What do you think of Tractor Supply’s new chick bins?

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Finnie

Crowing
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Oct 27, 2014
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Just north of Indianapolis
I was just at TSC, and their Chick Days started about one hour before I got there. They have new bins!

No more stock tanks with filthy waters sitting in the shavings.

I wish I would have thought to take a picture. They are multi level brooders with plastic coated wire on the floor and slide out trays beneath. They have a heat plate suspended in the middle for the chicks to warm up under. I didn’t see the food, but the water was in a trough outside the brooder where the chicks reach their heads out to get a drink. The ducklings were drinking a lot, and without making a huge mess!

The one drawback I noticed was that the heat plates must not have been warm enough. All the chicks were huddled together underneath them crying. Just like they do if you have a heat lamp that’s not warm enough. The guy did say that they were only put in there within the last hour, so maybe they hadn’t had time to acclimate yet. But to me it says that the brooder isn’t warm enough.

The guy also said he was waiting to decide whether he likes the new system until he sees whether it stinks more than the troughs they used before. He suspects the poop in the slide out trays will stink really quickly between cleanings.

In my opinion, I won’t be buying any chicks from these bins if they continue to look like these ones did this morning. Chicks are stressed enough as it is from the shipping. If they remain stressed in the store, then I don’t think they will do very well in their new homes. To be fair, I did get there within the first hour of them having a new system. Next time I go buy feed, I’ll see if they have got it working better.

Oh! And I was really impressed that the signs said “Easter Egger” instead of “Americana” !! They finally figured that one out! Way to go Tractor Supply!
 
Here's your picture. Love them, and want to know where I can get them too 😅
 

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Here's your picture. Love them, and want to know where I can get them too 😅
Oh, thank you for that photo! I know, right? I have seen metal stacking type brooders on Craigslist before, but they were pricey, and a two hour drive away. But these TSC ones look great, with that heat pad instead of lamps.
Newly unpacked chicks are always stressed/chilled/complaining. Hopefully that is what you are witnessing.
I hope so too.
Plus the heaters take a bit to warm up. Very possible they didn't plug them in the night before and only when the chicks were added
This is a good point. From what they have told me, they never know when chicks will arrive until the PO calls them to pick them up. So I bet you are right about them not plugging them in until they got the chicks.
I saw them, thought they looked good. I guess it depends on ease for the associate. The best system in the world is only as good as the person taking care of it
Yes, and we all know how “good” their previous system was! 😂 But really, I’ve gotten to know many of the employees at the two TSCs near me. They are a good group, and take pretty good care of their chicks. I think this system will be easier on the employees. They won’t have to deal with those waterers constantly being soiled, and chicks constantly getting wet.

Apparently some Tractor Supply’s had these systems last year. I found another thread about it. I would be interested to hear about people’s experiences with them at their stores. It must have gone well from Corporate’s point of view, or they wouldn’t be expanding them to more stores.
 
I wonder how long they can stay in those bins without being unhealthy
That’s a good point. I know a lot of times chicks linger there for 3 or 4 weeks. They might get too tall. Especially the ducklings and cornish crosses. They might have to pull the old troughs out after all.
 
Oh, thank you for that photo! I know, right? I have seen metal stacking type brooders on Craigslist before, but they were pricey, and a two hour drive away. But these TSC ones look great, with that heat pad instead of lamps.

I hope so too.

This is a good point. From what they have told me, they never know when chicks will arrive until the PO calls them to pick them up. So I bet you are right about them not plugging them in until they got the chicks.

Yes, and we all know how “good” their previous system was! 😂 But really, I’ve gotten to know many of the employees at the two TSCs near me. They are a good group, and take pretty good care of their chicks. I think this system will be easier on the employees. They won’t have to deal with those waterers constantly being soiled, and chicks constantly getting wet.

Apparently some Tractor Supply’s had these systems last year. I found another thread about it. I would be interested to hear about people’s experiences with them at their stores. It must have gone well from Corporate’s point of view, or they wouldn’t be expanding them to more stores.
I found that thread too. I've been trying to find out where to buy one if these and the people at the store had no clue where it came from
 

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