Chick Days! | Tom Watkins of Murray McMurray Hatchery

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Күн бұрын

With springtime fast approaching, homesteaders and backyard chicken keepers are planning ahead for their next round of chicks. In this conversation with Tom of Murray McMurray Hatchery, we discuss everything a brand new chicken owner needs to know to get started. Tom also shares about some of the rare breeds being raised at McMurray; you don’t want to miss it!
In this episode, we cover:
- Three chicken breeds that are great for getting started
- Speciality breeds raised by McMurray Hatchery
- What you need to know about ordering meat chickens this year
- Ordering trends of backyard chicken keepers vs. homesteaders
- Legislation concerning shipping live chickens
- Considerations for raising multiple types of poultry together
- Is it possible to get healthy chicks through the mail?
- How to prevent and treat the most common chicken illnesses
ABOUT TOM
Tom Watkins is the President and co-owner of Murray McMurray Hatchery in Webster City, Iowa. Tom and his father-in-law, Bud Wood, are building on the company’s 105-year-old legacy of hatching the highest quality baby poultry in the U.S. Tom manages day-to-day operations of the hatchery which offers more than 120 varieties of chickens, ducks, geese, turkeys, and many other types of poultry and fowl. Tom, his wife Ashley, and their four children have a 5-acre homestead in central Iowa where they raised and keep their own flock of chickens, turkeys, pigs, and Scottish Highland cattle.
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Tom Watkins of Murray McMurray Hatchery
Website: www.mcmurrayhatchery.com/inde...
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KZfaq: / mcmurrayhatchery
Pinterest: / murraymcmurray
Homesteaders of America
Website: homesteadersofamerica.com
Instagram: / homesteadersofamerica
Facebook: / homesteadersofamerica
KZfaq: / homesteadersofamerica
Pinterest: / homesteadersusa
Join us at the Homesteaders of America Conference in October 2023: homesteadersofamerica.com/hom...
GET MORE FROM THIS EPISODE
View full show notes and transcript on the blog: homesteadersofamerica.com/chi...
Listen to this podcast episode: anchor.fm/homesteaders-of-ame...

Пікірлер: 21

@texasnurse Жыл бұрын

I've had chickens for 24 years. In all that time I've lost 1 chick while small. My local farm store orders from Murray McMurray. Just before COVID I got Speckled Sussex. They're still laying at least every other day. I let my chickens live to a ripe old age and have a couple who are over 5 years old who are still laying on average 2 eggs every 3 days. Good stock! Thanks for all you do at Murray McMurray.

@twistyourstitch7371 Жыл бұрын

Started my flock last spring with Murray McMurray and I ❤ my girls! They are laying strong and they are beautiful healthy hens. My girls are definitely bred top notch and it shows in their temperament and their personalities. Thanks for this interview! It’s nice to see the background info behind the company.

@angelare3418 Жыл бұрын

Thoroughly enjoyed listening to this. Very educational. One day I will make it to the homesteaders convention.

@ladyryan902 Жыл бұрын

Wonderful interview.thank you

@BostonRocks76_Carmen Жыл бұрын

I bought the True Whiting Blue and the True Whiting Green hens from Murray McMurray a couple of years ago. They are still laying and I love them!! God Bless! Carmen

@1337farm Жыл бұрын

I got 30 pearl Guinea fowl this year from Murray McMurray and they have been great! Zero health problems and they are almost 8 weeks already!

@XcessPain Жыл бұрын

Murray McMurray has the best website!

@gkseeton Жыл бұрын

We have several orders coming this summer. Our first chick orders, and ducklings, and we are so excited!! Will happily try to hatch our own too, but I appreciate the purebred lines being preserved by McMurrey-- I love that we can get healthy stock.

@saddleridge4364 Жыл бұрын

My very first chick order was from McMurray, many years ago. I still have that catalog! Now I'm going to go look at the website 20 yrs later and see what they have now. Excellent experience, by the way. I do want to say, if you live in a cold climate, research the cold hardy breeds ( small combs, heavy feathers) AND, if you free range, avoid white birds, they stick out visually and become a target for predators.

@midwestribeye7820 Жыл бұрын

I just bought my first coop and am excited to buy my chicks from Murray McMurray. We live in a neighboring town.

@michaeloldfield9313 Жыл бұрын

avery good podcast

@gkseeton Жыл бұрын

I wanted whitings but they were sold out! Will try earlier next year.

@evelynrogers7145 Жыл бұрын

No regulations on shipping chickens !

@evelynrogers7145 Жыл бұрын

Years back I got 100 chicks from them in the mail. Didn’t lose one

@virginian3390 Жыл бұрын

Very interesting interview; I learned a great deal. We have our very first order of chicks coming from Mcmurray the week of April 17th and we are very excited. What is a couple of good brands of food to start them on?

@missdaisydoodle Жыл бұрын

Any recommendation of the best breed of guard goose for chickens? Many hawks and eagles in my area.

@RMoore-zt7zs Жыл бұрын

We have a Brown Chinese male and a White Chinese female. They will sound the alarm when anyone pulls in the driveway, even before the dogs. They are friendly with us and all the other critters on the premises, but they will get pushy and get nippy with strangers. They don't harm strangers, but they will try to establish boundaries with strangers and outsiders.

@captnmcq Жыл бұрын

Tom, I have asked this before... American Bresse... How can you expect to do selective breeding when you get 12 chicks from a breeder?

@evelynrogers7145 Жыл бұрын

I didn’t see juvenile birds in the catalog. Will you be selling them ?

@diannamc367 Жыл бұрын

Btw Amy, I just got to the part where you said your husband is allergic to beef and pork. A lady i watch on KZfaq has Alpha girl syndrome. She orders emu meat and said it's a great replacement for beef. Maybe he would like that.

@HomesteadersofAmerica Жыл бұрын

yes! We've tried it and it's amazing!