This bonus episode of the Poultry Keepers Podcast focuses on the importance of early feeding in chicks and how to monitor their feeding success through crop fill. It explains the necessity of ensuring chicks start eating and drinking immediately after hatching to support growth, immune function, and reduce mortality. The show outlines how to monitor crop fill, tips for addressing feeding issues, and the long-term benefits of this practice. The recording aims to educate poultry keepers on improvi...
May 10, 2025•5 min•Season 2Ep. 98
In this Bonus Content, Jeff Mattocks shares how to get baby chicks off to a strong start by feeding them raw beef liver and boiled eggs. You can email us at - poultrykeeperspodcast@gmail.com Join our Facebook Groups: Poultry Keepers Podcast - https://www.facebook.com/groups/907679597724837 Poultry Keepers 360 - - https://www.facebook.com/groups/354973752688125 Poultry Breeders Nutrition - https://www.facebook.com/groups/4908798409211973 Check out the Poultry Kepers Podcast YouTube Channel - http...
May 08, 2025•2 min•Season 2Ep. 97
In this episode, Rip Stalvey and Jeff Mattocks dive deep into best practices for brooding baby chicks . Whether you’re raising a small backyard flock or managing a large brooding setup, starting chicks off right is the key to developing healthy, productive birds. Topics covered include: · Brooder setup and spacing for chicks · Ideal brooding temperatures and how to manage heat sources · Expert feeding techniques, including using liver and egg for early nutrition · Choosing the best bedding mater...
May 06, 2025•26 min•Season 2Ep. 96
Discover the art and science behind selecting and breeding true dual-purpose chickens in Part 2 of our series! Join us as we dive deep into evaluating carcass quality, balancing body structure for meat and egg production, and how nutrition and genetics both shape your flock’s success. Learn firsthand from real breeders’ experiences, feeding trials, and practical selection methods to create resilient, productive birds. Whether you’re a homesteader, breeder, or serious poultry enthusiast, this epi...
Apr 29, 2025•27 min•Season 2Ep. 95
In this information-packed episode of the Poultry Keepers Podcast, we dive deep into how to evaluate and select true dual-purpose poultry breeds for both meat and egg production. Join Rip, Jeff, Carey, and Mandelyn as they discuss hands-on selection techniques, key body traits, breed standards, carcass evaluation, and how to use real production data to make better breeding decisions. Whether you’re breeding American Bresse, Rhode Island Reds, or other traditional dual-purpose breeds, this episod...
Apr 22, 2025•26 min•Season 2Ep. 94
In Part 2 of “Spring Fever Is Real,” the Poultry Keepers Podcast team dives deep into the realities of spring chick season, feed shortages, overstocked coops, and the consequences of poor planning. Hosts Rip Stalvey, Mandelyn Royal, and John Gunterman share personal insights on how chicken math can spiral out of control and offer real-world advice on incubator capacity, grow-out planning, feed availability, and breeder burnout. Whether you're new to poultry or rethinking your hatching goals, thi...
Apr 15, 2025•23 min•Season 2Ep. 93
It’s chick season—and that springtime excitement is real. But before you load up your brooder or place another hatchery order, let’s take a moment to think it through. In this episode of the Poultry Keepers Podcast , we’re tackling the realities of chicken math , impulse hatching , and what happens when enthusiasm outpaces preparation. Whether you’re new to poultry keeping or heading into your 10th spring with birds, this discussion will help you plan smarter and avoid common seasonal mistakes. ...
Apr 08, 2025•23 min•Season 2Ep. 92
In this episode of the Poultry Keepers podcast, hosts Mandelyn, John, and Rip discuss the importance of genetic knowledge for backyard poultry keepers. They explain key genetic concepts like genotype versus phenotype, dominant versus recessive traits, and test mating. The hosts delve into practical applications, such as identifying faults, selecting quality birds, and ensuring strong structure and even growth. They also highlight the challenges of breeding, the importance of record-keeping, and ...
Apr 01, 2025•29 min•Season 2Ep. 91
In this episode of the Poultry Keepers podcast, your hosts—Mandelyn, John, and Rip discuss the essentials of poultry genetics. They explore key concepts such as genotype vs. phenotype, dominant vs. recessive traits, and test mating. The conversation emphasizes the importance of practical genetic knowledge for improving flocks, selecting quality birds, and making informed decisions, whether for breeding, showing, or backyard sustainability. Throughout the episode, the hosts share personal insight...
Mar 25, 2025•29 min•Season 2Ep. 90
Welcome to Poultry Keepers , the podcast where today we're talking turkeys. Whether you're new to raising turkeys or looking to improve your flock, we’ve got everything you need to know. From brooding delicate poults to choosing between heritage and commercial breeds, setting up the perfect turkey housing, feeding for optimal health, and even processing your own birds—we’ve got expert tips to help you raise happy, healthy turkeys. Stick around, because we’re about to talk turkey! #RaisingTurkeys...
