looking at the design of the product … it shouldn’t actually be that bad of a set up. They have a PDF of the instructions and everything. Needs a better heater though. For home brooding this probably isn’t the worst, but I feel like in a retail situation this design causes way too much stress on the birds.

I think what the capacity means is no more than 20 6 week olds. Those are way bigger than day olds,

 

[HawaiiCoyote]

I think it depends on the store and who is taking care of them \ turning the brooders on and off.
( I feel like some stores don't give the brooders enough time to heat up before putting the chicks in. )
Overall, I'm not a big fan. I know that when chicks are piled together it means they are too cold and most of the chicks in these brooders are in piles, so my gut automatically tells me *they are too cold in those brooders.*
That's my take on the new TSC brooders.

 

[Isadora]

All the ducklings and chicks at my local tractor supply looked fine the last couple times I was there. . . No dead chicks, huddling or anything else to suggest they were distressed. But I've seen a lot of photos of the things I just mentioned above. Sounds like a lot of chicks aren't doing well in them.