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Alamo Hay & Grain Co
22 reviews for Alamo Hay & Grain Co
22 reviews in English
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Review from David B.
Alamo, CA
4/14/2012
Been going to the Hay and Grain since I was a kid and it has not changed one bit, even though the town has grown.
I don't get these people talking about mistreated chickens and animals there. They are chickens for crying out loud and I have never seen what some people have said about living conditions. What I have seen is other chickens picking at each other and they will always do this to each other. If you have ever raised multiple chicks in a cage you know that it is very common for them to peck at each other. This is instinct you will never been able to change. Just like all birds if you raise them like, quail, pheasants, chuckar, they all do it. You can only do so much to help them out and move the ones that have been pecked on into another cage to prevent further damage and death if left in cage with other chickens. These are baby chickens and when they see something on another chicken they will peck it, blood, scares, food/shavings stuck to it, you name it. Can't really explain this to someone who has no idea about raising birds. Anyways enough of that rant.
Every time I go in there John and staff always are quick to ask what I am there for and load up the car and I am on my way. Its convenient and fun to go through there. A true Alamo landmark from way back when. If there is not something in stock or they do not have it they will find a way to get it for you.
Its a tad bit more pricey than other big retail stores but I like to support local business and the prices are not that much more than other stores. Usually a coupon somewhere if you look for it which helps out. Will continue to keep going back for supplies.
David -
Review from J F.
San Francisco, CA
3/29/2012
I recently bought 5 young chicks and 2 slightly older chicks from Alamo Hay and Grain. The young men working there were very helpful, however, this review is solely for the quality and health of the chicks. I'm positive customer service is great.
I'm pretty seasoned raising chicks and chickens. I had everything set up prior to picking up the chicks that afternoon, so when I arrived home 20 minutes later they went under their heat lamp and into their new spacious digs. After, I did my chicken butt inspections on all of their vents and de-clogged a few.
Well, one in particular really caught my eye. She is the tiniest thing! She also has pretty severe worms it turns out! Tomorrow I will be deworming the whole flock, and my adult flock as well.
I chose to try out Alamo Hay and Grain because the farm I was going to go through for chicks had a waiting list. I wanted to get on with my chick rearing, so I went to Alamo due to the positive reviews. I called and asked what they had in stock. The guy mentioned that they were getting 150 new chicks in the next day (March 27th), so I went in the next day. Due to weather the chicks had to hold off until the rain and cold passed for better/safer transport - totally understandable. So I decided to see what they had.
Here were my observations:
- One chick was noticeably dead. I asked if she was dead, and the guy said, "Oh no, she is just sleeping." She was in fact dead. Other chicks were stepping all over her.
- Too many chicks in their bins - take note above.
- Too many chicks in their bins and, one more time,
- Too many chicks in their bins!
The reason my chick has worms is from unsanitary conditions, due to overcrowding. Too many chicks, turkeys, etc. in one bin means the food and water is easily contaminated!
You can surely buy chicks here and they may be fine and healthy, but take your time picking them out and pick up a dewormer while you are there!
A few suggestions:
-Watch them poop before you make a decision. Check for signs of infection.
-Look at their bums. Check their vents for clogs and or infection.
-Inspect their fluff, eye color and feet.
Only one of my chicks is pretty dire right now, but she can easily infect all of them. It's also time consuming - chicks need a lot of attention and checking up on, but a sick one now has me up every 2 hours to check her bum and clean any worm poop out of their crate.
I'm of course emotionally attached to them already, so taking care of them goes without question, but I can't help but question the conditions they have for their chicks. I can't imagine 150 more chicks in those two smaller sized galvanized tubs they have! -
Review from Kat C.
Fremont, CA
Updated - 3/16/2012
Alamo Hay and Feed - you gave me the wrong type of chick! Instead of a Black Australorp, you gave me a Barred Rock. Partly my mistake - should have known that a BR has a spot on it's head. However, I forgive you because our little Barred Rock chick is not only a sweet little bird, but she's super friendly and assertive...I would've never thought I would like this breed this much!
So...Barred Rocks = spot on head. Black Australorp = no spot. Better remind everyone there...there's a lot of chickies in that bin of yours!1 Previous Review: Show all »
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2/23/2012
I really have no complaints about Alamo Feed and Hay. The employees there are honest and well… Read more »
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Review from Terrie G.
