Tractor Supply Employee Knowledge About Chicks

[krisendaaves]

yeah, you're right. sorry i said anything about it. didn't mean to be negative.

 

[AprilsFrizzles]

We went one evening to go look at their chicks because they were supposed to have SLW and when we were asking what breeds the chicks were cause some would just say like red pullets or brown egg layers on the sign and the guy told us they didnt know what kind they are and that they get their chicks from Murray McMurray and I believe they get the assorted deals. I'm sure they save money that way, but its also unfortunate for people buying if they don't know the exact breed they're buying.

 

[Ilovemyduckies]

I was actually really surprised at the lady at the feed store today. I asked for chick feed and she started asking me questions like "how old are they?" and "are they fully feathered?" I told her that they were five weeks and that they were almost fully feathered. She told me that when they were fully feathered I was supposed to start feeding them the "grower." I actually did not know that and was glad that she told me! Although, I am trying to hatch some eggs so I still did get a big bag of chick starter.

 

[gmendoza]

Well at our TC,my DW bought me about 30 chicks for .50 cents each.They were clearancing them out for the second batch comming in.She bought them for easter for me.

The lady there said that she has 3 rir ( turns out they are golden comets) and 4 white leghorns ( white brahmas to be exact) 4 white cross ( cornish cross) and a medely of bantams ( some cochins,some silkies,some other bantam varieties)

So tell me that a baby rir looks like a comet? of a white leghorn looks like a white brahma? They just dont know there.

I mean I am happy of the breeds,expecially the comets and brahmas.But they dont know breeds much.

 

[rebelcowboysnb]

I was actually really surprised at the lady at the feed store today. I asked for chick feed and she started asking me questions like "how old are they?" and "are they fully feathered?" I told her that they were five weeks and that they were almost fully feathered. She told me that when they were fully feathered I was supposed to start feeding them the "grower." I actually did not know that and was glad that she told me! Although, I am trying to hatch some eggs so I still did get a big bag of chick starter.

Most of the brands I have used are two step feeds. You have a starter-grower that you fead up to the first egg an a layer that you feed after that. Some brands do have a 3 step feed system that works like they were telling you.

 

[TurnUpYourLove9]

As a TSC employee, I will admit I'm rather biased on this subject but also feel for and relate to the customers dealing with employees who know nothing about Chick Days.
At the beginning of every Chick Days we select a Chick Captain. He or she is responsible for educating the other employees on the basics of chick care.
Now it is true that we don't know the exact dates of shipment, from what I know we get deals with the hatchery for buying 50 or 100 of any over stock chicks so to speak that they have. This ranges from Production Reds, to Amber Links, to Tetra Tints, and "Assorted Bantams." Most of the Bantams we got in this year ended up to be Silkies, I have 4 of them running around my yard as we speak.
While it is important that most employees have good knowledge of the chicks, you may catch a employee who doesn't know much more than they peep a lot. I do not insist on our oldest employee who could tell you how to build a tractor engine from the ground up to know about the chicks at close to 80 years old.
All of our chicks are in seperate bins and appropriately labeled with the Breed Name, and some characteristics of the breed such as "good supplier of brown eggs," or "good dual purpose bird," "hardy in the winter," or "used for meat." We have had many customers want to buy the big yellow chicks in the bin marked Cornish X for big white eggs. hehehe, I polietly steer them in the other direction explaining that they will never be the chickens you want to have to watch roam your yard.
And to stand in our shoes, we have to watch people who know absolutely NOTHING about chicks (one man said he was going to let them roam around his house) buy these birds. I do my absolute best to educate all customers before they leave the store, sending them home with chick starter, a feeder and waterer, "Sav-A-Chick," and a brooder lamp and heat bulb, explaining how to regulate the temperature and the importance of keeping them away from small children. I'd like to think my efforts are worth something but some days I wonder.
It does frustrate me that there are other TSC stores that are that ignorant towards basic chick care and the selling of different breeds however at the end of the day, the chicks are like any other seasonal item and if you weren't around for the previous Chick Days, it's a whole new ball game. We have 100,000+ skus in the building not including our seasonal skus, please be patient if the first employee you talk to can't tell you all about the product....someone in the store can!

 

[AlienChick]

Great explanation!
TSC and other feed stores need more people like you during chick days!!

I can only imagine how many people purchase the cute yellow baby chicks (Cornish X) hoping for big white eggs later on.

So many people buy on impulse,
and with employees like yourself,
folks can be steered in the right direction
and given the proper tools needed to successfully raise the baby chicks.

Thank you for your effort!

 

[dragonlair]

I have farmed for 30+ years-horses, dairy and meat goats, various poultry, dairy cattle, pigs and sheep. I majored in animal science in school. I worked for a vet. I keep up with my studies about animals. I have dogs, cats, rabbits, and had caged birds and small rodents and guinea pigs. I was a professional horse trainer, showed horses and goats, and even worked as a farrier with my ex. I even owned a dairy farm for several years so I dealt with tractors and haying

I applied at TSC several times. I have a good work record but I didn't get hired. They have a lot of people there who know squat about the products they sell, or the animals that use the products. It's really sad that people look to stores for assistance and get bad or no information.

My feed store guy is very knowlegable about the feed he sells and the animals the feed is for. But then, he is a small business and knows most of his customers. Large companies really don't care.

 

[Tumbleweed Farm]

I have farmed for 30+ years-horses, dairy and meat goats, various poultry, dairy cattle, pigs and sheep. I majored in animal science in school. I worked for a vet. I keep up with my studies about animals. I have dogs, cats, rabbits, and had caged birds and small rodents and guinea pigs. I was a professional horse trainer, showed horses and goats, and even worked as a farrier with my ex. I even owned a dairy farm for several years so I dealt with tractors and haying

I applied at TSC several times. I have a good work record but I didn't get hired. They have a lot of people there who know squat about the products they sell, or the animals that use the products. It's really sad that people look to stores for assistance and get bad or no information.

My feed store guy is very knowlegable about the feed he sells and the animals the feed is for. But then, he is a small business and knows most of his customers. Large companies really don't care.

What a shame they passed you up--their loss indeed!

 

[RonC]

I'm sure there some very knowledgable people that work at TSC. Just like any business there are those that know and care and the others are there to fill the ranks. Some take more interest and are willing to learn from the leaders and the others want to know when it's time to go home.