Tractor Supply?

[Spookwriter]

I didn't mean to sound as if I were complaining unjustly about TSC.

Nice store, well stocked, clean, well lit, large paking lot. Easy access.

But some of the employees are not exactly experts in what they are
selling.

We, as the consumer, need to have a working knowledge of whatever
it is we're after. Be it chicks, hardware or whatever.

 

[chickendude]

Quote:
That is almst how we got into chickens to start with (the first one came with our house). Why is an impulse purchase a BAD thing? The only thing that would be bad is not caring for the animal, and that can happen even with a planned purchase. I PLANNED to purchase our first chicks for our sons Easter baskets. WHY is this wrong? Not caring for chicks (or ducks or any animal) would be wrong, but purchasing them? No! Give me a break!

I'm not saying an impulse purchase is necessarily a bad thing. Let me be more clear. The law here in NY mandates a 6 chick minimum purchase. This was proposed and pushed into law by animal rights groups that believed many chicks were being sold to family's that may be ill prepared to care for chickens, especially chicks bought at Easter for the sole purpose of having a cute fuzzy but in the basket. They believed many would die a horrible death. It is not the stores trying to make a bigger sale by having the minimum of 6. Please don't think I am against an impulse purchase.

 

[Mattemma]

Impulse buyer of TSC chicks here! I bought 6 and knew nothing about chicks or chickens. It has been 2 years.. I have sold some,one died,one I have to kill,and the other are taken care of decently.

Maybe not a great idea but I wish TSC would not have a minimum purchase. I want 2-3 more. If I get 6 then I will have to sell 3-4,and I really don't like selling on craigs.

Our local feed store lets you order even just one chick. Unfortunately for us they are hens and my ds wants a roo.

People might buy 6 just to get that one cute chick,and the rest get killed anyway. Abuse is everywhere. Poor conditions everywhere .I recall going to TSC near the end of the chick sale,and boy did I want to rescue the chicks that were left.

 

[schellie69]

Here we have to buy 5 minimum why to stop impulse buys for Easter. I got my starter pullets because I found an ad I called went to look then bought some no pen ready no coop (used a thrown together pen and old dog house) My chickens are healthy happy and Like their new pen and coop that was built. I have bought chicks from our other farm store no tractor supply If you don't like what they are doing then don't buy from them. I don't think every store is the same but some are bad some are good. There is no way to stop people from making stupid mistakes and not listening to reason. I know there are a lot of animals sold that are not checked up on like from the pet store. Just do what you can with your animals.

 

[Judy]

Quote:
This seems to come up here every spring. There are certainly cases where stores (including TSC if memory serves) have said it was law, even where employees were told this, when it was actually store policy. At any rate it's easy enough to strike up a deal with another customer or two and split a purchase.

Yes, I expect the store to handle chicks better than the OP describes. No, I do not expect store employees to be educated on chick care. The free class is great but probably uncommon. A small pamphlet offered with chicks, with a few basics of the first few weeks or so would be great, but would probably raise prices on everything a little. I wonder if TSC stocks Story's Guide or Raising Chicks for Dummies or something?

 

[ranchhand]

Quote:
This seems to come up here every spring. There are certainly cases where stores (including TSC if memory serves) have said it was law, even where employees were told this, when it was actually store policy. At any rate it's easy enough to strike up a deal with another customer or two and split a purchase.

Yes, I expect the store to handle chicks better than the OP describes. No, I do not expect store employees to be educated on chick care. The free class is great but probably uncommon. A small pamphlet offered with chicks, with a few basics of the first few weeks or so would be great, but would probably raise prices on everything a little. I wonder if TSC stocks Story's Guide or Raising Chicks for Dummies or something?

I am lucky, the TSC I go to offers all that and sets up displays right by the bins of chicks and duckling. Several employees raise poultry themselves, and are always in the area.

 

[rebelcowboysnb]

Quote:
Yes, they have how to raise books for all kinds of livestock.

 

[GarlicEater]

Carmen I read this last night and it bugged me. I think you should "drop a line" to TSC Corporate, because they should LEAN on your local TSC to do things right.

 

[dianaross77]

I agree that it isn't standard practice for the "merchandise" to be mishandled. Our TSC is clean, the chicks are well cared for, and most of the staff have first-hand knowledge of chicken basics. I don't think they should be blamed for selling chicks and ducklings at easter. I've seen ads for "breeders" doing the very same thing. Dog breeders have litters at Christmas for the same reasons. It makes the animals easier to sell. Also, spring is chick time and easter too. They don't just sell them the week before easter. It's the consumer's job to know what they are getting themselves into. If you see a problem at your local chain store, call someone, speak to a manager. The bottom line is, every dead/dying or sick animal is profit lost. It would be bad business for them to continue in such a way.

 

[michickenwrangler]

Quote:
sorry to hear you have a bad store. Not all of them are bad, neither are all the vendors that sell to them, the stores, nor the customers who buy from them.

Like I said, pet market is different than livestock.

Our TSC in West Branch is pretty good. The people there know me (made it hard after DH passed and everyone asked why he wasn't with me as he and I were usually in there together).

The people there know how to feed and house chickens and when I got my bantams, there was a drowned one. When I told the store employees, it was removed promptly with obvious sorrow, "poor guy."

One of the women that works there had to tell a tearful mother that she had to process the Cornish-Rocks that the tearful mother had bought for her children as an Easter present.

"There's something wrong with my chickens! All they do is lay there and eat!"

TSC Woman: Are they big and white?

Woman: Yes.

TSC Woman: You probably got cornish-rocks. Those are meat birds. They aren't meant to live more than a few months. You'll have to process them soon.

Woman: They're my kids' pets! How can I tell them that we have to eat them?

TSC Woman: I don't know, but next year, make sure you ask someone and we can help pick out some laying chickens for you.


Too bad more TSC workers aren't like that, although a few have referred customers to ME if I'm in there and they are busy.