Wachter Hay & Grain

This store is not where you come for a bargain, but if you are looking for a certain type of patio furniture or unique garden or pet gift, this is the place. The chicken coops and baby chicks are so darned cute, I almost wanted some, but I resisted the urge because I travel too much and do not want to be tied down to daily chicken feeding and egg gathering.
I did buy some butterfly garden seeds as a gift, and loved the succulent pots and hummingbird feeders. If you enjoy wandering around looking at pretty stuff, the huge store spread out over a couple of buildings is a delight. The workers are very friendly too.

I bought my first layer hens and supplies there and have been going back to add to my flock ever since. Sam is the Man! If you are thinking of getting started or just want to add to you flock of hens he’s the guy to talk to. He knows his stuff and that is why I keep on going back. It’s a great old time feed store and I’ve recommended it to friends and family who want to get into raising layer hens.

This feed store is located conveniently right in downtown Ojai. They sell outdoor furniture and some home accents as well as your standard bulk feed, small selection of horse tack, fencing supplies, bales of hay, and pet supplies for dogs, cats, small mammals, small birds, reptiles, amphibians and fish. They sell live pets here including guinea pigs, rabbits, chickens (full size and bantams) and fresh water aquarium fish. They usually have koi for sale as well as feeder mealworms, crickets and rats and mice. The staff is friendly and knowledgeable, though I would be wary of buying aquarium fish here as my tank contracted ick after a purchase at Wachter’s. This is not uncommon in retail pet stores, but still best to avoid contracting if possible.
I generally come here to buy bulk food for my chickens, to check out their bantams for sale, to buy things like hummingbird feeders or the occasional live feeder rodent if I’m otherwise out. Their patio furniture and outdoor home accessories are very attractive and high quality, but with that comes higher price. I wish I could afford the cool things they have in their covered, open-​air barn, but sadly cannot right now. I also wish they carried guinea pig food in 50 pound bags for cheap. For that I have to drive a ways away to another feed store.

This 5-​star rating is based only on their Christmas trees. We always find a good one there, and they have good stuff inside during the Holiday season as well.

Not sure what’s up with the negative reviews here… smells a little like the competition to me. Anyways, we drove to Wachters from Valencia to purchase some chicks. The staff were so helpful in helping us with what we needed to get started with raising chickens. Katie, in particular, was amazing. Very knowledgeable. She gave us lots of info and advice, but never gave us a hard sell on anything. I love shopping like that. Ojai is not close to Valencia, but I can see making the drive to Wachters once in a while to pick up supplies and, especially, information.

This little store, where to start! It is your typical Ma and Pa store. Complete with a variety of funny, charming, gentle personalities of the staff. Its a busy little store, all the staff have their duties which they take seriously, their is only one little register, but they will take the time out to talk with you and answer your questions; hoping you feel right at home! Spend time roaming the grounds, especially in the back with the «mini farm» of cute little animals. They have cute furniture in the outside horse stalls, and a little walk-​through garden area on the other side.
One gem is that you can always expect consistency with the staff and store. It’s homegrown, and much of the staff is family friends or relatives who have worked there for many years. The sweet «red-​head» is a hoot, Ms Tammy. Great friend, mother, employee and just all around wonderful human.
I am, however, waiting for them to get some piggies in for adoption. Hint, Hint

After writing my first positive review on Unilocal it was send straight to filter. So I’m back to my old ways, ranting and raving. So here it is: If you have more money that you know what to do with, go to Wachters and buy everything from expensive outdoor furniture to fancy pet food, horse and chicken feed, or what have you. Or you can go a couple of miles down the hill to Ventura Hay and buy your organic animal supplies there for approximately one third less of the price, and, in addition, get great, friendly service! The best part: This way you can avoid the condescending redheaded lady at the counter of Wachters that will leave you with an ever so tight, ill feeling in your throat.

After lunch at Bonnie Lu’s, we walked around downtown and stumbled into this pet supply store. The place is bigger than it looks, well stocked with pet food and supplies for cats, dogs, turtles, horses, you name it, as well as compost, outdoor furniture, plant pots, and other gardening supplies. The best secret though is if you walk around outside in the back, they have lots of live animals such as goats, birds, and chickens. I was disappointed that they didn’t have any pot-​bellied pigs, but they had a huge turtle. Kids will be entertained.