Has anyone gotten chicks from McMurray hatchery?? If so please tell me about your experience with them and the chicks you recieved....Would you reccomend buying from them? Thanks!!
Who Has ordered from McMurray Hatchery
- Thread starter Chickiebabyfluff
- Start date
I ordered 25 chicks of several types to be delivered in early May then I seen on their site that all the chicks I ordered were available Two weeks earlier so I called and had no problem switching my order date to mid April they sent me an extra Brown Leghorn Roo witch was fine with me and my free exotic chick is a Golden Laced Polish.They were Packed on the 15th,sent on the 16th,and I picked them up on the morning of the 17th all 27 were in great condition they started eating and drinking as soon as I put them in the brooder. It's been just over 3 weeks now and they are all still doing great. I will say that with most hatcheries your birds are not going to be show quality but they will still be pretty and do what chickens do I am defiantly happy and would recommend them to anyone and everyone.
- Mar 8, 2010
- 16
- 0
- 21
I just received my second order, having been extremely satisfied with the 84 chicks received from them last May. This year I ordered 99, received 104 including the free exotic and 4 free extra roos. They were at the post office at 5 am Monday morning last week and IMMEDIATELY drank and ate and formed a "Great Escape" group that actually tunneled out of the brooder that I had constructed in the existing covered run to the coop. When I went out there after 2 hours in the house several of my roosters and two banty hens were trying their hardest to keep the 10 little guys from getting into more trouble. When I looked inside their abode there was another group lined up to join their buddies.
Last year I had to contend with pasty butts for several days but this year not one has had that problem. The thing I'm doing different is that I purchased a one pound packet of the Quik Chick instead of the small packet that came last year. Don't know if that has anything to do with it or not.
We have seven acres that has been a grasshopper haven so the chickens all free range and are shut into a large coop and run that is so far safe (thanks to an electric fence that runs around the perimiter). We have had a few casualties from the hawk family up the road that doesn't bother me, but a couple of dogs wiped out half the flock in no time at all a few months ago.
I ordered 4 to 6 each of several breeds, mostly pullets, and was really pleased with the quality on all of them - would recommend them to anyone in a heartbeat. Good luck with your babies!
Last year I had to contend with pasty butts for several days but this year not one has had that problem. The thing I'm doing different is that I purchased a one pound packet of the Quik Chick instead of the small packet that came last year. Don't know if that has anything to do with it or not.
We have seven acres that has been a grasshopper haven so the chickens all free range and are shut into a large coop and run that is so far safe (thanks to an electric fence that runs around the perimiter). We have had a few casualties from the hawk family up the road that doesn't bother me, but a couple of dogs wiped out half the flock in no time at all a few months ago.
I ordered 4 to 6 each of several breeds, mostly pullets, and was really pleased with the quality on all of them - would recommend them to anyone in a heartbeat. Good luck with your babies!
The first time I ordered from them was 4 yrs ago in late august/September, and got 25 chicks, plus an EE roo for my exotic (the time I ordered in there were barely any chicken varieties left). Of the 25, one had a scissor beak and another had a dislocated leg/slipped tendon, as well as a Brown Leghorn that grew up stunted, and eventually died. Two buff Minorca's I ordered went broody the following spring w/in a week of each other, which is something that breed is not well known for doing. One of the Buff Orpingtons hens developed a brain tumor, which isn't necessarily McMurray's fault, and the EE roo went blind in his left eye. I contacted the company later to give them feedback about their chicks, and they offered to replace the bad chicks, despite the fact that I (my parents) hadn't opened the package at the post office, so there was no proof that I was even telling the truth.
Despite the many problems that I encountered, in general the chicks were all healthy and I still have the EE roo, 1 Buff Orpington, and 1 Black Australorp form that first batch. (fox, hawk, dog, skunk got the rest) They were my first batch of chickens ever, and I'm finally ordering more from McMurray this year, only because they were so prolific in making me babies. They're supposed to arrive between May 29th-June 3rd, so Ill keep you posted about how they look. I'm trying the 25 Rainbow Layers special, as well as a few breeds my roomies wanted to try.
