are they good egg layers, on their site they say they are prolific layers of brown eggs. Are they for real? I've heard others say the whole hatchery is not good, i would like to try them out and see, but I don't want a bad order. what breeds do you reccomend for big brown eggs, and consistent laying from Mcmurray?
I ordered from McMurrays and LOVED it! I only had 1 chick out of 27 die. Now for the breed! Delawares lay big brown eggs, and are pretty docile. I dont have any, but thats what I have heard. They have them in categorys to order....look under category, find they ones you like, then get on BYC breed index and look for behaviors/traits...Then pick your breed. I always like more than 5 breeds per order though. (Just so you get to know/ experience more chicken behaviors and looks! Hope I helped! Edited for this: I just looked on site and found all the brown egg layers! This is what is says... If you prefer large brown eggs and don't need a specific breed, our BROWN EGG LAYERS are just what you're looking for. Our choice of varieties, but we guarantee at least 5 different ones from this list: Black Australorps; Lt. Brahmas; Dark Cornish; Black and White Giants; Buff and White Orpingtons; New Hampshire, Rhode Island Reds, Barred, White, Partridge, Buff Rocks;Delaware, Sussex, Turkens; White, Silver Laced, & Columbian Wyandottes, Red Star and Black Star. These chicks will make a colorful and productive assortment of pullets. Many of our customers use these for stewing hens when they're done producing, creating a wonderful dual purpose. One of our most popular assortments.
My barred rocks from MM are good natured birds and they lay well. I get about 5 -6 big eggs a week from each one. They are hatchery quality as far as looks but they are just a backyard flock so I son't care that they won't win a beauty contest. Now my Marans that I got last year from MM are egg machines. Bigger in the body than the barred rocks but they lay bigger, darker colored eggs. Each hen lays every day. Not as overtly friendly as the BRs but that's okay. The red and black stars I got from them are puppy dogs - follow me everywhere. They lay well also. All the chicks arrived healthy and thrived. I was very pleased. They even threw in an extra white rock pullet and my exotic chick was a polish roo (who stewed up nicely at 24 weeks).
I'm 100% sure all Murray McMurray's common varieties, Barred Rocks included, are just as good as any other hatchery.
A couple of weeks ago I found the packing list from MM for my first order from them 25 yrs ago and it included 12 BR pullets. As I recall they were good layers for the 3 years I kept them. At that point I knew less about handling mail order chicks than I do now and they survived my bumbling so I'd say they were tough. Only reason I still don't keep BR is that I like messing around with other breeds: right now mainly EE's and sex-links.
I ordered RIR's from there in July. All 27 arrived perfectly healthy. I don't know about the ones you are ordering but I would reccomend them to anyone. Good luck
Hatchery Birds are fine as long as your just looking for egg layers..and yes the hatchery BR lay like crazy handle extreme weather conditions cold and hot plus are gentle and nice to hang out with in general. Our eating egg layers are hatchery birds-MM have just as nice as all the others...although once I put the different hatchery birds together I can't tell one's from another...all equal in what they are.
