McMurray Hatchery chicks

[Jane Jill Jack]

Hi. I would like to order chicks from McMurray hatchery, including some Americaunas, but would like to know if they carry a good kind. Thae reason I want this breed is because they lay different colored eggs, and I've had some before that were excellent layers. Has anybody ever ordered the kind from this hatchery? Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[woodmort]

I got my first EE's from MM 25 years and have had them almost continually since--either directly from the hatchery or hatched here. While they are not true Ameracanas they lay well, do well in the cold and heat and product either olive or blue eggs.
Here's the rooster that came from them last spring.

And here is one of the pullets:

 

[Catstar68]

I ordered my chicks from them last year - all arrived healthy, all thrived. The MM EEs that I received
are friendly and lay green eggs. No complaints.

 

[Jane Jill Jack]

Wow those are some preety birds!

Well, I guess I will be ordering some then. Thanks everybody.

 

[FireTigeris]

I got EE's "Americaunas" from Ideal, 4/5 lay blue(ish) eggs the other one crows...

 

[Illia]

I'll say this now. . . Murray McMurray's "Americaunas" are first, not real Ameraucanas. . . They're Easter Eggers/crossbred chickens. And second, I honestly think they're the worst of all. If I were you, I'd get some Easter Eggers from another hatchery like Ideal, Cackle, or Welp. Murray McMurray's are the oldest and likely most inbred stock, popping up with issues like short lifespan, crooked toes, crooked/crossed beaks, prolapsing hens, poorly producing hens, odd shaped bodies, etc.

 

[M To The Maxx]

Quote:

 

[Cowgirl71]

I've had several EEs from McMurray and wasn't all that impressed. They're very sporadic layers. Sometimes 3-5 eggs/week/hen, and other times they won't lay at all. My three EEs I currently have stopped laying in September and just started up again a couple weeks ago. McMurray also charges a pretty penny for their EEs.

My neighbor has some EEs from Cackle and loves them. They are VERY beautiful, most of them have blue on them. One hen is a golden columbian. Except blue replaces the usual black in her hackles and tail feathers, she's gorgeous! But, the important thing is they are also awesome layers (he's getting 9-11 eggs a day from 11 hens this winter), and they outlaid his Buff Orpingtons. They're also very hardy. I've also heard that Ideal's EEs are very good too.

 

[Jane Jill Jack]

Quote:
I never heard about them inbreeding and the chickens having such problems before. Thanks for the information, I am hoping for healthy chicks that can lay good. I don;t have a specific hatchery I need to order from, I just ordered other kinds of breeds from McMurray with great results. I guess cackle then would be my next choice. Thank you everybody.

 

[Kirtusjon]

Welp EE's I got last year (8), 4 had muffs and were horriable layers. the others well one with a straight comb is Ok layer and one never laid an egg. I got 2 that have no muff but lay nice green eggs. I have gotten Ideal EE's Though my feed store and some do not have muffs and have yellows legs but do lay well and very few olive eggs and mostly bright blue/green eggs. Just my 2 cents.