Tractor Supply vs. order straight from hatchery

[Chickchick121]

We already have chickens and 3 are roosters. We would like to get some more as baby chicks. Would you recommend getting them from tractor supply or ordering straight from a hatchery. We are thinking about ordering from Mt healthy hatchery. We also were thinking about doing tractor supply but they do not vaccinate their chickens. Would you go for the hatchery since they vaccinate them? Even though you don’t get to pick them and some may die due to transit? We are only getting 10.

 

[EmmaRainboe]

Tractor supply sources from hatcheries, the most common being Hoovers. Are you sure they don’t vaccinate?

For me it depends on what breeds I want and what TSC has available.

 

[Chickchick121]

Tractor supply sources from hatcheries, the most common being Hoovers. Are you sure they don’t vaccinate?

For me it depends on what breeds I want and what TSC has available.

We called today and they do not. TSC have baby chicks coming in at the end of February so we may see what they have

 

[Iluveggers]

What breeds do you want?

 

[bill3607]

You can order from Tractor Supply online and they will come straight from the hatchery to you instead of going to the store and just getting what they have there. Of course, you may already know that.

 

[Iluveggers]

Easter Egger
Silver Laced Wyandotte
Lavender Americana
Speckled Sussex
Black Austrolorp
Buff Orpington
Barred Rock
Cuckoo Maran

TSC could have some of those. I doubt they would have Ameraucana (it would be Americana which is actually an Easter Egger).
Ideal Poultry ($7 ship fee) and Mt Healthy ($10 ship fee) carry the rest of the breeds you mentioned besides Ameraucana. You could check TSC and if they don’t have a good variety, order 1-2 of each from one of the listed hatcheries. Ideal’s prices are lower than Mt Healthy just FYI. They both have Olive Eggers too if you want a green egg to go with your blue one!

 

[Chickchick121]

You can order from Tractor Supply online and they will come straight from the hatchery to you instead of going to the store and just getting what they have there. Of course, you may already know that.

Is there a minimum?

 

[bill3607]

Is there a minimum?

Yes, unless it has changed it is 10. Sometimes they have it so that you can get 5 of one and 5 of another breed to make the 10.

I guess that is the drawback versus from purchasing inside a Tractor Supply Store. I think inside the store the minimum is less. However, I do not think I would feel too positive about buying directly from inside the store because they do not seem to take care of them very well, or even have them labeled correctly, in any of the Tractor Supply stores I frequent.

 

[Iluveggers]

That’s why I suggested Ideal & Mt healthy. You can order single chicks of a breed. Last year if you ordered from TSC it was 10 of the same breed. And they were expensive. Just a heads up.

 

[EmmaRainboe]

Easter Egger
Silver Laced Wyandotte
Lavender Americana
Speckled Sussex
Black Austrolorp
Buff Orpington
Barred Rock
Cuckoo Maran

Ameraucanas aren’t carried by most hatcheries, and if they are it’s usually just BBS. I got my lavender Ameraucana from cackle hatchery. I haven’t seen anywhere else carry them, though I’m sure there is somewhere.