Tractor supply or hatchery?

[dekel18042]

Do experienced chicken keepers prefer to buy chicks through Tractor Supply or hatcheries?

We ordered 7 black Australorp chicks this summer from Mount Healthy Hatchery. We received 8, and all are pullets and wonderful, healthy birds. Our experience was so great that I'd naturally be inclined to order from them again.

But they do charge a $30 shipping fee for shipping fewer than 15 chicks, and there's an understandable shipping minimum of 3 chicks.

Ideally, I like the thought of going to Tractor Supply and having the freedom to choose the individual chicks and possibly choosing only 2 as opposed to 3 (and risk the possibility of receiving 4 -- our run would be maxed out at 12 chickens). However, I have no experience buying chicks from our local TSC.

Is buying from TSC comparable to buying from a good hatchery? Or does the quality of hatchery chicks make up for the additional costs?

Thank you!

We've bought chicks from Tractor Supply, from hatcheries, from private people, etc. In the future we probably will be sticking with Tractor Supply as opposed to hatcheries because the US mail system has now gone to hubs and the chicks can spend way too many days in transit. At least if they make it to TSC, they travel in a larger group, easier to keep warm. In transit and the postage from some hatcheries is outlandish. TSC gets from Hoovers and I have also ordered from them. Their prices include shipping.. From the hatchery you need to buy a larger number. From TSC the minimum is four and through out the year they have all different breeds which is fine because I love a colorful egg basket. I do want a few of a certain breed this spring;/summer so will probably use a local breeder, but our local breeders don't have everything I want. Breed choices are limited.

 

[Luv Ducks]

That is great that some TSC only make you buy 4 birds. Ours makes us buy 6. I have purchased my ducklings from Rural King before only having to buy 2. Each time I have gotten a Hen and drake. Luckily not two drakes. Most of the drakes have all been rehomed. I am buying two ducklings from Metzer, Call Ducks and they are pricey and unsexed. I am not too worried about the sex of them. You only have to buy two but shipping is around the 30 dollar something. I bought my Mallard ducklings from them 3 years ago and ordered females and got two Hens that I still have and are very healthy. Good luck with your decision. I know I did not order Chickens and sorry for chiming in, I just wanted to let you know about my experience. My friend got his Ducks from TSC and ended up with 2 Hens and 4 Drakes. That's the only problem I see buying them out of the bins no matter what type of bird they are.

 

[dekel18042]

That is great that some TSC only make you buy 4 birds. Ours makes us buy 6. I have purchased my ducklings from Rural King before only having to buy 2. Each time I have gotten a Hen and drake. Luckily not two drakes. Most of the drakes have all been rehomed. I am buying two ducklings from Metzer, Call Ducks and they are pricey and unsexed. I am not too worried about the sex of them. You only have to buy two but shipping is around the 30 dollar something. I bought my Mallard ducklings from them 3 years ago and ordered females and got two Hens that I still have and are very healthy. Good luck with your decision. I know I did not order Chickens and sorry for chiming in, I just wanted to let you know about my experience. My friend got his Ducks from TSC and ended up with 2 Hens and 4 Drakes. That's the only problem I see buying them out of the bins no matter what type of bird they are.

The straight run bin is always a crap shoot but it has never been too terrible. Last summer we got 20 unsexed bantams from TSC for half price ($2.00 each) as we took them all and we got eight boys. It was a nice mixture of mille fleur d'uccles, barred rocks, ,creole OE game and red BB OEG. Also from the straight r run I've gotten four ducks including one drake and 4 silkies were split. And they've been accurate on the pullets. I've gotten some rare breeds from the pullet bin, including Russian Orloffs, partridge cochins, wheaten marans, etc. Only once when we got the last six New Hampshire reds did we only get one girl. Guess that made up for all the rest.

 

[WallyG74]

We've bought chicks from Tractor Supply, from hatcheries, from private people, etc. In the future we probably will be sticking with Tractor Supply as opposed to hatcheries because the US mail system has now gone to hubs and the chicks can spend way too many days in transit. At least if they make it to TSC, they travel in a larger group, easier to keep warm. In transit and the postage from some hatcheries is outlandish. TSC gets from Hoovers and I have also ordered from them. Their prices include shipping.. From the hatchery you need to buy a larger number. From TSC the minimum is four and through out the year they have all different breeds which is fine because I love a colorful egg basket. I do want a few of a certain breed this spring;/summer so will probably use a local breeder, but our local breeders don't have everything I want. Breed choices are limited.

