Tractor Supply Employee Knowledge About Chicks

[Bleenie]

A lot of the employees at my local stores are part time/summer job HS kids, I think it would be a VERY smart idea for TSC to try and educate them on basic/important questions to ask the buyers and they should be educated on basic chick care since they are the ones taking care of the babies at the store. They should also have the bins clearly marked with the breed as well. I never buy assorted chicks unless i can ID them myself. To my knowledge when they order "Assorted Banties", "Brown Egg Layers" or " Rainbow Layers" there is no list of breeds that they send with the chicks so I wouldn't expect the employees to know what the breeds in those orders are.

 

[lolita117]

For all you people who keep saying, stop bashing TSC and do something about it...
Here's my email to customer service at TSC. Lets see if anything gets done.

I first wanted to say that I love your company. I wish there was one closer to me because I love shopping all your products from clothes to chicken food. But I have a concern with the TSC that I shop at located in Glasgow, KY. I noticed the lack of knowledge about you yearly featured chicks a little less than I would expect. From lack of knowing simple what breeds the store currently has to basic care for the chicks in the bin awaiting to be sold.
I have chickens and actually bought my first chicks at this TSC, so when it comes to the things I need to know I have that covered. But a couple of weeks ago I called the store in Glasgow, KY and ask what breeds they had at that time. (I live about an hour away, so seemed more convenient to see what they had before I drive that far and they didn't what I wanted). When I asked the employee what breeds they had, their reply was "red and yellow ones." Then I asked when they might be expecting a shipment, their reply was "we don't know until the post office calls us." That they be true for that employee, but does no one in that store really not know that they may be expecting a shipment "today or tomorrow"? I ended up having to go to Glasgow anyways, and stop by the store and they had just got a new shipment of chicks.
I feel that the employees should also know what breeds they have specifically. If I called and asked what brands of dog food they carried they could give me 5 or 6 brands. When I call and ask about chicks I should gets answers like "Amberlink Sexed-Pullets, Tetra-Tint Sexed-Pullets, Buff Orpingtons, Cornish-Rock." I've also notice that most of the employees don't even know the different between a pullet and straight-run.
Yesterday, I went in and bought some Bantams and noticed that the duck bin was in horrible shape. I don't know if it had been cleaned in weeks. It was caked up about 5 inches deep in wet litter and food. All the ducks were wet and were in deplorable conditions. The chicks weren't in bad shape but I've noticed in the past them not having food and waterers clogged up with shaving and nothing being done about it. That is not a good representation of your company, and it makes the company seem like they don't really care about the welfare of the animals. I also noticed dead chicks that were not promptly remove. I had to notify an employee of the dead chicks before they had even noticed them.
I would like to think that not all TSC are this way, I only ever shop that this particular one because it is closest to me. I also love it that you have your chick days every year. I just hope that employees are more informed and are expected to learn a little about the chicks and follow basic care for live animals. It may be a seasonal product, but its featured so big that it seems strange that the employees don't know anything about them. I hope next year will be better.
Thank you for your time.

Sincerely,

 

[chickencowranch]

Hello, I'm new to this forum. Anyway, we shop at TSC for most of our farm supplies. I bought my chicks at the store mainly I only wanted 15. Other places you had to order 25. Plus, the chicks at the store were a few days old and already started eating and drinking water on their own. I made sure I know what i was doing before I actually bought the chicks and the supplies. The TSC here had the bins labeled as to what was in them as far as breed, straight run or pullets, etc. the chicks I got are red pullets, assorted bantams, and speckled sussex. the sussex are a breed I never saw before so I had to look them up after I bought them. So far they are all alive and well and out in their coop.

 

[silkielover1731]

next year(my chick days are over) im thinking of going to all the ones around me (there are like 5) (equal distance too) and asking if i can have all the one that dont look so good and take them home get them all better (never had a sick chick die on me) and than just sell them on craigslist......except they wont do that. i agree with most of you their service is bad when it comes to chick days they are very uneducated and i was there one year and an employee was ligit throwing the chicks in a box that was on the floor he was just dropping them in the box from like 5 feet in in air! it made me so mad

 

[nicolets]

Hello, I'm new to this forum. Anyway, we shop at TSC for most of our farm supplies. I bought my chicks at the store mainly I only wanted 15. Other places you had to order 25. Plus, the chicks at the store were a few days old and already started eating and drinking water on their own. I made sure I know what i was doing before I actually bought the chicks and the supplies. The TSC here had the bins labeled as to what was in them as far as breed, straight run or pullets, etc. the chicks I got are red pullets, assorted bantams, and speckled sussex. the sussex are a breed I never saw before so I had to look them up after I bought them. So far they are all alive and well and out in their coop.

First,

Second, uhhh.... how long ago did you buy those chicks?

 

[Aeropennchick]

I am reposting the e-mail I sent as well, feel free to copy:


sent to: [email protected]

​

To whom it may concern,

I am writing for two reasons in reference to your spring sale of live poultry:

First, I would like to applaud your company's decision to change their policy and restrict customer handling of the ducks and chicks. The change shows your company is aware that unnecessary handling of the baby poultry poses a health risk, potentially to the customer, but primarily to the chicks and ducklings. I am appreciative of your concern for their health.

Second, I am requesting that you build on this momentum of change and develop an educational program for your employees about caring for chickens. I personally had an excellent experience at your store in Chambersburg, PA - there were several employees who keep chickens themselves, all of the chicks I obtained and saw there appear to be in good health and well cared for, and I received accurate instructions on the care of my new chickens. However, many of your stores do not have employees with prior knowledge of ducks or chickens, and I have sadly been made aware of some very distressing conditions present in these other branches - insufficient heat sources, sick, dying, and dead animals in the bins among those for sale, and blatant misinformation being supplied to customers.

It is your company's moral and legal obligation to ensure the safe and proper handling and care of the animals being distributed to its stores. It is irresponsible to continue your current practice of sending shipments of living things into environments where no one has the knowledge to ensure their safety. Please consider the institution of standardized education in some form to at least a portion of your employees in preparation of "Chick Days" for the next season.

Thank you for addressing this concern,


XXXX

 

[lolita117]

I've never had a problem with the quality of their chicks. I even bought a sickly looking one back in March when I bought 11 Speckled Sussex and it is fine. I've never lost a chick from TSC. I guess the difference is, when they pick them out of the bin you usually don't get sick or dying chicks. I hope the continue to have chick days, but I hope they are handled better from now on.

 

[chickencowranch]

They're 5 weeks old today. They have all of their feathers. They had their wing feathers when I bought them. That is one reason I would buy chicks from the store. The chicks are at least a few days old. They needed to be out of the brooder. They were trying to fly out every time I opened the top. They've all adjusted well to the coop. Now they're showing signs of being ready to be out in a run as soon as my husband builds it.

 

[chickencowranch]

First,

Second, uhhh.... how long ago did you buy those chicks?

They're 5 weeks old this past week. They have all of their feathers. They had their wing feathers when I bought them. That is why I bought them from TSC. They were at least a few days old when I got them. Every time I opened the top of the brooder they would try to fly out. They were more then ready to be out in their coop. I had my brooder set up the same as the stores. Now they're ready to go out in their run as soon as my husband builds a run for them.

 

[mstricer]

I really shouldn't comment but can't resist, to all of you that are complaint about TSC, it will come down to them not don't this any more. They DO NOT have to sell chicks. They do it as a convenience to those who don't want them shipped and to have the option of picking different breeds. It is just like at work there are a few that ruin it for others.