McMurray Hatchery Blog
Hatchery News, Updates and Information on Raising Chickens, Ducks, Geese, Turkeys and Other PoultryHow to Introduce New Chickens into your Existing Flock
Integrating new chickens into an established flock can be problematic. This series of past articles covers the basics of introducing new chickens into your flock as painlessly as possible. 1. The first article in this series gives the background information and tells...
Shipping Chicks in Colder Temperatures
Around the January to February time frame we get several questions asking whether it is a good idea to ship chicks during the colder months. This is a valid concern as we ship chicks to all parts of the United States and beyond. Temperatures certainly fluctuate from...
Packing Eggs for Safe Shipping
For most of us, getting eggs home from the market or getting them from the coop to the kitchen can be a daunting task. The delicate nature of the eggs and the promise that some of us seek from them offers a value beyond the "cost" of the egg itself. At Murray...
Straight to the Source – A Visit to Our Flock Farms
Offering healthy and happy baby chicks doesn’t happen by accident. In fact, proper care and nutrition to help ensure optimal growth is provided to the source flocks through a dedicated person, years of experience and a genuine enthusiasm about chickens. As I...
My First Hatch – What an Experience
As I peered through the window at the eggs I had a flood of emotion overcome me. The anticipation of the new chick arrival has been burning inside of me since November as I kept hearing from the long time employees at Murray McMurray Hatchery just how interesting the...
The Beginning: My Quest into a Life with Chickens
For someone who didn’t grow up on a farm or has had very little experience even visiting a farm, the practicality of owning chickens can seem like a very daunting task. Owning chickens to some may seem as practical as owning an elephant as municipal laws regulate...
An Introduction to Peafowl
Peafowl (Peacocks and Peahens) are beautiful poultry, and many people raise them for their beauty. They are native to southeast Asia, including India. Peafowl have been bred for sale from the time of the Roman Empire. Although not many in this country would consider...
What Traits Should I Seek in a Broody Hen?
When selecting a broody hen, you want a hen that will be a good setter and a good mother. Our Facebook fans helped us come up with these lists of desirable traits and behaviors. A hen with good brooding, or setting traits ... is protective of her nest and eggs, is...
How to Care For Your Chickens Through the Winter
For tips and information about how to best care for your chickens through the winter, please see these articles on our blog: Keeping the Chicken Water from Freezing Preparing Your Laying Flock for Winter (Part 1) and Part 2 - this two part article covers temperature,...
Everybodys Poultry Magazine
I'm looking for old copies of this magazine. If you have some to share or that I could get copies of, please let me know. Thanks.
Is Cedar a Suitable Chicken Coop Building Material
There has been a lot of discussion lately about cedar and chickens. We have searched to find chicken and cedar studies by universities or other authorities but have been unable to find any. For years our literature has recommended not using cedar chips as bedding, as...
Winners for the Homesteading Chores, Ideas, and Contraptions Photo Contest
First Place Rhonda Silva won first place with this photo of her duck ramp. As first place winner, Rhonda won a $100 gift certificate. Here is Rhonda's description of the ramp: Our Rouens needed a larger pool as they grew, and the new one had 18" high sides, making it...
Which Chicken Breeds Do You Recommend for Cold Climates?
Many of our breeds are well-suited for cold climates. Some of the most popular cold hardy breeds are listed below. Breeds that Lay Brown Eggs Rocks - Barred Rocks, Buff Rocks, White Rocks, Partridge Rocks, and Silver Penciled Rocks Wyandottes - Columbian...
Winners for the Poultry Open Class Photo Contest
First Place Beth Kleinsasser won first place with the photo below of chickens on a Fall morning. As first place winner, Beth has won a $100 gift certificate. The chickens in the photo are Black Stars, Red Stars, and a Rhode Island Red. Second Place Emily Green won...
Winners for the Female Poultry Photo Contest
First and Second Place Michael McLaughlin won first and second place. His first place photo is of a Buff Brahma hen. Michael received a $100 gift certificate as a first place prize. His second place photo is a Silver Laced Wyandotte hen. Michael received a $50 gift...
Shop Day-Old Baby Chicks
Day-old baby chicks, ducks, geese, turkeys, and other poultry now available for the 2026 season!