Tractor Supply Employee Knowledge About Chicks

[SassyKat6181]

Our TSC here has a 25 minimum on ducks to prevent Easter purchases.

 

[jerseygirl1]

One TSC employee told the lady next to me that bantam chicks grow to be the size of guinea hens....................
Her daughter almost cried, I felt so sorry for them
After we chatted a little, she bought six bantams and all the fixins.....................................

 

[tnchickenut]

NYRIR...

You won't get a argument out of me about that. I had a co-worker today (I was at the register) box up TWO bantams for a woman with (drumroll) two kids. She came to the register and had the two chicks, a bag of chick starter, and a waterer. I do the same thing with everyone who comes through the line.... it goes like this:
"Oh, you going to add (notice the wording) some chicks to your flock?" and they say either yes or no it's their first time.
These people said "No, these are our first" so I asked if they had the heat lamp already at home set up in the brooder.
"No. We'll get that tommarrow." *at this point I'm freaking out on the inside*
I say, "How are you going to keep them at 95F?"
And she asks how much the heat lamps and all are... so I tell her $10 for two bulbs PLUS the light itself... THEN I went into how the minimum was 6 chicks (which the other employee ignored).

Long story short... I talked her out of the chicks. I might be in trouble tommarrow with the boss. Oh well. I can sleep tonight. She admitted she would kill them and she appologized for taking up time and not buying anything. I told her I rather her do that then go ahead and take chicks home she deep down knew she wasn't ready for.

See, not all TSC employees are bad.

 

[chevgrl]

We have a pretty rough time with the help in our TS I over heard the sales lady selling cornishx as layers I chuckled because my first experience with chicks. We lost 12 chickens because they were sold as layers and i could figure out why after almost 3 months they were unable to walk. Needless to say we had 13 9-12lb broilers processed that year... wow that was a long time ago but it tickles me hearing her tell them that so I figured I'd spare them acouple get visits.
However bomgaars has a lady that is very knowledgeable and she is one of the leaders in our local poultry fancied clubs!

 

[kuntrygirl]

Quote:

Good job!

 

[drdoolittle]

I have to admit it, I get pretty disgusted with the people who go into TSC or Rural King with their kids, their kids see the chicks/ducklings and start begging for some and they actually consider it. One woman even called her sister with her cell phone to ask, "If I buy the kids a couple of chicks, can we keep them at your place?" The sister/aunt did say no, thank goodness. Why do so many people think of animals as play-toys for their young children?!?

 

[woodmort]

Quote:
Yeah and the worst part is they are cute like that for only a week or two before they feather out--then the kids don't want anything to do with the "birds".

 

[AlienChick]

Quote:

.

 

[SarahBeth9394]

Quote:
I don't think that people see them as play toys at all. They see the cuties, their kids beg for them, they know nothing about how to care for them, they think of how easy pups and kittens are, they see the price (which is almost always under $3 a chick) and say "yes". It's an impulse buy out of ignorance. I like tnchickennut as an employee asking if they were adding to their flock then telling them what the chicks needs are. It would be good of all places that sell chicks to have a note up by them that says "new to chicks ask me how I can help you" and a handout with the basics.

 

[tnchickenut]

Quote:
I don't think that people see them as play toys at all. They see the cuties, their kids beg for them, they know nothing about how to care for them, they think of how easy pups and kittens are, they see the price (which is almost always under $3 a chick) and say "yes". It's an impulse buy out of ignorance. I like tnchickennut as an employee asking if they were adding to their flock then telling them what the chicks needs are. It would be good of all places that sell chicks to have a note up by them that says "new to chicks ask me how I can help you" and a handout with the basics.

I think you are right about them being impulse buys... plus less and less people know how to say "no" to their kids anymore. I got a neighbor with a 9 yr old step son who gets to drive the 250....

Also, I literally am only employee with chickens and only one of three in the store who ever had them. The other two who had them just weren't "into" chickens and really didn't know anything either.
My point there is that even the employee who was selling the two bantam chicks really didn't realize that there is far more to it than sticking them in a box until they go outside. There are pamphlets on chick care and duckling care, but they don't get handed out. They are there for the taking and no one takes them. There also is pages in our reference book at the register and help desk on chick and rabbit care, but I'd bet no one read them. There is a poster on breeds possible with descriptions and pictures... like the short descriptions in hatchery catalogs. There is also another poster/banner over the chicks with a definition of terms like "pullet" and "straight run" and "broiler" but yet I have to explain these things to people after they got their cart loaded and a box of chicks at the register.

It makes me sick too. And if I can talk someone who doesn't have the equipment or knowledge to have chicks or ducks out of it, I will. Unfortunately I can only be at one store at a time. lol. I also hand out my Delaware Poultry Club buisness card with my email on it so that they can email me if they need help after they get home. I really do care about the chicks and ducks... but I think I'm the oddball out there to be honest

My mother ran a pet store out of a fairly big chain for most of my childhood and I remember her doing the same. She would refuse to sell animals to people if they weren't ready or good for it. I was there at the store one day afterschool when I seen her myself ask a customer who wanted a big active dog if their yard was fenced in. They said they didn't have a yard but lived in a apartment. She asked if they both worked (they were a couple). They said yes... she refused the sale. She said flat out told them that she wasn't selling a high energy big dog to someone who will never be home enough to work with it.
I guess that is where I get it from.