Despite the many problems that I encountered, in general the chicks were all healthy and I still have the EE roo, 1 Buff Orpington, and 1 Black Australorp form that first batch. (fox, hawk, dog, skunk got the rest) They were my first batch of chickens ever, and I'm finally ordering more from McMurray this year, only because they were so prolific in making me babies. They're supposed to arrive between May 29th-June 3rd, so Ill keep you posted about how they look. I'm trying the 25 Rainbow Layers special, as well as a few breeds my roomies wanted to try.
- Thread starter
- #5
Thank you for the info have a order due to do be here the week of June 13th
What did you decide on?
We also ordered from McMurray, and are very pleased. We got 25 barred rocks, got 1 additional free roo, and 1 free exotic. The only pasty butt we had was the free exotic. All are healthy and growing well. They are two weeks old now. The shipped them Saturday, we got them Monday morning.
buff Minorca's I ordered went broody also.........strange but ok with me means more chicks and less i have to by each spring
- Jan 28, 2011
- 25
- 0
- 22
Edit- Just noticed this thread is a few months old and no other advice was needed. Sorry. Keeping the post up though, but I don't think any other responses are needed since the OP mentioned she went ahead and ordered already.
Wheeeeeeeeee!
Edit finished
Ordered 33 from McMurray to arrive end of March. Warned post office who assured me that they would have someone on Staff when chicks arrived on sunday. Post office lied and the chicks were in a 3-seasons room (3 walls and a roof, no climate control) from 4am Sunday morning until 4am Monday morning (it was 13-19 degrees F, or for you canadians or across the ponders, that is like -10 kilometers) when the week shift arrived. 9 were frozen, 3 drifted off over the next few days, one was nursed back from what should have been an un-salvageable situation, and the other 20 were a little irritable but otherwise fine.
McMurray was appropriately sympathetic and did not ask for proof of anything ("we TRUST our valued customers", the lady said. Nice lady.) and offered new chicks (with packing peanuts to get up to 25), store credit, or refund of lost chicks- my choice. Didn't want to subject any other chicks to the same 24 hour deep freeze so I took the credit. I never found out what my free exotic chick was, but they did send it...
The Jersey Giant cockerel took twice as long to feather as anyone else, but he is absolutely beautiful now. Sounded like a dying whoopie cushion half-way through week 15, started crowing on week 16, spent the last 5 days proving just how miserable he is at courting the ladies. Work in progress.
The red frizzle cochin is hideous and looks like she's already been battered and deep fried, but I guess that is what she is supposed to look like. She is second smallest but picks fights with everyone. I've seen her pick a fight with the EE, get kicked hard enough to tumble down a little hill, and then pick herself up and go flare up at another hen.
I adore my Fayoumis, but she is rude and standoffish. Every free-range flock should have one as a guard/alarm
The Easter egger pullets are beautiful and friendly.
The white laced red cornish is a great forager and HUGE compared to the three generic, unremarkable dark cornish (who actually have great personalities) but she does not associate with the flock much at all and sleeps on the highest roost at night but apparently is afraid of heights because I need to help her down every morning. She also runs funny like those vultures from robin hood.
The Silver spangled hamburg is pretty but seems useless to me. No real personality.
The Silver laced Wyandotte and Buff Orpington are very large and friendly, but definitely not winning any ribbons this year.
The Buff Polish is, well, not the sharpest. Before I gave her a haircut, she'd get spooked for no reason, turn to run into the coop, and slam into the side of the shed. Only one of the 16 that lets me (and enjoys) being picked up and held. Huge beautiful eyes underneath her huge poof.
The Silkie is far more adorable than I would have given her credit for. I didn't want one and only got it because I am a sucker for making my wife happy. She's probably my 5th favorite bird now behind the Fayoumis, the Jersey Giant, the red frizzle, and the Polish. Apparently Silkies make great lap-chickens and enjoy human interactions. My Silkie is the opposite of this.