Local breeders are definitely limited. Here, I’m the Rhode Island Red guy. I have bantam Cochins, but they’re not high quality. Different breeds require lots of extra space. My Cochins are my little pets. Each area seems to have a hot breed. I wish I had the room and time to breed even 3 or 4 quality varieties. For the time being, RIRs are my hot item. Anyways, best of luck finding your birds locally. It’s definitely a challenge.

 

[Kentucky Fan]

I’ve never ordered from a hatchery but I have bought from tractor supply and rural king. In my experience the chicks are healthy and lay eggs well that is all I care about. I bought my turkeys there on a whim as well and they grew up well. I usually buy around 9-10 a year and lose one on average if I feel like the chick was defective I’ll have them replace it. I had this happen at rural king when I got my new crew and they gave me two to replace the one that died so I was pretty satisfied with that. Both use Hoovers and their birds are not show quality by any means but for my uses they are practical and convenient.

 

[dekel18042]

Local breeders are definitely limited. Here, I’m the Rhode Island Red guy. I have bantam Cochins, but they’re not high quality. Different breeds require lots of extra space. My Cochins are my little pets. Each area seems to have a hot breed. I wish I had the room and time to breed even 3 or 4 quality varieties. For the time being, RIRs are my hot item. Anyways, best of luck finding your birds locally. It’s definitely a challenge.

One of the breeds I want is bantam cochins. I have just one now but have been able to find a local source so that will be my addition for this year.

 

[Luv Ducks]

Metzer Farms is the only hatchery I know of that will let you buy only 2 birds. I hated ordering them for March 25th but that is when we have our spring break and no other place has Call Ducks and the colors I want. They will be unsexed and I pray that they make it here alright. They have a hatchery in Tennessee now and my last two little Mallards had to come from California and made it fine 4 years ago. I am in Ohio. We have had a mild winter here so hopefully the weather holds out and they are alive and well.

 

[SwampPrincessChick]

I would choose getting chicks directly from hatcheries and breeders rather than Tractor Supply. The chicks at Tractor Supply come from Hoover's Hatchery and sometimes Ideal Poultry. My experience with Tractor Supply is that they constantly get their birds mixed up. I have seen Cornish Cross in the Assorted Bantam bin, I have seen ducks in the Brahma bin, random mixed breeds in random bins, and more. It's crazy with the way Tractor Supply doesn't know their stuff. Once, I was getting chicks out of the Unsexed Assorted Bantam bin and asked a worker there if they knew what breeds these chicks were. They replied, "Unsexed." A lot of my chickens come from Tractor Supply and some of them actually look great for the breed, but some are absolutely not what they are supposed to look like.

 

[Chicken_tiger_catt]

Do experienced chicken keepers prefer to buy chicks through Tractor Supply or hatcheries?

We ordered 7 black Australorp chicks this summer from Mount Healthy Hatchery. We received 8, and all are pullets and wonderful, healthy birds. Our experience was so great that I'd naturally be inclined to order from them again.

But they do charge a $30 shipping fee for shipping fewer than 15 chicks, and there's an understandable shipping minimum of 3 chicks.

Ideally, I like the thought of going to Tractor Supply and having the freedom to choose the individual chicks and possibly choosing only 2 as opposed to 3 (and risk the possibility of receiving 4 -- our run would be maxed out at 12 chickens). However, I have no experience buying chicks from our local TSC.

Is buying from TSC comparable to buying from a good hatchery? Or does the quality of hatchery chicks make up for the additional costs?

Thank you!

Neither. I try to hatch my own, and if you want a particular breed, or to get a new chick every year, I would buy an incubator.

 

[Luv Ducks]

Neither. I try to hatch my own, and if you want a particular breed, or to get a new chick every year, I would buy an incubator.

I tried to get my Call Ducklings from a local gal with an incubator and she lost the whole batch but 2 out of 18 eggs. She had already sold them and it was sad to have my hopes up for all of those days only to have them all die. She was using shipped eggs and had never done it before but never told me that until after the fact. That is why I am getting mine shipped from Metzer. They will guarantee them to be alive and well for I believe 72 hours once I get them.