Mar 18, 2025•28 min•Season 2Ep. 89
You can email us at - poultrykeeperspodcast@gmail.com Join our Facebook Groups: Poultry Keepers Podcast - https://www.facebook.com/groups/907679597724837 Poultry Keepers 360 - - https://www.facebook.com/groups/354973752688125 Poultry Breeders Nutrition - https://www.facebook.com/groups/4908798409211973 Check out the Poultry Kepers Podcast YouTube Channel - https://www.youtube.com/@PoultryKeepersPodcast/featured...
Mar 11, 2025•29 min•Season 2Ep. 88
Thinking of Raising Ducks and Geese? Here’s What You Need to Know! In this episode of The Intentional Poultry Keeper , we dive into the wisdom of waterfowl care—from feeding and housing to breeding and health management. Whether you're a backyard keeper, amateur breeder, or experienced poultry enthusiast, this episode is packed with practical tips and fascinating tales about ducks, geese, and mixed flocks! What You’ll Learn in This Episode: · The key differences between ducks, geese, and chicken...
Mar 04, 2025•21 min•Season 2Ep. 87
In this episode of the Poultry Keepers Podcast, hosts John Gunterman, Mandelyn Royal, and Rip Stalvey discuss the fundamentals of keeping waterfowl such as ducks and geese. They cover the growing popularity of waterfowl for benefits like eggs, meat, pest control, and entertainment. The conversation addresses the key considerations for beginners, including choosing the right breeds based on goals (e.g., meat or egg production), ethical down harvesting, and special uses of specific breeds. They hi...
Feb 25, 2025•19 min•Season 2Ep. 86
In this episode of the Poultry Keepers Podcast, Rip, Jeff, and Carey conclude their discussion on the importance of vitamins and minerals in poultry nutrition. They address how to maintain vitamin potency, identify and prevent deficiencies, and the roles of various minerals. The hosts also discuss the significance of metabolizable energy and field questions from the audience about nutritional additives, quality feed sources, and specific diet recommendations for poultry. They mention the support...
Feb 18, 2025•27 min•Season 2Ep. 85
In this episode of the Poultry Keepers Podcast, hosts Jeff Mattacks, Carey Blackmon, and Rip Stalvey discuss the significance of vitamins and minerals in poultry diets. They delve into the roles of vitamins A, E, D, and B, explain their impact on health and development, and highlight the difference between minimum and optimum levels for poultry nutrition. The discussion includes practical advice on ensuring proper vitamin levels, the limitations of current research, and the importance of maintai...
Feb 11, 2025•28 min•Season 2Ep. 84
In this episode of the Poultry Keepers Podcast, Rip Stalvey, Jeff Mattocks, and Carey Blackmon dive into the critical role that proteins, fats, and fibers play in poultry nutrition. They emphasize the differences between vegetable-based and animal-based protein sources, detail the importance of specific amino acids like lysine and methionine, and discuss the use of fish meal and its sustainability. The hosts also cover age-specific protein requirements for poultry, from chicks to layers, and the...
Feb 04, 2025•27 min•Season 2Ep. 83
In this episode of the Poultry Keepers Podcast, Jeff Mattocks, Carey Blackmon, and Rip Stalvey explore the complexities of proteins, fats, and fibers in poultry nutrition. They delve into protein sources, comparing vegetable-based (mostly soybean and canola meal) and animal-based (fish meal and meat meals) proteins, and discuss essential amino acids like lysine and methionine. The conversation covers the importance of sustainable fishing for fishmeal, concerns over overfeeding protein, and speci...
Jan 29, 2025•28 min•Season 2Ep. 82
This episode of the Poultry Keepers Podcast features hosts Mandelyn, John, and Rip discussing the care and feeding practices for bantam chickens. They delve into the history of poultry feed components, emphasizing the importance of amino acids over protein, and the role of nutritional density. Discussions include comparisons between bantams and large fowl, highlighting bantams' resilience in cold climates, efficiency in feed conversion, and lesser need for space. They also explore breed preserva...
Jan 21, 2025•21 min•Season 2Ep. 81
In this episode of the Poultry Keepers Podcast, hosts Mandelyn, John, and Rip delve into the miniature but giant world of Bantam chickens. They discuss the origins, types, and physical characteristics of Bantams, emphasizing that they are mostly smaller versions of large fowl. The discussion covers advantages of raising Bantams in urban settings, their loudness, and their ability to fly and brood effectively. They also explore egg production, dual-purpose possibilities, temperament, and nutritio...
Jan 14, 2025•21 min•Season 2Ep. 80
In this episode of the Poultry Keepers Podcast, hosts Mandelyn, Rip, and John discuss the classification of poultry by the American Poultry Association (APA) and the American Bantam Association (ABA). They explore different classes such as American, Asiatic, Continental, English, and Mediterranean, along with the unique attributes, history, and breeds within each class. The conversation covers body types, egg-laying capabilities, and the importance of body capacity and feather types. They also t...
