McMurray catalog - some crazy stuff!

[Illia]

Not surprised at all.

It doesn't matter who you get your birds from, YES shipping is really that expensive.

I usually pay a total $140-300 for just two birds, usually half the price or more is from shipping.

Honestly though I think it is an absolute waste of money and time to buy laying hens from hatcheries. They're exceedingly expensive to buy with shipping and you have plenty of people who are LOCAL who would love the support! Hatcheries are huge companies who get plenty of money for ill treatment of a bunch of chickens, yet you've got a dedicated breeder or even backyard owner who just needs to cut back on their hens, and all they're asking is $5-20 a hen. No extra charge.

The only time where spending money on shipping a live bird is worth it is if the bird is actually worth the money, IE - Good Quality. Hatcheries do NOT have good quality, worthy birds to spend shipping on.

There's plenty of locals with the same quality of hens who are sometimes even giving their hens away for free.

 

[Catstar68]

Quote:
I agree 100%! With all the great BYCers out there, certainly there is no need to look far for some laying hens. And then, there is always Craigslist as long as you're careful with who you're buying from.

Shipping show quality birds is a different story but no one will be getting those at a volume hatchery, as you said.

 

[RAREROO]

Quote:
I agree 100%! With all the great BYCers out there, certainly there is no need to look far for some laying hens. And then, there is always Craigslist as long as you're careful with who you're buying from.

Shipping show quality birds is a different story but no one will be getting those at a volume hatchery, as you said.

Agreed. Those prices with the shipping are just not worth it when more than likey you can find local cheap hens just for laying. I would only pay express shipping on good quality breeder quality birds that I REALLY NEEDED. Even the juvinille pairs of gamebirds and waterfowl they have would be much cheaper to just get them from a breeder and cut out the middle man becuse the hatcheries just buy or ship them from the breeders and just charge you more to do it.

 

[Winggedheart]

My family gets birds from MM often, though only the day-old chicks, you know. And it seems over the past few years chick prices have gone up slightly, but not that badly, and it seems shipping is about right. However, I don't even bother buying chicken supplies from MM; can be pricey, and most stuff I can get at like the Tractor Supply Store, etc.

We are getting around 79 chicks from MM in Feb. They are already ordered, and their hatches are reserved. I got the new catalog two days ago, and have flipped through it numerous times, replacing my out-dated copies that I used for discerning the breeds of 'unknown' chicks.

 

[crash0330]

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Yeah I agree with you, on chicks prices and the actual birds the prices are about normal, but for supplies it seems that hatcheries prices are skyhigh.
I usually order my supplies from Jefferslivestock.com, they hatve really cheap prices and dont charge shipping costs!

 

[MyKidLuvsGreenEgz]

What is the best hatchery to buy from that doesn't have a lot of in-breeding, has great prices, and great varieties? I have an order with cackle, and have been thinking about mcmurray. Thanks.

 

[farmgirl1995]

I still haven't gotten the new catalog. But the thing about the hens beaks being trimmed is sad

 

[Illia]

Quote:
There is no guarantee with any hatchery to not come across inbred stock. Hatcheries don't disclose information on how their adult birds are taken care of, what lines they are, how long they've been breeding those lines, and how often or rarely they get fresh bloodlines added in.

Almost all hatcheries, especially well known ones, have a LOT of variety with breeds to choose from though. As for prices, depends. For one I think hatcheries that offer Black Copper Marans are really ripping people off. I've seen them sell for $9-15 a chick, straight run, when you can get them from a local breeder for much less. And with local breeders, you can actually see the quality of the egg color/darkness.

 

[MyKidLuvsGreenEgz]

Quote:
There is no guarantee with any hatchery to not come across inbred stock. Hatcheries don't disclose information on how their adult birds are taken care of, what lines they are, how long they've been breeding those lines, and how often or rarely they get fresh bloodlines added in.

Almost all hatcheries, especially well known ones, have a LOT of variety with breeds to choose from though. As for prices, depends. For one I think hatcheries that offer Black Copper Marans are really ripping people off. I've seen them sell for $9-15 a chick, straight run, when you can get them from a local breeder for much less. And with local breeders, you can actually see the quality of the egg color/darkness.

THANKS! I appreciate the info.

 

[HHandbasket]

Quote:
Yeah, that bothers me a little bit also. I think if I want a hen with a trimmed beak, I'll rescue a battery hen.

I was trying to think of why they would do that, and the only thing I can think of is so they don't peck each other to the point of bleeding when they're in the shipping box, perhaps? If they do it, surely there must be a good reason for it. Or at least one would think so.