Tractor Supply - dissatisfied with chickens

[cmom]

My experience with chickens from breeders, different hatcheries, and the ones I hatch from my flock is that some birds of the same breed or mix may lay early or late, may lay a lot or intermittent. I've never gotten pullets from Tractor Supply or any other feed store but Tractor Supply gets their chicks from the same hatcheries we use. A couple of years ago they used Hoover, Privett, and a third I can't remember. I don't know which hatcheries they used this year.

Red, black, or golden sex links from hatcheries can be of two different types. One are the hybrid egg layers commercial operations use. These are generally relatively small-bodied and lay fairly large eggs for their body size. They are usually egg-laying machines. The other type are sex links are made by crossing two breeds of birds, practically always dual purpose birds. Thee tend to be more the size of the dual purpose birds and while they typically lay a lot of eggs these eggs tend to be a bit smaller than their commercial cousins. Both types tend to lay a lot of eggs once they get rolling.

Another factor in this is that certain breeds or crosses tend to lay a lot of eggs but it can vary quite a bit by individual. Even some of the sex linked hens do not lay all that well even if their sisters do. You have to have enough for the averages to mean much. You have seven, that's not a lot. Just a couple of duds could skew the averages. But I would expect you to be doing a lot better than you mention unless your luck is horribly bad.

Others have mentioned several things that might cause them to lay less this time of the year. i think that's most likely, the time of the year. But a common reason you think hens are not laying is that they are hiding a nest on you. They can be really creative when hiding those nests. I now it is not Easter but a serious egg hunt may be called for, even in a fairly small coop and run.

Another reason might be that something is getting the eggs. Most things will leave clues behind, egg shells or a soggy mess. It's possible the chickens could clean up the egg shells but they usually don't. The critters that typically take eggs without leaving a clue are snakes, canines, and humans.

If it is an everyday thing it is not likely a snake, I've had too much experience with them. Snakes tend to eat a few eggs and then disappear for a few days while they digest them. Then they come back for more. There would be a pattern with snakes and you are not describing that.

Most canines like fox or coyote would be more interested in your chickens than the eggs so it is probably not them. Dogs however can eat eggs and not bother the hens. Does your dog have access to the nests?

A human would be pretty creepy, I'll let you think if that is possible.

If your chickens have access to an outside area you might try locking them in the coop or coop/run to see if any surprise eggs show up. That could mean a hidden nest or you locked out an egg eater. Or you can mark an egg and leave it down there to see if it disappears.

I really think it's just the time of the year. But I'll mention a few other things to think about.

 

[FnWeirdo]

cheap trail cam in the nesting box is also helpful if you think you got an egg snatcher a 50$ one can have decent definition and take pics at night.

 

[cmom]

A few years ago when I was looking for some Brown Leghorns I saw some chicks labeled Brown Leghorns at a Rural King. They turned out to be Partridge Rocks which I suspected but then they began to lay brown eggs. As chicks they do look very similar. I eventually found a breeder for my Brown Leghorns.

 

[meetthebubus]

I don't support Tsc in their chicks any more. Bought my first 6 there they weren't all the breed they said they were, and one had a ovary problem so she turned roo later.

Also I don't like how they are cared for there they are ignored, over crowded bins, sometimes I see them without water or I see dead chicks so I now refuse to even look bc I get too sad. I have seen other big stores that sell chicks and they are better cared for

 

[cmom]

cheap trail cam in the nesting box is also helpful if you think you got an egg snatcher a 50$ one can have decent definition and take pics at night.

Don't waste you money on a really cheap one until you do some research. I have several and the pictures are very different quality. If your doing daytime only most cameras are fine but if you are doing any nighttime pictures that's another story.
Here are a couple of pictures with different cameras in the same place at night.

Something set the camera off. It is on motion detect.

 

[Cyprus]

My birds are originally from a breeder that I met at a poultry show. I made arrangements to get some from him and started my flock with those. There are many different Leghorns. My Dark Brown Leghorns are Rose Comb. I show them at poultry shows. My male here was Reserve Champion at a show. Sorry about the blurry picture.
View attachment 1578848

Thanks. I realized my mistake

 

[cmom]

I don't support Tsc in their chicks any more. Bought my first 6 there they weren't all the breed they said they were, and one had a ovary problem so she turned roo later.

Also I don't like how they are cared for there they are ignored, over crowded bins, sometimes I see them without water or I see dead chicks so I now refuse to even look bc I get too sad. I have seen other big stores that sell chicks and they are better cared for

If you see the chicks in conditions like that, I would bring it to the store managers attention. That shouldn't happen. Once at our Rural King the condition of the bins had more poop than shavings. I went to the store manager and told him. The next time and since they have been well taken care of. I pointed out to him that I was sure that other probably noticed the conditions and that if I were to buy chicks I wouldn't buy them.

Hatcheries give a 90% guarantee on sex. They probably put in a few packing peanuts just to get rid of the males.

 

[FnWeirdo]

Don't waste you money on a really cheap one until you do some research. I have several and the pictures are very different quality. If your doing daytime only most cameras are fine but if you are doing any nighttime pictures that's another story.
Here are a couple of pictures with different cameras in the same place at night.
View attachment 1578877
Something set the camera off. It is on motion detect. View attachment 1578878

i agree and i should of stated that differently, 35$ is the price of a "cheap" cam. 50$ will get you a decent model if you don't need crazy hd, mine was 45$ and serves me very well with few annoyances it depends what you want the cam for. if you want very high pixels for beautiful hd pictures of nature expect to pay about 85-100$ . but 50$ with research in the models you'll get a nice inexpensive camera that will take nice pics in the day, nighttime will be less quality but you can make out whats coming and going pretty easily. i actually suggest using video mode on 10+ second record on motion detect for observing animals coming and going. i use my cam to monitor weird occurrences on my property and even made out a license plate on a car that drove into my driveway at 3 am. my opinion is everyone should have one lol.
so hopefully that's more clearly stated lol but i don't disagree with ya on the cams

 

[julieandwade]

I don't think I have an egg snatcher or a hidden nest. They have an enclosed area within our fenced backyard. No evidence of an intruder. I'm not seeing any eggs on the ground in their yard area or evidence of them eating them in the nest boxes. The combs and waddles are in great on a few, and a couple black sex links are hunching down when I approach to pet them. My older girls are coming out of molts. It just really seems they are off to a terribly slow start by comparison. I will try more protein. I don't want to over stimulate with light, I'd rather them get their amount by the sun. Maybe they will be gangbusters by spring? Let's hope.

 

[meetthebubus]

If you see the chicks in conditions like that, I would bring it to the store managers attention. That shouldn't happen. Once at our Rural King the condition of the bins had more poop than shavings. I went to the store manager and told him. The next time and since they have been well taken care of. I pointed out to him that I was sure that other probably noticed the conditions and that if I were to buy chicks I wouldn't buy them.

Hatcheries give a 90% guarantee on sex. They probably put in a few packing peanuts just to get rid of the males.

Unfortunately I did at first and they take offense even though I did it in a really nice way saying I know you are busy but I wanted to let you know...... So since I don't have many options here it's best to keep the peace