Murray McMurray

A Review On: Hatcheries, Day Old Chicks

Hatcheries, Day Old Chicks

Rated # 27 in Chicken Breeds
See all 48 reviews
Purchased on:
Price paid: $114.00
infiniti
By infiniti
Posted · 12 Views · 11 Comments

Pros: great variety, great customer service

Cons: prices, quantity ordering, Have gotten to commercial they lack compassion

I have been ordering from Murray McMurray since 1991.  Usually I have great success with their chicks, however this past time, I ordered 25 chicks of various breeds, I got a text saying my order had been shipped on a Saturday (?) and I got the order on Tuesday.  13 were DOA, and the rest were on their last leg.  I spent the entire next day and a half feeding them and watering them from a syringe.  I was able to keep them alive for that long, but they just kept dying one after the other until by the next afternoon, all had died.  I called McMurray crying my eyes out, not looking for sympathy (but certainly got none)and they simply said that they would re-ship them.  I told them I wanted to wait until April this time...so I should have my replacement order by tomorrow (April 2nd) or the next day.  I only hope that it doesn't happen again.  They seemed to treat the chicks like just another box.  Granted, I have NEVER had anything like this happen before.  I might have lost 1 or 2 from an order of 100 over the years.  But never have I ever lost the entire shipment.  When I get ready to order again, I think I will try a different hatchery, though.  

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11 Comments

countrygirl36 4/1/12 at 11:24am
so sorry to hear that :( i cnsidered ordering frm mcmurray but i wasnt completely comfrtable with chicks being shipped to the post ffice which forgets to call my house smetimes
mommahen64 4/1/12 at 12:43pm
That is appalling! They should be ashamed of themselves. Those poor birds. And my heart goes out to you for the loss. I know how attached you get when you care for them and try to save them. Best of luck and thanks for the 'heads up' on McMurry.
beauty2thebirds 4/1/12 at 2:13pm
I used to order from them also. BUT you are right. There is no empathy and to me it's a step shy of murder in the first. I no longer order from them period. It's not worth it. I hope your next order goes better. I have never heard of them shipping on the weekend before.
Good luck
Been there, done that!
goobhen 4/1/12 at 2:51pm
I have ordered from only MM. I never had one problem! I ordered 25 first time, received 28, all survived and thrived. Second time I ordered, I got 6, 17 week old pullets. My post office (I love them!) called me at 5:00AM & told me my chicks were in. Second batch, they drove them to my home! I would buy from them again, if I was going to order 25 chickens again. This year, I bought from my local feed store. So far so good, they are pullets, we shall see! If I were to order small amounts of chicks, I will try My Pet Chicken!
Daniel1974 4/1/12 at 8:37pm
I have just started rising Chickens and got mine from efowl.com . I got a shipping date 1 week after i ordered the chicks. They come in one day and all lived but one. I have since bought 15 more and hope for the same success. I know you can lose a few chicks from shipping but one one i lost so im happy with efowl.com and its also free shipping on orders more then 15. Must see site if you have not looked yet.. Daniel
flocksalot 4/2/12 at 7:18am
I love McMurray's Hatchery! My grandfather used to order from them, then my parents, and now me. They have always been extremely good to us. I had one bad batch come in March last year. I lost about half of them. They were very sympathetic with me and replaced the whole batch with a few extra too boot. I live in a northern climate, so am conscious to not order too early in the spring, but when I do get my chicks they are full of energy and vigor. I always get my chicks on Saturday, as they are shipped on Friday and reach the main shipping center in Madison then. They call me and I make the 35 to 40 mile one way trip to go get them. I couldn't wait until Monday at my post office! If I lived clear across the country I don't think I would be ordering from them, but being this close and with their remarkable service with my family over the years they are my hatchery of choice.
justsomeguync 4/2/12 at 7:47am
I wouldn't necessarily assume that it was the hatchery's fault if I got dead and dying chicks a day late. Sitting in a warehouse an extra day sounds more like the postal service was to blame to me. I, like some above, have several generations of satisfied customers with Murray McMurray. Both of my parents continued to order from Murray McMurray after their divorce, it seemed to be the only thing they agreed on.
infiniti 4/8/12 at 9:15am
I got my replacement shipment. I got a text again on a Saturday, but this time, I opened my door on Monday morning and found the box of chicks sitting there. The school was out for Spring break so I had no reason to go outside and we slept in that morning. I have no idea how long they had been siting there. I had 26 chicks alive, but shaky when I put them in the brooder. I lost 5 the first day, and by the following Friday, I have lost all of them except 6 chicks. I never said it was the hatcheries fault...I am just reporting the facts as they happen. My post office worker thought she was doing me a great service by leaving these chicks on my porch, but I guess didn't realize that we didn't have school that week. I guess she also didn't realize that IF they call me to come pick them up, I am able to do so very early in the morning before the post office even opens. I still do not understand the hatchery sending them on a Friday or Saturday, though.....
flocksalot 4/8/12 at 2:39pm
They send them out over the weekend so they can get through all the substations. They go out to a sorting center that puts them on a plane or truck to send them to the next sorting area in your area. That way you can get them on Monday or Tuesday. Otherwise you would be getting them on Thursday or Friday. They don't just sit in some warehouse during the weekend they are actually enroute to you.
Just a suggestion, but I always let the post office know that I am expecting some chicks and would prefer a call. The usually call me from the sorting center so I can drive there to pick them up. I don't mind the 45 minutes each way as then I have my chicks days earlier. When I lived in the city I did the same thing. It's smart to cultivate some friends at the post office.
MIchickens 2/3/13 at 5:31pm
A little info on Murray McMurray. I received my chick a week ago (27 Jan 13). I ordered 47 total chicks of various breeds. I even went as far as to call my main post office hub and ask them to call me and I would pick them up whenever they got there. I received the call at 11:00pm on a Sunday. I drove the 2 hours round trip to get them faster to reduce the stress....if I had waited to get them from my local post office...who knows how many more would have died. 2 of the chicks were DOA in the box when I opened it. Later that day 3 more died. And the next day 3 more died. 1 day after that I only lost 1. Also, I ordered 4 Golden laced Wyandotte's...they didn't ship them to me. Their was a sticker on the inside of the box that said they said they ran out. Now keep in mind I ordered these chicks 3 months in advance. So there's no excuse for not sending them.

OK, now I have 3 chicks with crossed beaks and 1 with an eye problem. I will probably cull them tomorrow.

I would suggest trying to find a local hatchery around you and buy them from there. I am not happy at all with McMurray. Although their people were very nice on the phone each time I called...I believe their chicks are sub-standard. Be prepared to lose a 1/4 of them due to death or sub standard breeding.

I'm just sayin....lol