The black tailed white Japanese was evil and angry from day one (and was the smallest chick shipped, only 1 of 4 bantams to survive the trip) but has since toned her hatred down some. She spends most of the time hanging out with the polish, silkie, and frizzle and those four all remind me of those pigeons from "animaniacs". She's the leader.
Am I rambling?
Anyway. Definitely feel good about purchasing from McMurray, but understand what you are getting.
1. Minimum 25 birds
2. Don't expect to win any ribbons (but who knows!)
3. Great customer service and communication.
4. If you are free-ranging, snag a Fayoumis if they are for sale.
Wheeeeeeeeee!
Edit finished
Ordered 33 from McMurray to arrive end of March. Warned post office who assured me that they would have someone on Staff when chicks arrived on sunday. Post office lied and the chicks were in a 3-seasons room (3 walls and a roof, no climate control) from 4am Sunday morning until 4am Monday morning (it was 13-19 degrees F, or for you canadians or across the ponders, that is like -10 kilometers) when the week shift arrived. 9 were frozen, 3 drifted off over the next few days, one was nursed back from what should have been an un-salvageable situation, and the other 20 were a little irritable but otherwise fine.
McMurray was appropriately sympathetic and did not ask for proof of anything ("we TRUST our valued customers", the lady said. Nice lady.) and offered new chicks (with packing peanuts to get up to 25), store credit, or refund of lost chicks- my choice. Didn't want to subject any other chicks to the same 24 hour deep freeze so I took the credit. I never found out what my free exotic chick was, but they did send it...
The Jersey Giant cockerel took twice as long to feather as anyone else, but he is absolutely beautiful now. Sounded like a dying whoopie cushion half-way through week 15, started crowing on week 16, spent the last 5 days proving just how miserable he is at courting the ladies. Work in progress.
The red frizzle cochin is hideous and looks like she's already been battered and deep fried, but I guess that is what she is supposed to look like. She is second smallest but picks fights with everyone. I've seen her pick a fight with the EE, get kicked hard enough to tumble down a little hill, and then pick herself up and go flare up at another hen.
I adore my Fayoumis, but she is rude and standoffish. Every free-range flock should have one as a guard/alarm
The Easter egger pullets are beautiful and friendly.
The white laced red cornish is a great forager and HUGE compared to the three generic, unremarkable dark cornish (who actually have great personalities) but she does not associate with the flock much at all and sleeps on the highest roost at night but apparently is afraid of heights because I need to help her down every morning. She also runs funny like those vultures from robin hood.
The Silver spangled hamburg is pretty but seems useless to me. No real personality.
The Silver laced Wyandotte and Buff Orpington are very large and friendly, but definitely not winning any ribbons this year.
The Buff Polish is, well, not the sharpest. Before I gave her a haircut, she'd get spooked for no reason, turn to run into the coop, and slam into the side of the shed. Only one of the 16 that lets me (and enjoys) being picked up and held. Huge beautiful eyes underneath her huge poof.
The Silkie is far more adorable than I would have given her credit for. I didn't want one and only got it because I am a sucker for making my wife happy. She's probably my 5th favorite bird now behind the Fayoumis, the Jersey Giant, the red frizzle, and the Polish. Apparently Silkies make great lap-chickens and enjoy human interactions. My Silkie is the opposite of this.
The black tailed white Japanese was evil and angry from day one (and was the smallest chick shipped, only 1 of 4 bantams to survive the trip) but has since toned her hatred down some. She spends most of the time hanging out with the polish, silkie, and frizzle and those four all remind me of those pigeons from "animaniacs". She's the leader.
Am I rambling?
Anyway. Definitely feel good about purchasing from McMurray, but understand what you are getting.
1. Minimum 25 birds
2. Don't expect to win any ribbons (but who knows!)
3. Great customer service and communication.
4. If you are free-ranging, snag a Fayoumis if they are for sale.
Last edited:
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