WTH is wrong with TSC? Chick purchasing nightmare.

[love-my-wolves]

I went to TSC today, and wound up coming home with 6 Bantams. They had the gates up and locked with a padlock! Doesn't bother me tho. What does bother me is having the associate get my birds...... What a waste of time for the employee! There were about 25 bantams in the bin, I had to point out which ones I want, no not that one, that one. No, not that one, the one running the other way. NO, not that one! Geez, I'm buying them, I'm gonna handle them when I get home, I OBVIOUSLY know what I'm doing if I'm telling you I want the silkie (and you have no clue what that is), let me get the ones I know I want and save you a half hour. So, TSC, lets figure the math. 6 chicks x $2.50= $15. Minus a half hour of employee time you pay, assuming they get about $8 an hour/2=$4. You only made $11. Minus your costs and fees, I'd be surprised if you even broke even on my purchase! But hey, I got my babies, you sold some chicks, see you next year!!!!

 

[Tala]

Today at my TSC they had built a fence around the chick bins and it said to ask employees to get the chicks. It was not there last week. Must be new.
In the past they did take down my information when I got chicks ---- it's a TSC thing, not a state thing, because the other feed store does not ask. I do believe the 6 chick minimum IS a law here, but not enforced by anyone but TSC. I really THOUGHT they were doing better about the chicks. Last year they actually seemed to have taught the employees a thing or two because the cashier girls were checking them for pasty butt, and they seemed to know the differences in pullets and straight run. Perhaps maybe they were just already chicken-keepers themselves. This year their signage is better, but I haven't seen any employees taking care of the chicks (though none were dead and none too sickly looking, no complaints). I'm none impressed with the gate thing though. I really didn't want any more white Leghorn or red sexlink pullets, the other breeds they ordered in were all straight run. My ONLY reason for buying chicks is because I hatch too many roosters when I get my own straight run

I got 3 BR pullets from the OTHER feed store, picked them myself and no questions asked.

ETA: My other feed store has a real chick brooder. You know, a flat little box unit with a small appliance sized light bulb in one end, feeder and waterers on the side, and a gate at the end several feet from the lamp (no burns that way) to get the chicks out of. It's a tall unit with several levels, and it's on wheels. They just wheel it out when it's spring. It's pretty hard to mix the chicks up that way, a different level and different gate for each breed, and they are hard to "play with" as well since you can't just reach in. TSC should DITCH the stupid bins. I guess they're cheap, just pull some bins and lamps and feeders out of their inventory and put them back up for sale after they've been used for chicks.

I think the bin set-up is the source of their problems.

 

[cfdf]

Quote:
I love the Waco TSC. I've never seen dirty pens or dirty water. I've bought lots of chicks from them and haven't lost any. The employees were VERY nice to me. I only saw 1 chick I wanted. I explained to them that I had bought many chicks from them and asked if I could buy just 1. He said sure. He opened the gate and let me pick it up. I turned around and he had the box ready for the chick to go in. I didn't really think twice about it being gated off. Atwoods does the same thing and Brazos Feed has their's in stackable brooders so you still have to have the employees help you get the chicks. I went to Brazos Feed the other day to check out their batams. I saw several with pastie butts. One was so bad it looked like it was going to die. I told one of the employees and he said there wasn't anything he could do about it. I proceeded to tell him how to fix it, he still said he couldn't do anything about it. I bought the chick and fixed it right there. It didn't drink, move, or chirp when I got it home. I figured it would be dead in the morn but nope! It's doing great. So, I guess what I'm trying to say here is this....it depends on what employee you get and the mood they are in at that moment. You never know what is going on in their lives that could be making them have a bad attitude that day. That being said, I hate rudeness in employees and on the reverse side I hate rude customers. I have been on both sides of the coin. Go figure! Life's short and in the big picture these little things are nothing...just ask anyone who is fighting cancer or has lost a loved one way before their time. OK, so I need to shut up because I am rambling.....AGAIN!

 

[Razadia]

The feed store me and my dad go to have the stacked brooders. I used to look in at them from the sides and I've never seen a sick chick or duck.... or goose. I found out that the reason I've never seen a sick one in their stock is because if one even LOOKS sick they move it to quarantine for a few days. The guy that runs the place has been farming his whole life. I trust them pretty well. Besides that, my sis in law got a baby pot bellied pig from them last year and she's done well. Never been sick either. They take good care of their animals.

 

[Kit]

Me too - in SC - the chick and duckling bins were surrounded with corral panels - guess someone must have raised a stink about something - maybe stupid people handling the chicks and stressing them - or kids - probably not a bad idea, for the chickies' sake. This just happened in the past few days.

 

[kstaven]

Quote:
I think you just grabbed the brass ring on this one.

 

[Kit]

Bottom line - as many of you have witnessed - people are idiots these days - they don't control their children, teach them any manners, or any kind of decent behavior. On top of that, they take no responsibility for their own behavior - like the idiot who got burned on a light and wanted to sue - remember the lady who sued McDonald's because she spilled her (hot) coffee in her lap - My favorite word with my kids, and now my grandkids - is NO - they get plenty of love and indulgence, but just because we're out somewhere doesn't mean they have to have or touch everything they see. When I was little, my father would take us to the hardware / feed store - we had to walk with our hands folded behind out backs or in our pockets at all times. Even as an adult, if he was with me, he would fuss at me for picking things up in a store! It is truly a shame that the fools ruin things for those of us that are responsible and decent. Sorry if I sound harsh - but I see the obnoxious behavior every day.

 

[poultrycrazy]

I thought the gates were only new at my tsc but guess not! I think it is a good idea for the Rediculous parents who just let there little kids grab the chicks and throw the down thinking the can fly or letting them jump off their hand, i just want to walk up to the parents and go

WHATS WRONG WITH YOU? I have told kids many times to "stop throwing chicks, they cant fly" or "your not supposed to be handling the chicks like that" In a nice way of course cuz they dont know any better and there parents usually give me a dirty look and take there kid and leave but i dont care as long as the chicks are safe

A couple of weeks ago i took a chick home cuz i watched a kid drop it and it hit its leg on the top of the waterer then hit its head on the ground! It died later that week.

So anyways the gates and locks are a good idea for kids but for the adults or responsible people shouldnt be punished for the irresponsible parents and we should be able to pick our own chicks out. What i dont get though is why didnt they lock the bunnies up to?

 

[ChooksChick]

Perhaps we should all call TSC and suggest they use the Eco-Glo for brooding- it would put the chicks under a unit, so they could avoid kids' hands, plus they would save the environment greatly with the wattage consumption reduction.

I'll call!!

 

[poultrycrazy]

Thats a great idea!!! But im not good at talking with people on the phone