McMurray Hatchery Blog

Hatchery News, Updates and Information on Raising Chickens, Ducks, Geese, Turkeys and Other Poultry

Translating Fowl Language – Gail Damerow Offers Tips

Chickens make a variety of different sounds while engaging in specific activities. Continuing our interview series with Gail Damerow, poultry expert and best-selling author, we ask her for tips that might help us in translating this fowl language. Do the sounds...

Falling in Love With Backyard Geese

  I grew up in a family of bird lovers. From hunting to bird watching, filling humming bird feeders and listening for birdsong over coffee, birds have always been a huge part of my life. Geese have long been a favorite of mine; I love listening to their calls and...

Turkey Housing Options

Turkeys instinctively want to roost up high with a good view of their surroundings. They often prefer to sleep out in the open and tend not to like sleeping in enclosed spaces. If you design a turkey shelter with their preferences in mind, you’ll have a better chance...

Pecking Order in Chickens with Gail Damerow

Many beginning flock keepers are surprised and dismayed when they discover that chickens peck each other while establishing their social hierarchy. Continuing our interview series with Gail Damerow, poultry expert and best-selling author, we ask her to explain the...

What to Expect When Raising Turkeys

One of the most common reasons people raise turkeys is to provide a holiday centerpiece or a nutritious source of meat for the freezer, but there is so much more to turkeys than simply providing a meal. Turkeys are incredibly charismatic birds that are enjoyable to...

Using Broody Hens With Gail Damerow

One way to increase your backyard chicken flock is by using broody hens. Continuing our interview series with Gail Damerow, poultry expert and best-selling author, we ask her about using broody hens to hatch and raise baby chicks.  What are the advantages of using...

Top Tips for New Chicken Keepers with Gail Damerow

Every chicken keeper has a list of “things I wish I’d known” before getting those first chickens. Continuing our interview series with Gail Damerow, poultry expert and best-selling author, we ask for her top tips for new chicken keepers.  What is your top tip for...

Raising Turkeys for Beginners

Raising baby turkeys, also called poults, can feel intimidating for beginners. There are a few important differences to be aware of when raising turkey poults as compared to raising chicks (baby chickens). Heritage turkeys are very healthy and hardy as adults, however...

The Pros and Cons of Keeping a Rooster With Gail Damerow

Whether or not to keep a rooster in the flock can be a challenging decision for first-time chicken owners. Continuing our interview series with Gail Damerow, poultry expert and best-selling author, we ask her to discuss the pros and cons of keeping a rooster. What is...

How to Brood Guinea Keets With Gail Damerow

Most poultry keepers know how to raise chicks in a brooder. But brooding guinea keets is a little different from brooding chicks. Continuing our interview series with Gail Damerow, poultry expert and best-selling author, we ask her to explain how to brood guinea...
Winter Photo Contest Winners Announced

Winter Photo Contest Winners Announced

Winter Photo Contest Winners! Congratulations to these Winter photo contest winners, and thank you to all who entered. There were so many beautiful photos to choose from! These winning photos will be used on our website, and in our marketing materials. The...

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Building for the Future – An Update

Building for the Future – An Update

In December 2018 we announced that we were in the midst of a major expansion project — building a new state-of-the-art barn dedicated preserving rare and exotic breeds, breeding new varieties, and more. We're thrilled to announce that the new facility...

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Gail Damerow Discusses Egg Quality

Gail Damerow Discusses Egg Quality

Continuing our series with poultry expert and best-selling author, Gail Damerow, we talk to her about egg quality. The internal quality of an egg is determined by the appearance and consistency of the contents inside the shell, which you can examine by breaking a...

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Photo Contest Winners Announced

Photo Contest Winners Announced

The 2019 Murray McMurray catalog will be landing in mailboxes late December / early January. We are thankful to be able to feature so many amazing photos submitted by our customers each year, and this year was no exception. Our 2019 catalog will feature...

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Enter to Win FREE CHICKS

Enter to Win FREE CHICKS

In celebration of our 2019 season — and for the first time ever — we are giving away FREE CHICKS! Now through December 2nd, sign up for the McMurray Hatchery newsletter for a chance to win a box of 15 female day-old baby chicks from our newest and best breeds...

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French Black Copper Marans – New Breed for 2019

French Black Copper Marans – New Breed for 2019

McMurray Hatchery is the oldest, and largest, hatchery in the United States. We offer over 100 breeds of poultry from day-old baby chicks, ducks, geese, turkeys and other fowl. Each year we carefully select breeds to add to our selection. For our 2019 season, we are...

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Bielefelder – New Breed for 2019

Bielefelder – New Breed for 2019

For over a century, McMurray Hatchery has been offering the widest selection of poultry breeds and remained dedicated to preserving the quality of each breed as set forth by the American Standard of Perfection — and 2019 is no exception. McMurray Hatchery is thrilled...

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Gail Damerow Discusses Egg Candling

Gail Damerow Discusses Egg Candling

As a poultry owner with laying hens, at some point you may decide to try your hand at incubating and hatching your own eggs. But, how can you tell if an egg is viable? Waiting 21 days can seem like an eternity to find out if an egg is going to hatch or not. In...

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Starting Our 2019 Flock (Video)

Each year, when Summer turns to Fall, our team at McMurray Hatchery begins the annual process to hatch and raise our breeder flock for the following season. We hatch and ship day-old, baby chicks from January through October each year. It takes between 18 and 22 weeks...

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Gail Damerow Discusses Prolapse and Egg Binding in Laying Hens

Gail Damerow Discusses Prolapse and Egg Binding in Laying Hens

Raising and keeping a flock of laying hens can be very rewarding , but, when complications arise such as prolapse or an egg-bound hen, it can be stressful for both the hen and their owner. In the second article in our series with poultry expert and best-selling author, Gail Damerow, we ask her about these two topics.

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Shop Day-Old Baby Chicks

Day-old baby chicks, ducks, geese, turkeys, and other poultry now available for the 2026 season!