Tractor Supply chicks: Breeds?

[CliffB]

I'm not sure what you mean. I'm aware there are more hatcheries. I spoke with the manager where I shop and was told it was Townline.  I spend most of my money there, because they're very nice. 

I'm not aware of any agreed upon quantities, they don't tell me everything.  

Different chick sellers buy from different hatcheries, because I also have Country Max and they order special. 

I recently purchased a 1974 issue of Mother earth from back in the day when hatcheries guarded things very tightly.  It was interesting. 

Each store is receiving from 3-4 hatcheries not just one.

 

[fallyn]

I've gone in a few times now and managed to not buy any. Mostly because if i'm going to get six, i'd like six that i at least know the breed. Apparently one of the new hatcheries they are using hasn't been labeling them. One girl was sweet enough to take my contact info and let me know when they come in so I can hopefully figure them out.

 

[rancher hicks]

Each store is receiving from 3-4 hatcheries not just one.

I will have to check because that's not what I was told. Where did you get this info? I talk to the manager here.

 

[CliffB]

I will have to check because that's not what I was told.  Where did you get this info?  I talk to the manager here.  

I've got a list of the hatcheries and also how many birds are due to be shipped each week. The East Syracuse store is still getting small orders which may explain why he is only getting a single hatchery at this moment. Once sales increase and the quantities increase to 300-400 birds each week there will be additional hatcheries used to meet the supply and demand.

 

[rancher hicks]

I've got a list of the hatcheries and also how many birds are due to be shipped each week. The East Syracuse store is still getting small orders which may explain why he is only getting a single hatchery at this moment. Once sales increase and the quantities increase to 300-400 birds each week there will be additional hatcheries used to meet the supply and demand.

Do you work for TSC? Or a hatchery? Because there is no way they've ever gotten that many birds in a week. I'm there quite regularly. At least once or twice a week. I'm just around the corner and I stop in there just to get out of the house. I've kidded them about putting in a cafe.

I'm headed there today.

 

[CliffB]

Do you work for TSC?  Or a hatchery?  Because there is no way they've ever gotten that many birds in a week. I'm there quite regularly.  At least once or twice a week.  I'm just around the corner and I stop in there just to get out of the house.  I've kidded them about putting in a cafe. 

I'm headed there today. 

TSC. From the middle of March to the first of April they are due 345 birds each week.

 

[rancher hicks]

TSC. From the middle of March to the first of April they are due 345 birds each week.

Really this must be something new. I don't recall them ever getting that many. Thanks for the info.

 

[Blooie]

I shop at two different TSC - one is in Cody, 50 miles from us, and the other is in Billings, 100 miles the other way. Different stores have different plans, and it a lot of it depends on demographics. In areas like Billings where there is a larger population of folks looking to buy chicks there will always be many more chicks ordered in than there is in the Cody store. And they do order from different hatcheries in the same store and season.

If you think of chicks in terms of merchandise, there are always times when having one supplier for a said product is counterproductive. And these aren't buckets or blue jeans - they are living, breathing creatures and some years they all do well, other years the hatch is way down. Hatcheries are not just supplying chicks to TSC stores - there are thousands of feed stores carrying chicks in the spring, not to mention the private party orders they have to fill and mail and folks who go to the hatcheries to pick up their chicks. If every TSC only ordered from one individual hatchery, they'd very soon run totally out of stock and be unable to supply more. Add to that the possibility of all orders being placed with one hatchery but then something unforseen preventing that hatchery from filling the orders - disease in the breeding flocks, a massive equipment failure, or any other situation like that - a retailer would have been foolish to have relied on a single supplier. So of course they order from more than one in a season, as do the other stores. Right now things haven't picked up in the chick sales department yet, so they can get their stock from a single hatchery. They need to have something available for the comparative trickle of early chick buyers. When the number of folks who are ready to buy chicks skyrockets, as it does seasonally around the end of March to the end of April, then using multiple hatcheries is the only answer from a business standpoint.

That said, I don't buy my chicks from TSC anyway. I'm not impressed with the way they fail to be able to identify what they are selling or with most employees' overall lack of knowledge of what they are selling. That's a major part of the reason why the forum has so many threads with people saying, "I got these chicks fromTSC - can you tell me what they are?" That was the store's job.

 

[circlecsranch]

Depending on the state, I know here in Texas, TSC gets its chicks from Ideal Poultry which is right outside Austin if I remember. We just ordered 125 head from Ideal. TSC doesn't tell you what breed the chicks are because I doubt they even know. I know some breeds by sight, others no clue. Only reason I knew the ducks I got were Peking was because they were the only yellow ducks on the order sheet. If you can't afford the shipping, see if a friend or neighbor would be willing to go in on an order to save on shipping. My shipping for 125 chicks (several breeds) and 6 turkey chicks was only $2 plus a $6 fee for only getting 6 turkeys instead of a 1/4 box which is 20 head (25 head for chickens). It pays to shop around, see if you can find the hatcheries your TSC and feed stores use and look into direct ordering. Ideal will put in a few extra chicks in orders (no clue what you will get and what sex either), they call them packing peanuts. And they have a good policy in place if the chicks die suddenly. Beautiful babies by the way!

 

[rancher hicks]

Really this must be something new. I don't recall them ever getting that many. Thanks for the info.

They do indeed get that many. I did not know that. I was told they've had a quite few doa.