McMurray Hatchery Blog
Hatchery News, Updates and Information on Raising Chickens, Ducks, Geese, Turkeys and Other PoultrySexing Guinea Fowl
How do you tell male guinea fowl from the females? It’s a question I hear often from first-time guinea owners.
Backyard Chicken Myths, Part 2
by Andy Schneider (the Chicken Whisperer) If you missed part 1 of this article, you can read it here. Many people who oppose the keeping of backyard chickens often sound off during meetings about decreased property values if the city allows the keeping of backyard...
2010 Photo Contest: Selection of the Finalists and Semi-Finalists for the "That’s so sweet" Category
Here is a brief description of how semi-finalists were selected for the "That's so sweet" category of the McMurray Hatchery Chicken Photo Contest. All of the pictures received ratings during our open rating period. We took the average rating for each picture and...
Farming in North Carolina | McMurray Hatchery Customer Spotlight
Chad Sale has been farming in North Carolina, and has raised poultry most of his life. He currently raises about 700 chickens, ducks, turkeys, and quail. As a child, Chad used to spend a lot of time on his grandparent's farm. Chad's great-uncle, who lived nearby,...
Green Chili Sauce
This green chili sauce is excellent when poured over the top of Chile Relleno Casserole. 1 lb. round steak, cut into small cubes 2 tbsp. olive oil 3 cloves garlic, minced 2 - 4 oz. cans of chopped green chili peppers 2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes 1 - 15 oz. can of...
Chile Relleno Casserole
This is a delicious main dish that uses a lot of eggs and serves eight people. It tastes best when served with Green Chile Sauce. 4 - 4 oz. cans whole green chiles 1/2 lb. Monterey Jack cheese, grated 1/2 lb. cheddar cheese, grated 6 eggs, separated 1 cup sour cream...
Backyard Chicken Myths, Part 1
by Andy Schneider (the Chicken Whisperer) Time and time again I hear people complaining about the problems they think backyard chickens will bring if allowed into the backyards of their city. Some of the more common complaints that I hear are noise, smell, rodents,...
Healthy Birds, Part 2
[If you have not already read part one of this two part post, you can read it here.] Each and every bird is inspected to make sure they are true to breed, i.e. feather color, skin color, proper body type, comb type, number of toes (4 or 5), etc. If a bird does not...
Starting a Homestead in Maine
Barbara Chatterton-Luuring and her family live in Machias, Maine. They moved there from the Netherlands about a year go and began raising chickens ….
Chickens in the Garden?
Earlier this week, we asked these questions on our Facebook page: Do you have a garden? What do you grow in it? Do you use chickens in your garden? Many people gave their answers. The answers seemed to center around three things: disadvantages or problems with...
Healthy Birds, Part 1
[This article is part 1 of a two part series.] We here at McMurray Hatchery care about the health and well being of all our birds, from our hatching flocks to the newly hatched chicks. To ensure that you receive the healthiest chicks possible, we do a number of things...
Raising Chickens for the State Fair | McMurray Hatchery Customer Spotlight
Krista Little has been raising chickens for her state fair for about seven years, and has had several flocks over the years. She currently has a small flock of chickens consisting of Delaware, Cinnamon Queens, and several other varieties. Krista started raising...
Spinach Yogurt Quiche
This is a recipe for a unique quiche that our family has been making for over 25 years.
Chickens: The Mascots of the Local Foods Movement
by Patricia Foreman [This is the second in a series of chicken care articles by guest author Patricia Foreman. If you missed her first article, you can view it here: The Chicken Have-More Plan] Keeping backyard chickens is part of the urban farming movement. Family...
Feeding Your Chickens Table Scraps
Updated Version of This Article A new version of this article is available at: Feeding Your Chickens Table Scraps (NEW) Original Article Chickens enjoy eating table scraps, and most leftovers from your table are fine to feed your chickens as a supplement to their...
Shop Day-Old Baby Chicks
Day-old baby chicks, ducks, geese, turkeys, and other poultry now available for the 2026 season!