McMurray Hatchery free surprise chick

[AmeraucanaHank]

Last year, I received a polish cockerel as my free chick.

Wow! Amazing!

 

[Iluveggers]

From what I understand, at McMurray they have bins of unsold chicks, and the mystery chick comes from there. Probability is higher to get a male since more boys go unsold, but you could get a female. So technically unsexed with a higher chance of boys.

 

[Iluveggers]

Also, you can request the free chick be one of the breeds you ordered or completely random. That is helpful if you need heat-hardy or cold-hardy or want to avoid feathered legs or only have feathered legs etc. Have to place order by phone for that, though.

 

[Silexian]

It has been years since I have ordered chicks from McMurray. Or any hatchery for that matter. McMurray used to add a few extras of the kind you ordered. Pullets if you ordered pullets. Plus the bonus surprise chick. Which was usually from their rare breed or “top hat” varieties. Not all surprise chicks were cockerels.

 

[Poodlemum]

Ours was DOA, so I’m not sure what we got. Which is good since I didn’t need a roo and too bad since I love a good mystery

 

[Iluveggers]

Ours was DOA, so I’m not sure what we got. Which is good since I didn’t need a roo and too bad since I love a good mystery

I’d much rather lose my mystery chick than the rest of the actual order. Not that I would want to lose any, but…

 

[ShrekDawg]

No ideal does that not mcmurray

Ideal doesn’t either. At least on my order. I don’t think anybody does anymore unless you order very large quantities. I ordered some birds from them a couple years ago and got an extra female bantam Cochin. I did get one male in my order but they were straight run anyway so I think 1/5 is pretty good considering. Also I know he wasn’t the extra chick because my extra was a black BC instead of Birchen like I ordered. Male was Birchen. But yeah.

 

[ShrekDawg]

Oh and I’ve ordered from Meyers several times as well, though only added the extra chick once (didn’t have the room for more) and that one was an extra female of one of the breeds I had ordered.

 

[ShrekDawg]

Also most hatcheries add heat packs now and/or raise the minimum order number when it’s cold out or just flat out refuse to ship so I don’t think the extra males for warmth thing really applies anymore cause they’ll just add a heat pack.

 

[ShrekDawg]

That was probably before the heat packs existed.