McMurray Hatchery Blog
Hatchery News, Updates and Information on Raising Chickens, Ducks, Geese, Turkeys and Other Poultry
Gail Damerow Discusses Bumblefoot in Chickens and Ducks
Bumblefoot is a fairly common condition causing lameness in chickens, ducks, and other birds. Continuing our interview series with poultry expert and best-selling author, Gail Damerow, we ask her for details about bumblefoot. What is bumblefoot? Bumblefoot refers to...
A Statement from McMurray Hatchery: High-Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI)
A statement from McMurray Hatchery regarding highly-pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI).
Heritage vs. Production Turkeys
Homesteading often includes one decision after another, and one choice that many people find themselves pondering is deciding between Heritage and production turkeys. What is the difference between the two? Are Heritage turkeys better in regards to nutrition? What...
10 Tips for Brooding Chicks Off-Grid
Off-grid living is on the rise, and so is chicken keeping! However, chicks purchased online or in a feed store need supplemental heat to keep them warm. So, how do off-gridders provide the necessary heat for keeping chicks warm? Here are my top 10 tips for brooding...
How to Integrate New Chickens into Your Flock
Incorporating new chickens is bound to happen at some point or another when you are raising poultry. Whether you keep chickens in town or out in the country, it is essential to know how to safely integrate new chickens into your flock. Taking the correct steps during...
Raising Guinea Fowl
There are many benefits to raising guinea fowl, and these crazy looking birds are ideal for almost every homestead with acreage. However, one must first learn how to properly care for guinea fowl before bringing them home. Raising Guinea Fowl Six years ago, I brought...
Raising Geese for Meat and as a Sustainable Protein
The concept of raising geese for meat is not a new one. However, it is one which has gone to the wayside, especially in the United States. Geese are an incredible breed of waterfowl and one every homestead should consider incorporating. Prior to beginning one must...
Gail Damerow Discusses Treating a Wounded Chicken
No matter how careful you are about providing your chickens with a safe environment, sooner or later, you’ll discover one with a wound requiring treatment. Continuing our interview series with poultry expert and best-selling author, Gail Damerow, we ask her about...
Baby Chicks, Children, New and Old Friends, and Great Conversations
Looking back at our recent trip to the Homesteaders of America conference in Front Royal, Virginia.
Gail Damerow Discusses How to Tell When a Chicken Is Sick
As prey animals, chickens avoid any appearance of vulnerability by attempting to hide signs of illness. Continuing our interview series with poultry expert and best-selling author, Gail Damerow, we ask her how to tell when a chicken is sick. So, how can you tell when...
Brooding Fall Chicks
Our thoughts on brooding Fall chicks have changed over our years of chicken keeping experience. We were strongly in the Spring chicks camp for most of our chicken tending days, until the last two years, when we tried bringing chicks in later in the Summer. When the...
2022 Customer Photo Winners, Round One
Customer Photos to Appear in 2022 McMurray Hatchery Marketing Congratulations to photo contest winners Anna Christian and Teddi Yaeger! Their photos have been selected to be used in our 2022 marketing materials — premiering in our full page ad on the back cover of the...
Composting Chicken Manure Fertilizer
After raising chickens for a short while, you will understand the importance of composting chicken manure fertilizer. Even a small flock will produce an admirable amount of chicken manure. Some gardeners refer to this as garden gold. Once composted, chicken manure...
The Easiest Animals to Raise on the Homestead
Five of easiest animals to raise on the homestead or small acreage will depend on the layout of your property and the amount of land owned. The decision to homestead means you have decided to live a more sustainable life. Gardening and preserving the harvest is a...
How To Keep Snakes Away From Your Poultry
A frequent question about predator control that we receive from new chicken keepers is how to keep snakes away from poultry. While the method may vary, the answer is always the same ... snakes have to be kept out of your chicken coop at all costs. Not only can snakes...
Shop Day-Old Baby Chicks
Day-old baby chicks, ducks, geese, turkeys, and other poultry now available for the 2026 season!