May 24, 2025

Bonus Content-The Poultry Keepers Pyramid

Show Notes
Transcript

In this bonus audio, host Rip Stalvey introduces a simple but powerful model for raising better birds: The Poultry Keeper’s Pyramid . This foundational framework focuses on three equal, interconnected pillars— Genetics, Management, and Nutrition —and shows how balancing all three leads to healthier, more productive, and more consistent flocks.

Whether you raise birds for eggs, meat, show, or sustainability, this conversation offers clear, relatable guidance for diagnosing problems and making real progress. Learn how to evaluate your birds through the lens of genetics, refine your management practices, and optimize your nutrition plan to get the results you’ve always wanted from your flock.

Want better birds? It starts with understanding the pyramid.

#PoultryKeepersPodcast #PoultryPyramid #ChickenCare #BackyardChickens #RaisingBetterBirds #PoultryGenetics #PoultryManagement #ChickenNutrition #HomesteadChickens #DualPurposeChickens #FlockSuccess #BetterBirdsBetterFlocks #IntentionalPoultryKeeping #ChickenHealth

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

WEBVTT

00:00:18.138 --> 00:00:18.737
Hi there.

00:00:19.038 --> 00:00:29.568
I'm Rip Stalvey and I'm really glad you're here today because I want to talk to you about something that can truly change the way you look at your birds and even change the results you're getting from your flock too.

00:00:30.467 --> 00:00:41.088
It's a simple model that I call the poultry keepers pyramid, and once you understand how it works, it can help you raise stronger, healthier, and more productive birds.

00:00:41.567 --> 00:00:47.027
Whether you're breeding, showing, or just trying to do right by your backyard flock.

00:00:47.927 --> 00:00:52.188
So picture this, a pyramid with three equal sides.

00:00:53.027 --> 00:00:55.008
At the base is nutrition.

00:00:55.908 --> 00:01:00.398
On one side is genetics, and the other side is management.

00:01:01.107 --> 00:01:05.498
Each one supports the other, and all three are equally important.

00:01:06.218 --> 00:01:12.968
Now, what happens when you get them in balance, you're going to be in a really good place with your birds.

00:01:13.658 --> 00:01:16.628
Let's walk through each side of this pyramid together, shall we?

00:01:17.528 --> 00:01:21.128
Start with genetics because that's the blueprint You begin with.

00:01:22.397 --> 00:01:27.347
The quality of your starting stock matters more than most people realize.

00:01:27.918 --> 00:01:31.938
Good genetics are what set the ceiling for what your birds can become.

00:01:32.837 --> 00:01:43.582
If you start with a bird that doesn't have the right frame or the right vigor or the correct breed traits, you're aiming for you're going to hit a wall eventually.

00:01:44.483 --> 00:01:51.382
That's true whether you're trying to win ribbons, fill a freezer or build a dependable laying flock.

00:01:52.283 --> 00:01:53.302
But here's the catch.

00:01:54.173 --> 00:01:58.612
Even the best genes in the world won't do much on their own.

00:01:59.513 --> 00:02:06.712
Genetics tell you what's possible, but it's what you do next that determines what's realized.

00:02:07.612 --> 00:02:11.318
Now that brings us to the second side of the pyramid management.

00:02:12.217 --> 00:02:28.837
Management is everything you do, it's the housing you provide, the way you clean the coop, how often you observe your birds, how do you handle them, the predator protection you use, and even how you deal with stress in the flock.

00:02:29.737 --> 00:02:36.247
Management is where we either support the bird or we unknowingly sabotage it.

00:02:37.147 --> 00:02:37.837
Think about it.

00:02:38.737 --> 00:02:49.448
You can have top tier genetics, but if your coop is overcrowded, your waterers are dirty, or you're dealing with chronic parasite issues, those birds won't reach their potential.

00:02:50.078 --> 00:02:52.448
It's like planting great seed in poor soil.

00:02:53.348 --> 00:03:09.538
The good news is that management is 100% in your control, and even small improvements like better ventilation, more frequent check-ins or even just observing your birds more closely can really have a big impact.

00:03:10.437 --> 00:03:18.657
Now let's move down to the base of the pyramid, and that's nutrition, and it's the foundation that everything else stands on.

00:03:19.557 --> 00:03:25.383
Birds can't grow, lay, reproduce, or thrive without the right nutrition.

00:03:26.282 --> 00:03:28.893
Think about how many things we ask of our birds.

00:03:29.342 --> 00:03:40.018
We want'em to grow fast, lay lots of eggs, have good fertility, healthy molts, and every one of those depends on the proper feeding.

00:03:40.918 --> 00:03:53.207
I'm not just talking about feeding cheap feed, I'm talking about a high quality feed that has optimum protein levels, the right balance of amino acids, vitamins and minerals.