Jan 07, 2025•21 min•Season 2Ep. 80
In this episode of the Poultry Keepers Podcast, Rip Stalvey, Carey Blackmon, and Blake Bell discuss the nuances of brooding and raising Brahma chickens. They focus on effective practices like using wire-bottom pens to maintain foot feathering and avoiding ground dirt. The conversation touches on the differences between light and dark Brahmas in terms of hardiness and feather maintenance and provide insights into conditioning birds for shows, including washing light Brahmas to remove fly spots. T...
Dec 31, 2024•22 min•Season 2Ep. 79
In this episode of the Poultry Keepers Podcast, hosts Rip Stalvey and Carey Blackmon interview poultry enthusiast Blake Bell about Brahmas, one of his favorite chicken breeds. Blake discusses the origin, characteristics, and temperament of Brahmas, emphasizing their bold, striking appearance and gentle nature. He also touches on the different color varieties recognized in the United States and the management of Brahmas, including hatching, feeding, and weather hardiness. Blake shares his prefere...
Dec 24, 2024•18 min•Season 2Ep. 78
In this episode of the Poultry Keepers Podcast, hosts Rip, Mandelyn, and John continue their discussion on the challenges of shipping poultry eggs, contrasting it with the hand-to-hand model. They share experiences with postal delays and the use of improved packaging materials. The discussion also touches on the variable hatch rates of shipped eggs, the complexities of poultry behavioral science, and the prevalence of misinformation online. The hosts provide practical tips for maintaining water ...
Dec 17, 2024•20 min•Season 2Ep. 77
In this episode of the Poultry Keepers Podcast, hosts Rip, Mandelyn, and John discuss various aspects of poultry keeping that perplex and interest them. They question the effort and expense invested in poultry, reflecting on the joy and purpose behind raising birds. The conversation covers the emotional and practical challenges of harvesting birds for meat and addresses common misconceptions such as the need for grit in poultry diets and the importance of breeding for local environment resistanc...
Dec 10, 2024•19 min•Season 2Ep. 76
This episode of the Poultry Keepers Podcast features Mandelyn, John, and Rip discussing various aspects of egg production, particularly focusing on the discrepancies between hatchery claims and actual performance of heritage breeds. They stress the importance of sourcing birds from breeders who maintain the breed's standards. The conversation also covers the nuanced approaches to breeding, the decline in egg production with age, and specific care practices necessary for different seasons. The ho...
Dec 03, 2024•27 min•Season 2Ep. 75
In this episode of the Poultry Keepers Podcast, Mandelyn, John, and Rip discuss various factors that affect egg production in hens. They explore the role of breed, daylight hours, weather stress, and artificial lighting in influencing the number of eggs laid. The hosts provide insights into managing and optimizing egg production, including the impact of early sexual maturity on lifespan egg yield and bird health. They also touch upon the importance of selecting the right breeds based on egg-layi...
Nov 26, 2024•24 min•Season 2Ep. 74
In this episode of the Poultry Keepers Podcast, Mandelyn, John, and Rip discuss optimal protein levels for poultry diets, the benefits of different bedding materials for coops, and the importance of proper manure management. They emphasize the risks associated with using diatomaceous earth and recommend safer alternatives like agricultural lime. The hosts share personal experiences and methods for maintaining clean, safe environments for both poultry and humans, including pest control tips and t...
Nov 16, 2024•24 min•Season 2Ep. 73
In this episode of the Poultry Keepers Podcast, Mandelyn Royal, John Gunterman, and Rip Stalvey discuss effective strategies for managing poultry manure. They cover the impact of manure on the environment, including the risk of runoff contaminating local water sources and affecting wildlife. They highlight the importance of consulting local agencies for guidance on manure management and available state programs. The panel also emphasizes safe composting methods, focusing on achieving appropriate...
Nov 12, 2024•22 min•Season 2Ep. 72
In this episode of the Poultry Keepers Podcast, the discussion centers around the management, breeding, and showing of Rhode Island Reds, a classic American poultry breed. The hosts provide recommendations on maintaining bloodlines, handling genetic setbacks, and the perils of introducing new blood into established lines. They share practical advice on conditioning show birds, managing breeding environments, and ensuring the health and quality of birds through ruthless culling and good husbandry...
Nov 05, 2024•27 min•Season 2Ep. 71
This episode of the Poultry Keepers Podcast features experts discussing the history, breeding, raising, and showing of Rhode Island Red chickens. Topics include the breed's origin, contributions by notable figures like Lester Tompkins and Maurice Wallace, visual and breeding characteristics, and strategies for maintaining their iconic dark red color. The script emphasizes key breeding traits, such as tight feathering and proper comb characteristics, and how hens influence these attributes. It pr...
Oct 29, 2024•29 min•Season 2Ep. 70
