McMurray Hatchery Blog
Hatchery News, Updates and Information on Raising Chickens, Ducks, Geese, Turkeys and Other Poultry2010 Photo Contest Winner
"That's So Sweet" Category Results The final results are in for this category of the photo contest. The Winner Congratulations to Elizabeth Robinson! She won first place in the contest with her photo of the Buff Orpington hen and her newly hatched chick. As the first...
Why Raise Ducks?
Ducks are easy to raise, and there are a number of good reasons to raise them. According to Dave Holderread, author of Storey's Guide to Raising Ducks, they are "one of the most versatile and useful of all domestic fowl." As a meat bird, ducks are an excellent...
The Importance of Water
It is important for your chickens and other poultry to always have access to an adequate supply of clean, fresh drinking water. This is even more important during hot weather, when a chicken's water requirements increase significantly. When chickens don't have enough...
2010 Photo Contest Update
Update: The poll is now closed. To see the winning photos, visit the link below: 2010 Photo Contest Winners Visit the link below to rate the five finalist photos in the "That's so sweet" category of the photo contest: Finalist poll for the "That's so sweet" category...
2010 Photo Contest: Finalist Slideshow for the "That’s so sweet" Category
Congratulations to the finalists in the "That's So Sweet" category of the Chicken Photo Contest. Below is a slide show of the photos: For contest details, see: Chicken Photo Contest Details
Chickens in the Garden: The Deep Mulch System
This is part two of a multi-part series. If you missed part one, you can read it here. A second approach for keeping chickens in your garden is the deep mulch system, described in detail in Andy Lee's book The Chicken Tractor. You can begin with part of your existing...
2010 Photo Contest: Finalists Poll for the That’s So Sweet Category
Update: The photo contest is now over. To see the winners, visit the link below: 2010 Photo Contest Winners We have tallied the responses to the semi-finalist poll and selected the top five entries as the finalists. The five finalists now appear in our finalist poll,...
2010 Photo Contest: Semi-Finalists Gallery for the "That’s So Sweet" Category
Our congratulations to all of the semi-finalists in the "That's So Sweet" category of the Chicken Photo Contest. Below is a gallery of the photos: For contest details, see: Chicken Photo Contest Details
Sexing 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,...
Shop Day-Old Baby Chicks
Day-old baby chicks, ducks, geese, turkeys, and other poultry now available for the 2026 season!