McMurray Hatchery Blog
Hatchery News, Updates and Information on Raising Chickens, Ducks, Geese, Turkeys and Other PoultryHealthy 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...
Safe Shipping of Birds
Murray McMurray Hatchery works hard everyday to assure the safe arrival of your birds. The postal system is fluid, it is always changing, flights are canceled or rescheduled, truck routes change, and weather is always a factor. One of the processes we use to insure on...
The Self-Perpetuating Flock
Today, I contacted Sally, who is now 80 years old and who has raised chickens off and on her entire life and continuously for the past forty years. Forty years ago, Sally began with a flock of chickens, most of which she purchased from Murray McMurray Hatchery. It...
Recipe | Jalapeño Cheese Snacks
This is a quick and easy appetizer that is very tasty and uses a lot of eggs. 1 lb. cheddar cheese, grated 8 oz. pickled jalapeño pepper slices 6 eggs, beaten Preheat the oven to 350° F. Grease an 8"x8"x 2" baking pan with butter. Spread the jalapeño slices over the...
The Chicken Have-More Plan
by Patricia Foreman [This is the first in a series of chicken care articles by guest author Patricia Foreman.] In 1917, a few years before the Great Depression, Murray McMurray expanded his poultry hobby and love for chickens to found The McMurray Hatchery. His...
Easy Oven Pancake Recipe
This is a tasty and easy to prepare breakfast pancake recipe that uses a lot of chicken eggs. Serves 6. 3 tbsp. butter 6 eggs, beaten 1 cup flour 1 cup milk 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract 1 tbsp. sugar or honey Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place butter in a 9"x13"x2"...
How to Keep Your Chickens Safe, Part 2
[If you have not already read part one of this two part post, you can read it here.] You can also build a fenced-in yard or run for your birds. This will protect the birds both day and night. This is one of the safest options for the birds. However, one of the draw...
Keeping Roosters Quietly and Responsibly
by Andy Schneider (the Chicken Whisperer) Several times each month I receive letters, emails and phone calls from concerned chicken owners asking how they can keep their roosters quiet. More times than not, they are keeping chickens in urban areas. Many cities around...
Shop Day-Old Baby Chicks
Day-old baby chicks, ducks, geese, turkeys, and other poultry now available for the 2026 season!