TSC chicks keep dying despite ideal conditions

[Harmoni]

These are all very unsettling stories. I wish I had something more constructive to say but honestly, I can't say I'm really shocked.

What does genuinely surprise me is that so many people get their chicks from Tractor Supply. I admit I've been tempted to "rescue" any animals I see at a retail outlet. But having worked in a pet store when I was younger, and with what I know about how animals tend to be handled in the retail industry, I would never get my chickens there. I mean maybe if I was really desperate, but there are so many people on facebook and craigslist selling chickens and eggs, where you can actually visit the place where the birds are kept and talk to the owner/breeder and know the birds are coming from a comfortable environment and haven't recently been stressed or traumatized by a long transit or exposure to a stressful store environment...it just seems like a no-brainer.

If it's not to OT, I'm curious, for those of you who get your chicks from TCS or other retail outlets, what are you reasons for choosing that supplier? Is it a matter of not having other options? Do you like being able to pick them out in person? Are you looking for particular breeds that you can't find elsewhere? Is there some benefit I'm overlooking?

No other options. Breeds for sale in my area are restricted. I was able to get some golden comets off craigslist. All the other breeds are either not currently available, straight run or over an hour away. Tsc is 2 miles away.
4 of our 8 came from private sellers.

 

[Tilhana]

No other options. Breeds for sale in my area are restricted. I was able to get some golden comets off craigslist. All the other breeds are either not currently available, straight run or over an hour away. Tsc is 2 miles away.
4 of our 8 came from private sellers.

Have you gotten any from a hatchery? Still not ideal, I know, but if TCS is getting them from a hatchery anyway, then you're not adding to their stress. But I know hatcheries have a minimum order size so I could see if you only wanted a few chicks then TCS might be the only option.

 

[aart]

then TCS might be the only option.

It is for many keepers.
....and tho there are problems, especially this year, for the most part it can be a fine place to buy chicks.
I'd rather buy from TSC than a disreputable 'breeder' who may have disease and/or pests in their flock.
But so many love to hate TSC.

 

[Harmoni]

Have you gotten any from a hatchery? Still not ideal, I know, but if TCS is getting them from a hatchery anyway, then you're not adding to their stress. But I know hatcheries have a minimum order size so I could see if you only wanted a few chicks then TCS might be the only option.

We had 4 and only wanted 4 more. No place would ship that few. Plus tsc is closer than the post office.

 

[Tilhana]

It is for many keepers.
....and tho there are problems, especially this year, for the most part it can be a fine place to buy chicks.
I'd rather buy from TSC than a disreputable 'breeder' who may have disease and/or pests in their flock.
But so many love to hate TSC.

I totally get it if it's the only option - like I said, if I was desperate (ie couldn't find anyone local) I'd probably do it. I guess I'm just surprised there are areas with so few other options. Being in the northeast, I feel like it's one of the least hospitable regions for livestock, so I just assumed that if I can find plenty of other chicken owners here, then they must be pretty common nationwide. But I guess more rural areas means a longer trip to the nearest chicken-owning neighbor...

 

[Harmoni]

I'm actually in a suburban area in FL lol. The locally owned hatchery didn't have any ees and the only other one I found was straight run. I know gender is not guarenteed with tsc but at least there was an atempt at sexing lol.

 

[Captain John]

I wonder what hatchery they use out east. Its Hoover around here.

I had 20 Guinea keets (chicks) from Hoover arrive dead 4 weeks ago. 20 MORE keets, the replacement order, arrived a week ago...., dead as well.

 

[Winter Creek Coop]

I had 20 Guinea keets (chicks) from Hoover arrive dead 4 weeks ago. 20 MORE keets, the replacement order, arrived a week ago...., dead as well.

That stinks. How long were they in transit?

 

[SHEPARD HILL HOMESTEAD]

The Tractor Supply here gets their chicks via USPS, I believe from Hoovers. I've been reading lately on here about people ordering chicks by mail and then getting delayed in shipping and alot are dying. My assumption then would be the chicks TSC are getting are in bad health as they arrive and are taking a few more days to keel off.

I had horrible experience this year. My first order of Hen's were Roo's. I was able to rehome them as soon as they arrived. I reordered and when I watched the shipping, they were picked up on Monday at 8:30pm and the delivery didn't happen till Thursday at 9AM. I ran to the Post Office as soon as they called, 1 was dead on arrival, 3 looked bad and passed within 5 hours. Next morning, 3 more had passed. 8 of 10 died due to shipping delays. i will never buy through them again. Found a semi-local place and drove to get new chicks and all are doing well... TSC has been really bad this year and I won't have more Chick Deaths on my conscious. They are done and I will no longer purchase unless in person and only from Local Vendors.

 

[Tilhana]

I had horrible experience this year. My first order of Hen's were Roo's. I was able to rehome them as soon as they arrived. I reordered and when I watched the shipping, they were picked up on Monday at 8:30pm and the delivery didn't happen till Thursday at 9AM. I ran to the Post Office as soon as they called, 1 was dead on arrival, 3 looked bad and passed within 5 hours. Next morning, 3 more had passed. 8 of 10 died due to shipping delays. i will never buy through them again. Found a semi-local place and drove to get new chicks and all are doing well... TSC has been really bad this year and I won't have more Chick Deaths on my conscious. They are done and I will no longer purchase unless in person and only from Local Vendors.

Ugh so sad. I've always been kind of paranoid about ordering chicks through the mail. So many people do it but I always heard that a few deaths is always expected because of the stress of travel, and I was like, I don't think I want that on my conscience...I'd rather try to find a local source or get eggs and hatch them myself.

This past year the postal service has been SO BAD. I order a lot of stuff online, and lately there have been so many lost packages, delays, and ridiculous problems suggesting incompetency at multiple organizational levels. I've watched the tracking information show packages sit in a facility for 2-3 weeks, then finally make it to my home state, only to be re-routed back in the other direction, and sit in limbo for another week. I've had to contact multiple vendors to ask them to reship packages because of long delays, and had them tell me they've had a deluge of similar complaints recently. I know USPS is blaming covid for the delays, but I suspect serious management issues, because reductions in staffing don't explain this level of fail.

Anyway my point is, if shipping chicks was risky before, now it feels almost reckless. I realize not everyone has the resources to find local sources or hatch their own chicks, but maybe people need to pressure the hatcheries to start using private carriers. At least for carriers like fedex and ups there's some market pressure when they screw up because they're not the only game in town.