4 Things to Know Before Hitting Chicks Days at Tractor Supply Co
As a seasoned chicken tender, I’d like to share a few pointers to help you get the most out of your Tractor Supply purchase.
Get Set Up Before You Go
My blind chicken spends the winter in a semi-permanent brooder on my porch, and I clean it out and set up heat for chicks in the spring. It also serves as a temporary hospital, such as when my duck was grabbed by a bobcat and escaped.
Straight Run
The chicks are sent as they hatch, with no sexing. Sometimes you get lucky with mostly hens, and other times you get really unlucky, like this year when four out of six of my straight run Buff Orpingtons turned out to be roosters.
Pullets
Pullets are young, female chickens that haven’t started laying yet; if you can’t have roosters where you live or don’t like chicken soup, pullets are the way to go.
Hybrid Layers
Hybrid layers are a cross between two chicken breeds that have the advantages of starting laying earlier than heritage breeds, laying more eggs, and being able to be sexed as chicks based on color. The disadvantages are that you can’t breed them with predictable results, and they burn out quickly on laying eggs.
Know What You’re Looking At
Silkies are known to be friendlier and better pets than many other breeds, while Seabrights are a true bantam with an active temperament and are primarily ornamental. The most important thing to remember is to avoid purchasing meat birds.
Get a Great Deal on Older Birds
Tractor Supply gets chicks in on a regular basis, and the week old chicks are usually marked down to clear the way for the babies. You’ll miss out on the adorable baby phase, but you’ll save money and have sturdier birds to bring home.
Where does Tractor Supply get there chicks from?
Hoover’s also schedules the breeding and hatching process to ensure that the best, highest-quality chicks are available for purchase during the peak of spring chick season.
What kind of chicks does Tractor Supply have?
From Rhode Island Reds and Sapphire Gems to Easter Eggers and Silkie Chickens, Tractor Supply has them all.
Has chicks from Tractor Supply been vaccinated?
Tractor Supply Co.: Are the chicks vaccinated? Hello Christina, in-store birds are not vaccinated to allow those who want to raise organic birds to do so; however, our hatcheries all vaccinate and thoroughly test their breeding stock.
What happens to the chicks that don’t get sold at Tractor Supply?
Tractor Supply birds are routinely “gotten rid of” once the charm of “Oh, how cute” wears off, according to company policy. Unsold birds are destroyed by Tractor Supply after being offered for “Clearance.”
Will Tractor Supply replace dead chicks?
Returning baby chicks is at the discretion of individual store managers, but in general, TSC will work with you if you take home a baby chick who becomes ill or dies soon after, with most managers refunding your money or even doing a “chick exchange” if a chick dies.
How many chicks do you have to buy at Tractor Supply?
TSC has everything you need to get started with chick rearing, including supplies. Smaller quantities: TSC requires that you purchase a minimum of 6 chicks.
At what age are chicks sold?
Most chicks are fully feathered by 6 weeks of age, which means their chick down has vanished and they have developed real feathers that help them regulate their body temperatures.
How old are baby chicks from Tractor Supply?
Who doesn’t love a day-old baby chick? Their soft fuzziness promises years of companionship and egg-filled breakfasts. But they’re fragile, too, and completely reliant on you to help them survive and thrive in their first few days.
When should I buy chicks?
For two reasons, the spring and early summer have traditionally been the most popular times to receive baby chicks: first, female chickens begin laying eggs at 6 months of age (sometimes even earlier), so you’ll usually have your eggs before the end of the year!
Are Tractor Supply chicks good?
The stores are usually pretty good about getting the birds in the right bins, but it’s not unheard of for some chicks to end up in the wrong tubs, or even in the same tub with two different varieties. My local TSC always has a tub of ‘assorted bantams’ that always seems to be Silkies and Seabrights.
When should I vaccinate my chicks?
In endemic areas, the prevailing virus type should be determined; quail pox has been shown to affect chickens. All domestic chicks and poults can be vaccinated at 1 day of age, pullets at 10u201312 weeks, and turkeys at 8u201314 weeks or when moved to range.
Can you vaccinate older chickens for Marek’s?
The vaccine is given subcutaneously (under the skin) on the back of the neck and should be given as soon as possible after hatching; older birds can be vaccinated, but the vaccine is unlikely to be effective because they have likely already been exposed to a natural Marek’s challenge.
What does Tractor Supply do with sick chicks?
TSC treats baby chicks and ducks the same way it treats any other item they sell: bring them in and make as much money as possible. For example, when they first arrive at one day old, baby chicks might be sold for $2.99 each.
What do hatcheries do with unsold chicks?
The majority of the unadopted baby chicks are sold at an auction near our hatchery, with a portion of the unsold chicks being humanely euthanized, and we are always looking for better options.
When can baby chicks go outside without a heat lamp?
Between the ages of four and seven weeks, chicks can go outside without a heat lamp if they aren’t being moved outside permanently; temperatures should be around 70 degrees F until they are fully feathered.