Murray McMurray hatchery???????

[Chicken Keith]

It cracks me up all the people who say they "dont do hatcheries". Ok if you dont do hatcheries, I understand that you prob. purchase them from a breeder or such. But where do you think a breeder got their stock from and so on down the line. Stock had to be obtained from a hatchery or a breeder that supplies hatcheries at some point in your birds lineage.

Those of us who don't do hatcheries "think" we get them from breeders whom we "think" got their birds from other breeders, on & on & on down the line. I really don't think my birds' ancestries came from a hatchery in the last 10-15 years. Maybe you know something I don't?

Also the hatcheries today are a lot different than when I started chickens in 1976. Back then, hatcheries weren't concerned as much with the profit bottom line, they took their time more it seems and the customer wasn't just a number. Service was more personal. Today, it seems to me that those mega-hatcheries are the chicken equivalent of puppy mills. We prosecute those operations but chickens are less a creature I suppose?

 

[Avalon1984]

I received my very first order from MM on Monday. Out of 25+ 1 mystery chick 4 were DOA, lost 4 more that night, 3 more the morning thereafter, 4 more Tues night, etc. and now its Wed afternoon and I have 12 left with 3 on their way out despite doing everything I could think of to try and save them. At that rate they’ll all be gone by Friday. Never seen losses like that. I am quite disappointed and will give them a call tonight after work. I have another order placed with them for March, but I am really worried what will happen then. The chicks I ordered were from the layer assortment and most of them were barred rocks and RIR but I think the stay at the post office did them in. I ordered through my local feed store and they were there at 11AM Monday and I picked them up at noon. If shipping on Friday is their standard procedure I will not order from them again. Our post office isn’t open on Sundays and I really don’t like watching my chicks die one after the other L Will go look for a closer hatchery next time.

 

[Deebsra]

I bought 25 RIR pullets from them and they gave me an extra for free and a rare free bird. They are 21 weeks old and we just got our first egg today! They are super sweet lovable birds. I got a catalog from them a couple weeks ago and it said that on some birds they are doing a lower minimum. Someone may have told you that already, there were too many posts to read all of them, but I didn't see it from what I read. Hope that helps.

 

[jessicaroo]

My chickens made it today from McMurray - unfortunately, only 2 of my 11 silkies survived the trip ;( only 1 out of 5 of my black frizzles made it ;( but I also ordered 5 buff orpingtons, 4 barred rocks, 3 columbian wyandottes, and 3 rhode island reds and those are all healthy, happy, eating and drinking well yay! I called McMurray and they are willing to replace my silkies/frizzles, but I don't think I will order them at this time of year again.... They arrived in 3 days, but it's cold here in SE Alaska, so I think that's what did them in I think I will get some more Colombians and buff orps soon and add some silkies to my flock later on. I did notice that they separate the silkies from the standard chicks, probably because they are bigger for one reason and the other reason I think is because I've noticed the bigger chicks beating up my silkies (the two i have left) already.... Maybe they know they are weaker? I'm not sure... but I'm really hoping they'll make it thru the night. I may separate them if it continues. Wish me luck!

 

[flytyerfarms]

I have dealt with mm at my job for two years now. we have had roughly 2500 chicks come and go through our doors. Customer service has been exceptional even adding chicks last minute on friday. we have had very few doas and the only deaths after sales have been from customer neglect and failure to have enough heat. on the personal side my family has dealt with them for many years with very satisfactory results. always extra chicks in the box. gotta love the extras and freebies. very curious if they will ever consider shipping mondays. but usps is the biggest cause of chick fatality.

 

[bluewhoo]

every year i tell my self, "Don't buy from McMurry" then i get all glazed over from the McMurry chicken magazine and order." I guess i should be punished, but Lord why oh why do so many of the chicks die in transit. half my order was dead from being crushed by the other chicks. the other half that died were so cold that they died with in an hour of getting them home. what was left alive are small and slow in growth. not to mention that i have a few that just are so in breed that they are bald on there back and wings. NO FEATHERS have grown at all. I am sad for my little chicks. i took death pictures of the sad box full of trampled chicks. and now i have sad pics of featherless chicks. i have go to find a better way to purchase chicks. any reputable breeders out there that don't kill chick for a buck?

 

[bruce89123]

I just received my order of 15 chicks today. All are active, eating and drinking. I'm happy with my order. I was a little worried about having them sent to Vegas, but the weather isn't crazy yet.

 

[krzy4klukkluks]

This may be a dumb question (it is lol) but I just ordered 35 birds (I and 2 other ladies went in on an order to split shipping and the $75 papers for Canada. Is there going to be any way of knowing what breeds are what?

 

[jessicaroo]

You can ask the hatchery to identify/mark the birds. With mine, they did different color marks on their heads and/or bottoms. Then they gave me a info sheet to let me know which color is what breed. But depending on the breeds you are ordering, they may be really easy to tell apart... look at the pics of the different breeds as chicks on the McMurray website. That was helpful to me as well, good luck!

 

[kodster]

Don't know if you went ahead and ordered, but you could have placed the order for shipment after 4/1, and then it's only a minimum order of 15 chicks.