McMurray Hatchery Blog

Hatchery News, Updates and Information on Raising Chickens, Ducks, Geese, Turkeys and Other Poultry

Translating Fowl Language – Gail Damerow Offers Tips

Chickens make a variety of different sounds while engaging in specific activities. Continuing our interview series with Gail Damerow, poultry expert and best-selling author, we ask her for tips that might help us in translating this fowl language. Do the sounds...

Falling in Love With Backyard Geese

  I grew up in a family of bird lovers. From hunting to bird watching, filling humming bird feeders and listening for birdsong over coffee, birds have always been a huge part of my life. Geese have long been a favorite of mine; I love listening to their calls and...

Turkey Housing Options

Turkeys instinctively want to roost up high with a good view of their surroundings. They often prefer to sleep out in the open and tend not to like sleeping in enclosed spaces. If you design a turkey shelter with their preferences in mind, you’ll have a better chance...

Pecking Order in Chickens with Gail Damerow

Many beginning flock keepers are surprised and dismayed when they discover that chickens peck each other while establishing their social hierarchy. Continuing our interview series with Gail Damerow, poultry expert and best-selling author, we ask her to explain the...

What to Expect When Raising Turkeys

One of the most common reasons people raise turkeys is to provide a holiday centerpiece or a nutritious source of meat for the freezer, but there is so much more to turkeys than simply providing a meal. Turkeys are incredibly charismatic birds that are enjoyable to...

Using Broody Hens With Gail Damerow

One way to increase your backyard chicken flock is by using broody hens. Continuing our interview series with Gail Damerow, poultry expert and best-selling author, we ask her about using broody hens to hatch and raise baby chicks.  What are the advantages of using...

Top Tips for New Chicken Keepers with Gail Damerow

Every chicken keeper has a list of “things I wish I’d known” before getting those first chickens. Continuing our interview series with Gail Damerow, poultry expert and best-selling author, we ask for her top tips for new chicken keepers.  What is your top tip for...

Raising Turkeys for Beginners

Raising baby turkeys, also called poults, can feel intimidating for beginners. There are a few important differences to be aware of when raising turkey poults as compared to raising chicks (baby chickens). Heritage turkeys are very healthy and hardy as adults, however...

The Pros and Cons of Keeping a Rooster With Gail Damerow

Whether or not to keep a rooster in the flock can be a challenging decision for first-time chicken owners. Continuing our interview series with Gail Damerow, poultry expert and best-selling author, we ask her to discuss the pros and cons of keeping a rooster. What is...

How to Brood Guinea Keets With Gail Damerow

Most poultry keepers know how to raise chicks in a brooder. But brooding guinea keets is a little different from brooding chicks. Continuing our interview series with Gail Damerow, poultry expert and best-selling author, we ask her to explain how to brood guinea...
Chick Days Photo Contest Winners

Chick Days Photo Contest Winners

2021 Chick Days Photo Contest Winners Congratulations to these entrants in the 2021 Chick Days photo contest! These winning photos received the highest number of votes by our customers and will be used on our website and in our marketing materials. The following...

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The Beauty of Bantam Chickens

The Beauty of Bantam Chickens

Choosing Bantam chickens for your backyard flock can be an excellent choice for urban and suburban neighborhoods. In fact, anyone who wants a hardy, small chicken with a good disposition will be pleased with the Bantam chicken’s good temperament. Among the many...

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Gail Damerow Discusses Broody Hens

Gail Damerow Discusses Broody Hens

Snuggling down on a nest of eggs until they hatch is a hen’s way of making more chickens. A hen that has decided to become a mother is called a broody hen. Continuing our interview series with poultry expert and best-selling author, Gail Damerow, we ask her about...

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2021 Catalog Photo Winners Announced

2021 Catalog Photo Winners Announced

The 2021 Murray McMurray Hatchery catalog is done and in the mail! Copies have already started landing in mailboxes across the U.S. and Canada. We are thankful to be able to feature so many amazing photos submitted by our customers each year, and this year was no...

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Preparing Your Winter Chicken Coop

Preparing Your Winter Chicken Coop

     Winter is here and I need to think about the things to do to start preparing my chicken coop and chickens for their winter chicken coop set up. Wait, what? I have a winter set up and check list for my chickens? Why yes, yes I do! And it might be something you...

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How to Make Money Off Your Chickens

How to Make Money Off Your Chickens

When my chicken addiction became strong, my husband gave me the stink eye. I quickly needed to find ways for my chickens to make me money! Raising chickens for meat, and learning about how to put up my chicken eggs for sale, were two of the main things I needed to...

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Winner Announced | Summer Photo Contest

Winner Announced | Summer Photo Contest

2020 Summer Photo Contest Winner! Congratulations Rebecca Reynolds — the winner in our 2020 Summer Photo Contest. Pictured here are four of her beautiful photo entries. As a winner, Rebecca will receive a $50 GIFT CERTIFICATE to McMurray Hatchery. All photos in this...

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Winners Announced: 100K Facebook Giveaway

Winners Announced: 100K Facebook Giveaway

In June, we passed 100,000 likes and followers on our McMurray Hatchery Facebook page! To celebrate this milestone, and to thank our followers, we held a 10-day 100K Giveaway, with daily prizes ranging from free t-shirts to free chicks. Congratulations to these...

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Using Chickens and Geese in the Garden

Using Chickens and Geese in the Garden

Chickens and geese aren’t just a great homestead food source. You can start using chickens and geese in the garden to help you create a bountiful harvest each year! And, if you’ve ever wanted to start raising geese, this is a great excuse for you to dive right in this...

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Shop Day-Old Baby Chicks

Day-old baby chicks, ducks, geese, turkeys, and other poultry now available for the 2026 season!