00:03:54.108 --> 00:03:55.788
Don't forget fresh, clean water, too.

00:03:56.538 --> 00:04:01.728
Proper calcium at the right stages, whether you're buying bagged feet or mixing your own.

00:04:01.728 --> 00:04:07.877
The question is, are you feeding for what your birds are now or for what you want them to become?

00:04:08.598 --> 00:04:16.158
It's so easy to overlook nutrition, but honestly, it's the most common place where even experienced poultry keepers fall short.

00:04:17.057 --> 00:04:19.338
So here's the big picture.

00:04:20.237 --> 00:04:29.898
Genetics sets, the ceiling, management, sets the condition, and nutrition well, that fuels the whole process.

00:04:30.677 --> 00:04:35.298
Leave any one of them behind and the pyramid will eventually collapse.

00:04:36.197 --> 00:04:38.538
Let's talk about a few real life examples.

00:04:39.437 --> 00:04:46.247
If you start with poor genetics, it doesn't matter how well you feed or manage, you're just polishing the wrong rock.

00:04:47.148 --> 00:04:57.918
You won't get the performance or the consistency you're hoping for, but even with good genetics, if your management is inconsistent or your housing is stressful, you're gonna see problems.

00:04:58.817 --> 00:05:04.517
Birds will underperform, get sick more easily, or show behavioral issues.

00:05:05.418 --> 00:05:14.418
If you're nailing the management and you have great birds, but you're underfeeding them or missing key nutrients, it's like they're just never quite thriving.

00:05:15.108 --> 00:05:17.958
That's because they're not getting supported at the base.

00:05:18.858 --> 00:05:20.867
Now, here's what I love most about this pyramid.

00:05:20.898 --> 00:05:23.057
It doesn't just diagnose problems.

00:05:23.958 --> 00:05:26.807
It gives you a path forward.

00:05:27.867 --> 00:05:36.478
When things aren't going the way you hoped, maybe your hatch rates are low or your pullets aren't laying, or your birds just don't have the body you're looking for.

00:05:37.048 --> 00:05:41.817
Take a step back and ask, am I working with the proper genetics?

00:05:42.267 --> 00:05:44.997
Is my management helping or hurting?

00:05:45.898 --> 00:06:07.617
Is my nutrition really meeting their needs Once you learn to evaluate your flock through those three lenses, your decision making gets sharper and your results well, they get better, because now you're not just reacting, you are intentionally improving, and don't worry, you don't have to fix everything overnight.

00:06:08.557 --> 00:06:11.887
In fact, small changes are often the most sustainable.

00:06:12.637 --> 00:06:14.528
Maybe you start weighing your chicks weekly.

00:06:15.427 --> 00:06:20.108
Maybe you even cull a little more strictly this season to improve your genetics next year.

00:06:21.007 --> 00:06:21.997
Whatever it is.

00:06:22.148 --> 00:06:29.677
When you start seeing these three parts as a team, you'll be amazed at how everything in your poultry program starts to click.

00:06:30.577 --> 00:06:32.947
So that's the poultry keeper's pyramid.

00:06:33.307 --> 00:06:37.307
Simple, balanced, and deeply powerful.

00:06:38.098 --> 00:06:41.218
Genetics, management, and nutrition.

00:06:42.108 --> 00:06:46.228
What a team working together to support every bird in your care.

00:06:47.067 --> 00:06:50.098
Now, before I go, I want to share a quote I heard today from Mr.

00:06:50.098 --> 00:06:53.127
Will Harris of White Oak plantations in Bluffton, Georgia.

00:06:54.028 --> 00:06:56.127
You may have heard part of this before, but Mr.

00:06:56.127 --> 00:07:02.908
Harris was talking about bringing about change and I thought what he said, fit this lesson perfectly.

00:07:03.507 --> 00:07:11.697
His quote goes like this, if you do what you've always done, you'll get what you've always got.

00:07:12.598 --> 00:07:23.398
If you want to make a difference, see a difference, or feel a difference, does it make any sense that you can continue to operate in the same way you always have?

00:07:24.028 --> 00:07:24.687
Wow.

00:07:25.288 --> 00:07:26.218
Talk about powerful.

00:07:27.057 --> 00:07:35.757
Thanks for investing your time listening to me, and if today's conversation helped you see your flock a little differently or gives you a few new ideas to try, let us know.

00:07:36.382 --> 00:07:49.403
You can visit our website at www.thepoultrykeeperspodcast.com and leave a voice message by clicking the microphone icon on the bottom right hand corner of any page.

00:07:50.182 --> 00:07:58.192
Now, as always, if you know someone else who'd enjoy hearing this message, send them the link to the show, and let's grow this community even larger.

00:07:58.942 --> 00:08:04.583
Until next time, keep learning, keep improving, and keep enjoying the birds you love.