In recent years, our team has worked closely with The Livestock Conservancy to support their efforts in monitoring rare breed populations such as the Crevecoeur and Redcap, among other important projects.
McMurray Hatchery | Recent Conservation Efforts
In 2023, McMurray Hatchery sponsored a new edition of The Livestock Conservancy’s Heritage Turkeys book in order to draw attention to these important and rare birds. This long-awaited book should be available beginning in 2024.
THE LIVESTOCK CONSERVANCY POULTRY CENSUS SPONSORED BY MCMURRAY HATCHERY
However, our most significant effort to date has been sponsoring the The Livestock Conservancy’s Poultry Census, which provides valuable data about the current status of poultry populations across North America. The results of the Poultry Census are compiled to create The Livestock Conservancy Priority List. Having access to such crucial information helps guide future conservation projects in a more meaningful way and allows us, and other organizations, to have a greater impact on poultry populations that need help the most.
According to The Livestock Conservancy, the most recent McMurray National Poultry Census showed that “counts of some breeds improved significantly — Australorp, Rhode Island Red, Plymouth Rock, and Brahma chickens have been determined to have large enough global populations [that] they graduated off the Conservation Priority List.”
The Livestock Conservancy also states that the recent Poultry Census held “good news for Buff and Silver Appleyard ducks, which both improved from Threatened to Watch. Mail-order hatcheries play an important role in conserving Heritage breeds of ducks. More complete numbers from hatcheries, added to counts from individual breeders, revealed that both breed populations had grown sufficiently to support this move. Both breeds are good choices for all-around use as egg layers and meat producers.”
The Census also showed notable improvements in turkey populations across America. In 2023, Black, Royal Palm, and Slate turkeys all improved from Threatened to Watch, which is another conservation victory to celebrate.
Read more about recent TLC Priority List updates here:
AT A GLANCE: 2023 TLC CONSERVATION PRIORITY LIST CHICKEN BREED UPDATES
AUSTRALORP
Heritage Breed Chicken
Graduated 2023
RHODE ISLAND RED
Heritage Breed Chicken
Graduated 2023
PLYMOUTH ROCK
Heritage Breed Chicken
Graduated 2023
BRAHMA
Heritage Breed Chicken
Graduated 2023
MCMURRAY HATCHERY RARE HERITAGE CHICKEN BREEDS ON THE TLC CONSERVATION PRIORITY LIST
McMurray Hatchery carries a wide range of rare Heritage breed chickens. A large percentage of which are listed on The LIvestock Conservancy Conservation Priority List. See below for a list of the chicken breeds we offer from the most recent updated list.
Ancona — WATCH
Andalusian — WATCH
Australorp — GRADUATED
Brahma — GRADUATED
Buttercup — THREATENED
Campine — THREATENED
Cochin — RECOVERING
Cornish — WATCH
Crevecoeur — WATCH
Delaware — RECOVERING
Dominique — WATCH
Dorking — THREATENED
Faverolles — WATCH
Hamburg — THREATENED
Houdan — THREATENED
Jersey Giant — RECOVERING
Lakenvelder — THREATENED
Langshan — THREATENED
Leghorn — RECOVERING
Minorca — WATCH
Modern Game — THREATENED
New Hampshire — THREATENED
Old English Game — WATCH
Phoenix — WATCH
Plymouth Rock — GRADUATED
AT A GLANCE: 2023 TLC CONSERVATION PRIORITY LIST DUCK BREED AND TURKEY VARIETY UPDATES
BUFF DUCK
Heritage Duck Breed
Improved from ‘Threatened’ to ‘Watch’
SILVER APPLEYARD DUCK
Heritage Duck Breed
Improved from ‘Threatened’ to ‘Watch’
BLACK SPANISH TURKEY
Heritage Turkey
Improved from ‘Threatened’ to ‘Watch’
ROYAL PALM TURKEY
Heritage Turkey
Improved from ‘Threatened’ to ‘Watch’
ROYAL PALM TURKEY
Heritage Turkey
Improved from ‘Threatened’ to ‘Watch’
MCMURRAY HATCHERY RARE HERITAGE DUCK BREEDS AND TURKEY VARIETIES ON THE TLC CONSERVATION PRIORITY LIST
McMurray Hatchery carries a wide range of rare Heritage breed chickens. A large percentage of which are listed on The LIvestock Conservancy Conservation Priority List. See below for a list of the chicken breeds we offer from the most recent updated list.
Saxony Duck — THREATENED
Silver Appleyard Duck — WATCH
Swedish Duck — WATCH
Welsh Harlequin Duck — WATCH
Black Turkey — WATCH
Bourbon Red Turkey — WATCH
Chocolate Turkey — WATCH
Midget White Turkey — WATCH
Narragansett Turkey — WATCH
Royal Palm Turkey — WATCH
Slate Turkey — WATCH
Standard Bronze Turkey — WATCH
White Holland Turkey — THREATENED