McMurray Hatchery Blog
Hatchery News, Updates and Information on Raising Chickens, Ducks, Geese, Turkeys and Other PoultryQuick Transitions by Hunter Kemper
Sydney, Athens, Beijing, London, and Rio are 6 weeks old now and they are no longer looking like baby chicks, but much more like little chickens. It has been amazing to see how fast our girls have grown. The chick’s first home was a brooder in our basement. ...
2014 Winter Photo Contest Winners
Congratulations to our winners of the 2014 Winter Photo Contest! ...
Olympic Triathlete Hunter Kemper Visits Murray McMurray Hatchery
Four Time Olympic Triathlete, Hunter Kemper, visited with us at the hatchery this past week and we gave him the grand tour! Hunter is helping us spread the message that fresh eggs from your backyard Murray McMurray Hatchery chickens are the ideal source of natural...
Naming our baby chicks and HOW we decided on the names for each Breed by Hunter Kemper
We received 5 different breeds of chicks. Before they arrived, we learned a little about each type of chick and named them according to the things we learned. The 5 names we chose for our 5 different breeds of chicks represent the 4 Olympic Games cities I’ve...
Marek’s Disease by Dr. Darrell W. Trampel, D.V.M., PhD.
Marek’s disease (MD) is a highly contagious disease of chickens characterized by a) varying degrees of paralysis of wings and legs and/or b) development of lymphoid tumors. Marek’s disease is found in broiler chickens raised for meat and in laying hens maintained for...
4 Time Olympic Triathlete teams up with Murray McMurray Hatchery
Four Time Olympic Triathlete and Seven Time U.S. Elite National Champion, Hunter Kemper, has joined with Murray McMurray Hatchery to promote backyard chickens and fresh, backyard eggs. Hunter and his family recently received newly hatched chicks from Murray McMurray...
The Arrival by Hunter Kemper
Chris called us last week to let us know that our chicks would be arriving – this is great as our kids would all be home for their delivery. The anticipation was great as the boys, especially our oldest son Davis (7 years old), could not wait to meet our new baby...
Preparing a Home by Hunter Kemper
Murray McMurray Hatchery has helped make the preparation for our chickens very easy. Their book: “Chickens in Five Minutes a Day” is awesome! It’s an easy read and tells you everything you need to know about raising chickens. We also got one of their starter kits. ...
Backyard Chicken Farmer – by Hunter Kemper
Backyard Chicken Farmer? If you told me a few months ago that I’d be raising chickens in my backyard, I wouldn’t have believed you. In my backyard? Chickens? It all sounded a little crazy to me until I spoke with Chris Huseman, Director of Marketing from Murray...
Laryngotracheitis by Darrell W. Trampel, D.V.M., PhD.
Laryngotracheitis Darrell W. Trampel, D.V.M., PhD. Iowa State University January 6, 2014 Each year, chicken owners contact me to discuss a serious disease in their chickens characterized by difficult breathing, loud wheezing, and gurgling. Affected chickens...
A Coccidiosis Primer
A Coccidiosis Primer Darrell W. Trampel, D.V.M., PhD. Iowa State University December 26, 2013 Coccidiosis is found wherever chickens are raised. Coccidiosis is an intestinal disease caused by protozoan parasites which belong to the genus Eimeria. Disease occurs...
Pullorum Disease, Poultry, and the NPIP by Dr. Darrell W. Trampel, D.V.M., PhD.
Pullorum Disease, Poultry, and the NPIP Darrell W. Trampel, D.V.M., PhD. Iowa State University December 2, 2013 Development of purebred chickens can be traced back to 1875 when the American Poultry Association (APA) published a book entitled “Standards of...
2013 Fall Photo Contest Winners
Congratulations to our winners of the 2013 Fall Photo Contest!
Poultry: The Gateway Farming Enterprise by Joel Salatin
Note: In his recent book, FIELDS OF FARMERS: INTERNING, MENTORING, PARTNERING, GERMINATING, Joel Salatin describes multi-generational, symbiotic farming opportunities. With the average American farmer nearing 60 years old and half of all farmland slated to change...
DEEP BEDDING ALTERNATIVE FOR CRAMPED SPACES by Joel Salatin
As a passionate advocate of pastured poultry, I have a companion protocol for people who don't have a yard or pasture big enough to accommodate portable shelters. The answer is deep bedding. In general, in a pastured situation, laying hens need a couple of square...
Shop Day-Old Baby Chicks
Day-old baby chicks, ducks, geese, turkeys, and other poultry now available for the 2026 season!