Murray McMurray and "Aracaunas"

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Breeding Araucana and producing decent stock is very complex and difficult. they have difficulties in mating because of the rumpless factor. The tufting gene is also lethal if 2 tufted birds are bred several chicks will be still born. Getting a correct colored,rumpless, bilaterally tufted Araucana is like getting the chupacabra. Breeders hatch out several hundred chicks to get decent breeding stock. Breeding rumpless to rumpless for generations can also cause produce offspring with issues. So tailed birds need to be bred in every couple of years. It is just too much for a hatchery to deal with.
 
Yes, you can only get real Araucana from a breeder and even that can be a little frustrating. To illustrate. I hatch about 500 chicks a year, only about 25% will be tufted so that is 125 roughly. Tufted chicks seem to be more delicate than cleanfaced and approx. 25% of those will die before adulthood. So that leaves you with roughly 90 tufted chicks and 50% or more will be roosters, so 45 pullets if your fortunate. Of the 45 pullets 15 to 20% will die just before egg laying, so now your down to 36. Of those 36, I as the breeder will keep maybe 20 for myself to grow out with only maybe 5 of those being really good.

So now we are down to 16 pullets available for sale and about 45 tufted roosters that nobody wants and probably about 200 roosters no one wants. I prefer to sell breeding pair so as to get rid of a few roosters along with pullets. Most people want just pullets.


So the frustration.


Lanae
 
MIchickens said:
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
Click to expand...
We have had really good luck with McMurray in the past but i am sorry to hear of your troubles
 
Just about all the hatcheries sell EEs, not Ameraucanas or Araucanas.

If you want the real thing, order Ameraucanas and Araucanas from reputable breeders.

If you like assorted colors of eggs and colorful flock, then the EE flock would do you well! They would make terrific Olive Eggers!
 

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