McMurray.. Good, Bad, or Ugly? or Ideal

[chickenloverwill]

I ordered 5 ducks from Murray McMurray and was very pleased.

 

[Cheapchicksfarm]

I have a friend who ordered BLW from Mcmurry they do not sex that breed and he only got 3 hens out of 25

. He has been ordering from them for years and was always happy before

 

[rancher hicks]

My first order was from Ideal. An assortment of breeds. 3 of this and 3 of that. All were healthy.

Have never ordered from anywhere else since I pretty much, breed my own replacements now. You might try to find a local person. I always give away chicks each year since I have an abundance. One can never be accurate on how many will hatch or what a hen is likely to do.

I wish you well,

Rancher

 

[bantamboy93]

well, 25 is big for me. I can handle that # of over all chicks. But all at one age, it makes it complicated for me.

 

[Tracydr]

Quote:
I have some really nice chickens from Mcmurray. I'm really pleased with my BBRed OEGB rooster, my silver Duckwing OEGB hens and my Sicilian Buttercup hens. My Egyptian Fayoumis, Golden Penciled Hamburgs and Silver Leghorns as well. They all look like their breeds with correct leg color, correct combs, size, color, and temperament. I couldn't ask for more. They don't look like what I've heard from hatchery stock.
I got a few silky from Ideal. Not show quality but they have correct toes, correct combs and plenty of fluff.
I also got meat birds from both. My Cornish X from Ideal were much better, stronger than the Cornish X from Mcmurray and less expensive so I'll get them fro Ideal again.
Both hatcheries gave excellent customer service for the few lost chicks and an order mistake by Mcmurray that was quickly put right.
I would use either hatchery again without reservation.

 

[seminolewind]

I think that the hatcheries are good. They all make mistakes, but I don't think one greatly exceeds the next. Shipping takes it's toll on them. Some have weaker immune symptoms, just like anyone's chickens. I think that hatcheries would change their suppliers if they got complaints of a particular breed that was supplied.

 

[HHandbasket]

Quote:
You can't blame the hatchery for that. It's not unusual to spend $80 or more for a dozen eggs even from a breeder & none will hatch, simply because they are shipped. Shipped eggs are notorious for not hatching. There's one breeder on here, a fellow BYCer, and a friend and I have gone in together and placed two very large orders from him totaling over $90 in eggs, and not a single one hatched. It is because the eggs are jostled around by the post office during shipment & the jostling often results in lack of hatchability of those eggs. It loosens the inner membrane and/or disrupts the air sac.

I have had excellent chicks that I've ordered from MPC that grew up to be healthy and awesome, but I would never buy shipped eggs from ANYONE, hatchery or breeder, ever again. The hatch rates are simply too low. Even my friend who is a notorious hatcher and has the best incubators money can buy doesn't have the greatest hatch rates with shipped eggs.

I'm just saying, don't discount MPC just because you got eggs that didn't hatch. And they make it very CLEAR on their website that they do not/cannot guarantee hatchability of the eggs they send you, simply because of how the eggs are treated by the postal service during the shipping process. MPC is a good company & I don't know which "hatchery" their chicks come from... I just know the chicks Linda (gryeyes) and I have received from them were all in excellent health and only lost 2 out of a batch of 27 (ordered 25, they sent 2 extras, and over the first couple of weeks, those 2 died--they were a little small/weak-ish looking to start with).

I've also been very happy with chicks I got from Ideal. My white faced black Spanish came from them, and I cannot say enough good stuff about their customer service.

I may order from Murray McMurray this next spring to boost my layer flock. We are getting more egg orders than we can fill.

 

[bantamboy93]

everybody's been quite helpful.. but the more i think about it, the more i want to order hatching eggs from a breeder. i know it's risky.. but these breeders have some GORGEOUS birds!!! and i want them soooo bad!

 

[Sunny Side Up]

Just be sure to have a good plan for any unwanted/surplus roosters you'll get from hatching...

 

[bantamboy93]

well. it'd be the same as getting straight run... And i live out in the country so it's no problem to have roosters.. Just with them fighting and such. But i can get rid of them as needed.