Alamo, CA
5/16/2012
The young men who work here are friendly and helpful. But there is truly only one guy who knows what he is talking about. As for the owner, he is a crotchety old guy. I thought he was ok, until I had chicks die on me! so next time I went in for feed, i asked if he could just give me a fresh chick because I had lost 4 already (dog incident, my fault) then another just died overnight after I had just picked him up (their fault, not a healty chick) and I had already spent about $75 in supplies here .I have bought 10 chicks from him! The old man, said, No. The guys seemed embarrased as they should be. Hey! what about just making a local customer happy and what is it to him? $3?? Bad for him, Bad for business. Made me so mad.
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Review from Terry P.
Vallejo, CA
4/19/2012
I called ahead and they told me they did have a small bag of dog food brand I needed. I drove a long way over there. A young man was busy helping another customer but did acknowledge me. An older employee stood in the corner fumbling with something.
He kept doing that for about 5 minutes as I waited for help. I finally walked toward him which caused him to put his head down and retreat. He was bent on not helping me.
I forced the issue and was finally told they do not have the product they had said 2 hours earlier was in stock. Terrible customer service from this older man! I will never go there again. I went to Concord Feed and got great service the same day. -
Review from N Family N.
San Ramon, CA
12/28/2011
I love this place. They are so patient when we come in and just want to hold little baby chicks. I love that this place is so friendly and cool. I'm surprised at the comments that they mistreat the animals. I didn't see that at all.
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Review from Brennan O.
Walnut Creek, CA
10/3/2011
I have been going to Alamo Hay and grain off and on for decades. it is a fine feed store and one of the last in the area. The owner is a passionate pigeon racer as you can tell by the coops in the back.
The main point I wanted to address is the allegations of cruelty to the chicks. If you have ever raised chickens, you will know that the term "pecking order" is a very real thing. Chicks are tough on one another, even free roaming chicks will go after each other. Life is not a Disney movie.
The chicks, ducklings and rabbits sold here are fed, watered and kept warm. However they are not pets, they are farm animals. They are treated as commodities, and well treated as such. If you find this level of care abuse, do yourself a favor and never look to see where you get chicken meat or what condition laying hens live in. It would make a vegan out of you. -
Review from shani c.
San Francisco, CA
7/31/2010
I wish I could give them a zero rating. Their animals are so poorly mistreated and anyone who shops here is only contributing to their misery. I rescued a chick here, who had a huge abscess on her wing and was being pecked almost to death by the others. When I told the employee he had a severely injured chick over here he simply shrugged and said "Yea I know" and did nothing. When I pressed further, he hastily grabbed the chick and threw her in a box. At the very least he gave me the chick for free and she is living happily at a sanctuary.
chick before: http://sphotos.ak.fbcd...
chick after: http://sphotos.ak.fbcd...
The other chicks, ducks, and baby turkeys are in cramped and filthy conditions with dirty water and have no ability to do any of their natural behaviors. They also have four adults ducks that live there which are used for breeding. These ducks live their entire lives in severe confinement on concrete, with NO access to water to swim or wade in. Two of them have their wings clipped so they will not fly away- they call these ducks their "pets" but who would treat any animal in this way! When I offered to pay to have their enclosures widened and to pay for a kiddie pool for the four ducks, they refused!
Alamo feed cares nothing for animals, they simply want to profit from selling sick, abused, and mistreated animals. I urge anyone who truly cares about animals to never shop at this awful place! -
Review from Kari Ann O.
Danville, CA
4/1/2011
I am delighted with the excellent service involved with the purchase of a quality feed for our therapeutic riding program's horse, Suzie. The staff could not have been kinder or more helpful or more willing to help me make the right choice.
The baby chicks were safe and happy in a very clean environment with working lamps and all they need for proper care.
I have been a riding instructor for over a decade and a horse owner longer than that, and have patronized feed and supply stores from Chico, CA to Fairfield to all over the Bay Area. I am happy to speak very well of Alamo Hay and Grain Co. -
Review from Mona O.
Fremont, CA
5/10/2008
This place has been my ole' reliable for when I needed my two bales of straw for mulch for my vegetable garden. Although I recently found my new favorite supplier a little closer to home, I still recommend this place for those in this locale. I liked that it was kind of like a drive-through, where you pull up, make your purchase, pull around the back, and someone loads your car for you.
The only tricky part is getting in. The place is on a corner on the left, just off the freeway. I find that I have to drive past it, make a left turn into the neighboring businesses' lot, then make two immediate right turns to get into their driveway. I suppose you could simply make a U-turn if you had a smaller car, but who drives a small car to pick up a couple bales of straw? -
Review from Marie M.
Oakland, CA
3/31/2011
I just had to see it for myself...The animals here are treated extremely poorly. I can't support a business that has no respect or regard for life. Complete Fail...
