I don't have any
TSC's in my area, but if I did, this thread would make me think about buying from them. They sound like a respectable institution that is doing their best to protect the animals they are selling. I know it seems like a personal insult that they won't let you handle the birds, but quite frankly they don't know you, and they don't know what diseases you might be introducing to the birds. It's not like they can just tell by looking at you that you arn't going to mishandle the birds, or that you arn't carrying avian flu.
If i were the owner of that chain of stores, I'd have the policy instituted that the employees sanitize their hands as well before handling the chicks. They're so delicate at that age, I can't believe anyone would begrudge the store looking after their safety. To be honest, people shouldn't be handling the animals unless they want to buy them anyway.
As for the notebook, you probably ran into a store employee who had no idea why management was asking her to do it, and was so sick of being yelled at for someone elses' policy, that she just made up the law part to make people stop insulting her attempts to do her job. I've been there before, and people are MEAN to low paid employees. I always took the easy road too. To be honest, you probably were just looking at their purchase log so that when you went back for a refund of any kind, they could check to make sure they weren't being hoodwinked.
Just a thought. Most store decisions are made to protect stock, not to insult you.
