McMurray Hatchery Blog
Hatchery News, Updates and Information on Raising Chickens, Ducks, Geese, Turkeys and Other Poultry2014 Fall Photo Contest Winners
Congratulations to our 2014 Spring into Fall Photo Contest Winners! ...
2014 Spring into Fall Photo Contest – Semi Finalists Announced!
I love having photo contests as we get to see all of the beautiful birds that are raised with wonderful love and care. Many of the birds showcased left our hatchery as newly hatched chicks and have since been providing loving memories, funny antics and so much more...
October is here!
Welcome to the first day of October...now it is really Fall in my mind! Today marks the opening day of pumpkin doughnuts at the local bakery. Bring on the pumpkin spice coffee, straw bales and corn stalk decorations and much more!
Mold in the Feed
I didn't know what was happening until I saw the mold in the feed bag - by then it was too late. Unfortunately what I had to endure this week was nothing we had encountered on our little patch of heaven yet. As I looked down at the snow covered feed, I couldn't help...
Responsibility by Hunter Kemper
RESPONSIBILITY by Hunter Kemper For the past several years, I’ve had the privilege of being a part of the Exercise Your Character Event in Des Moines, IA, organized by Hy-Vee Inc. This is an event I look forward to every year as 7,000 4th and 5th graders gather...
Chickens – A lot like my Kids by Hunter Kemper
I hope you've all had a wonderful Summer on "the farm." I've been a chicken owner since the end of January and it has been a fun adventure. We've gotten to watch our baby chicks grow into pullets that lay beautiful white, brown, and blue eggs (like the kind you see on...
PolyFace Farms Field Day
Late last year I received an invitation from Joel Salatin of Polyface Farms to exhibit at their Field Day. The Field Day I would learn consisted of Joel and his team opening up his farm to approximately 1,800 interested current future farmers, homesteaders, gardeners...
Pheasants Update – Wings of Flight
We went out of town for a couple of days so I had a relative care for my various flocks. All was going well until the one day I checked in with him. "Well, everything is good except you had a pheasant die," he said. While one pheasant in the grand scheme of things...
A new chirping – Pheasants
As I walked slowly through the cut corn and brush, our detectives worked furiously to find our deceptive prey. The harder the detectives sniffed for clues and ran furiously around the landscape the more intently I focused on the cover ahead anticipating a startling...
2014 School’s Out Photo Contest Winners
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Chicks of the Trade (show)
I like trade shows. Trade shows offer you a place to see, feel, smell and experience new products, new ideas and allow you to meet many new people. Granted, some people would ask, "Why do you need a tradeshow when you can just go to the company's website?" The...
Bad, Bad Mr. Fox
I remember my mother reading me many stories when I was little. In a lot of the stories that included a fox, the fox is the bad guy. The fox has been included in many stories, cultures, songs and more from Jimmy Hendrix' "Foxy Lady" to Dr. Seuss' "Fox in Socks". ...
2014 Easter Photo Contest Winners
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Why Easter Eggs by Hunter Kemper
Since we are now the proud owners of chickens, I did a little investigating into the significance of “the egg” this Easter celebration. When did eggs first become associated with Easter? The egg is an ancient symbol of new life and it has been linked with the...
Brooding My Chicks
As I drove the moving truck out of the neighborhood, Rosie and Winston sat shotgun quietly. I could see the look on their face. They couldn't believe what we just packed up in this bohemith of a truck. Quite frankly, I couldn't either. They didn't say a word -...
Shop Day-Old Baby Chicks
Day-old baby chicks, ducks, geese, turkeys, and other poultry now available for the 2025 season — always with FREE SHIPPING on all full orders of baby birds!