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Review from James B.
San Ramon, CA
5/26/2008
Probably the only place that I know of that sells baby chicks and ducks. If you browse through the local newspaper, you'll find discounts such as the $1.75 deal on chicks.
An added plus is that it's right off of the freeway and hard to miss because it's marked with a horse. When you first enter the store, you are welcomed with the pleasant smell of jasmine.
Basically, it has everything you need to feed all your 'Farm' pets.
When the staff is available, they provide clear and experienced information. -
Review from eric d.
Oakland, CA
10/22/2011
pretty cool spot they have everything you need . i was there for the selection of chicks , grains and accesoiries.
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Review from Reba B.
San Ramon, CA
5/29/2010
Having been raised on a very tiny farm in Sebastopol, CA. The first thing I recollect as I enter " Alamo Hay and Grain", is the great grain smell, and then the 'stand by, easy going, animal feed store' feeling I knew when I was a kid and would go with my dad to the feed store to pick up Hay and Grain for our ducks, chickes and Horses.
The staff is typically reserved in the 'old west' sort of way. Respectful, helpful but not assuming. Which is great, but I find, that knowing what I know of the quality of life for small farm animals, I find myself asking more questions of the staff to ensure they are up to date with current info.
I do wish the staff was a wee bit more interested in where the 'ducks, geese, chicks' are going to, to make sure their next home has adequate feed, space and quality of life.
Maybe, I'm expecting too much... But this is the only thing I would change.
But overall, I really like the guys that work there, and the owner, I know their hearts are in the right place.
Thanks, guys! -
Review from Rob R.
Alamo, CA
1/29/2011
John over at Alamo Hay and Grain offers a wide variety of products at very reasonable prices. It's a bit like stepping back in time when you go there (some people think that's a bad thing, I like it myself). The staff is friendly and knowledgeable about their products. It might look like they don't spend much time caring for the animals there but we got our rabbit at Alamo Hay and Grain and he was quite healthy.
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Review from Andrew K.
San Ramon, CA
8/21/2010
I went to buy some ear corn (i.e., "dried" corn on the cob for animals), which we feed to backyard squirrels. They had it in a box that was about the size of two shoeboxes. There were perhaps 15-18 ears in the box. I asked how much these boxes of ear corn were, and the answer was $17.99.
That price is absolutely outrageous! I've seen 40-lb bags of ear corn for $10. You can buy fresh HUMAN corn on the cob for 40 cents apiece at Safeway (and sometimes less).
Alamo Hay and Grain needs to realize that not all their customers are rich people from Alamo who don't care how much things cost.
So, this was my first and also last trip to Alamo Hay & Grain. -
Review from Shana S.
Oakland, CA
7/3/2010
Can I give a rating of zero stars? I was misinformed on the phone as to what chickens were in stock and went an hour out of my way to pick up chicks they did not even have! The first employee I came across was just sitting there and acted like he did not want to give me the time of day. The animals (rabbits and chicks alike) were obviously poorly cared for with dirty cages and dirty water while the aforementioned employee sat on his hands. I tracked down the owner and gave him a piece of my mind. He was rude. I'll never return.
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Review from Mike M.
Alamo, CA
1/12/2011
A great place. John will either have what you need or get it for you. This is a real feed store. The animals are NOT mistreated. If you expect each little chicken to have it's own "habitat" you need to take your pocket dog and go to the local shopping mall. Oh yeah, please remember this isn't a petting zoo for your kids to play in.
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Review from Ann S.
Danville, CA
12/9/2010
I have purchased dog and bird food from the Hay & Grain for years. Nothing fancy and I like supporting a local business. It's very convenient place to make a quick purchase with drive through convenience. Coupons are available in the local mailings. I also can't resist looking at all the little critters looking for homes. It's an adventure for the kids who especially enjoy holding the chicks and ducklings.
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Review from Kujo M.
Los Angeles, CA
6/16/2009
Tubs of baby chickens, ducks, and when you're lucky, baby turkeys! What could be better? Oh, I know. An awesome GIGANTOR pigeon loft!! This is the ONLY place to go for feed, supplies, and to get your cute baby bird fix. I highly recommend this spot!!!
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Review from Phillip K.
Oakland, CA
11/3/2010
This is the only feed place that would special order a purina product for me. Their price is resonable and fair. I called many other places and they could not help me.
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Review from K D.
Alamo, CA
6/2/2009
The place to go for you ag needs. We buy all our shavings, food for chickens, goats, horses there. People are friendly and helpful. In the summer they have fresh corn from Brentwood brought in daily - yum.
