Murray Mcmurray! - Page 2

Who cares, all that matters is you have a nice rooster and a hen that lays good.  Just because they arnt "show quality" doesn't mean you should exclude them and what's the point in bragging your birds to others?

wow that was kinda harsh.  I am not a show bird person either.  I just have my birds for pets and eggs and entertainment.  I do however think it is important to know if you are getting quality show birds or not.  I got some for this hatchary and have had a lot of problums with some of them.  some of them are fine.  it is just hard to say what you will get.  I love my Cochin's and wold love to get another Giant buff cochin as mine just died, but I dont want to get 25 just to replace her.   anyway just wanted to say I have used this hatchary and had mixed luck, alot of mine died after like one month... 

We bought just some laying hens from Murray Mcmurray last year. They lay fairly well, but not show birds. The hens are friendly, and most like to be cuddled. We did notice though,(after ordering) that the "Easter Eggers" are mutts. Overall, the make good laying hens, but poor show birds.Just don't order rosters from them!!! The roosters are crazy, and super aggressive with the hens. We had 2 that killed 3 hens because they were so aggressive.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vamvakas 

Who cares, all that matters is you have a nice rooster and a hen that lays good.  Just because they arnt "show quality" doesn't mean you should exclude them and what's the point in bragging your birds to others?

I do see your point but hatcheries don't always offer nice roosters, because they don't breed for such. And, I don't show my birds either but I expect that if I buy, say, a Silver Laced Wyandotte - That it look like such. Not a spangled bird, or a mostly black bird, or a bird that hardly weighs 4 lbs, or a bird that isn't nearly as fluffy as a Wyandotte should be. But a well sized, fluffy, round looking bird with at least coloration good enough to call lacing.

Again, I don't show poultry, but if I were to buy something said to be of a certain color and breed, I want it to be of that color and breed. Otherwise what's the point, I coulda just gone to look for mutts from a local guy down the street and he would at least breed them with a decent environment and I'd get hybrid vigor going on. When I bought Wyandottes from McMurray I got severely undersized birds with poor temperament, poor coloration, medium instead of large sized eggs, and worst of all, 3 of 10 of the hens had back deformities when I finally decided to put them down. Now, that's just one experience, I've had better, but just sayin'. You don't have to show poultry to want something that's a decent example of the breed.
 

Quote:

Originally Posted by Illia 

 

 

I do see your point but hatcheries don't always offer nice roosters, because they don't breed for such. And, I don't show my birds either but I expect that if I buy, say, a Silver Laced Wyandotte - That it look like such. Not a spangled bird, or a mostly black bird, or a bird that hardly weighs 4 lbs, or a bird that isn't nearly as fluffy as a Wyandotte should be. But a well sized, fluffy, round looking bird with at least coloration good enough to call lacing.

 

Again, I don't show poultry, but if I were to buy something said to be of a certain color and breed, I want it to be of that color and breed. Otherwise what's the point, I coulda just gone to look for mutts from a local guy down the street and he would at least breed them with a decent environment and I'd get hybrid vigor going on. When I bought Wyandottes from McMurray I got severely undersized birds with poor temperament, poor coloration, medium instead of large sized eggs, and worst of all, 3 of 10 of the hens had back deformities when I finally decided to put them down. Now, that's just one experience, I've had better, but just sayin'. You don't have to show poultry to want something that's a decent example of the breed.
 

 

  I've ordered from Murry McMurray before too (this was atleast fifteen or even twenty years ago. The quailty may be worse by now), and the only roosters I ever got were bantams of various breeds.  I really only came across one bantam rooster out of around ten tottal (over time of course) that was mean (a Barred Cochin).  I've never got a rooster from them in standard size though. I have no idea other than what I've heard (this is the first place I've heard) what they are like.  Thier birds really are only pet quailty but I liked to show mine at the 4-H county fair and did pretty well with that (I know the judge only had hatchery birds to work with though ) but, I wouldn't try an open show with them.  They are great fun for pets and eggs and meat, if you really don't care about the way they look as compaired to the SOP.
 

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaughterOfEve 


Wow my batch of silver laced lay small & med. eggs, one crooked toes on both feet and one with a hump on her back, one with a single comb instead of a walnut. I guess after getting them mail order and seeing how hungry, thirsty, and weak they were...I doubt I will do it again. Get birds from BYC friends instead.

  Really?  I guess that means they've really gone down hill since my last order.  That's too bad.     

    My personal view on buying chickens is in agreement with Illa and DaughterOfEve.  I would personally like to buy birds from selective breeders of small flocks and get better quality birds (they wouldn't need to be top quality show birds [although I wouldn't mind a few of those either ] but, I would like birds that are higher quality than comercial hatchery stock), plus I'll know they've been treated and handled well from the begining, all the way until they are shipped or I can pick them up.