Episodes

This episode of the Poultry Keepers Podcast features discussions with Jeff Mattocks, Karen Johnston, and Rip Stalvey on essential practices for raising chicks from day old to egg-laying stage. They explore the importance of the first week in a chick's life for metabolic function establishment and discuss the use of products like dairy supplements to aid development. The conversation highlights how to properly transition chicks through different phases by adjusting their nutrition and environme...

In the Poultry Keepers Podcast, Rip Stalvey interviews William Saunders, a Phoenix poultry breeder from Florida. William shares his journey, starting at age four, and his breeding experiences over 19 years focusing on Phoenix birds. He discusses the rewards and challenges of breeding Phoenix, including weather conditions in Florida and maintaining bird health. He outlines his breeding process, emphasizing the importance of selecting traits like leg length and feather condition, and discusses hi...

In this episode of the Poultry Keepers Podcast, co-hosts Rip Stalvey, Mandelyn Royal, Jeff Mattocks, and Carey Blackmon provide expert advice on maintaining a productive and healthy Bresse poultry flock. They discuss the importance of planting and maintaining a diverse pasture mix for free-ranging chickens, including grains and legumes like rye, wheat, and clover. The hosts also highlight methods like rotational grazing and suggest optimal space requirements per bird to keep pastures sustainabl...

This episode of the Poultry Keepers Podcast, features Rip Stalvey, Jeff Mattocks, Carey Blackman, and Mandelyn Royal, discussing the American Bresse breed of chicken. Mandelyn provides an in-depth look at the history, varieties, and unique characteristics of the Bresse, which originates from France. The conversation covers breeding strategies, including traits to look for in dual-purpose qualities, the importance of growth rate and body structure, and the challenges of breeding for consistent q...

In this episode of the Poultry Keepers Podcast, host Rip Stalvey discusses various techniques and practices for keeping and breeding Minorca chickens with his guest John Tinsley. The conversation covers hatching schedules, chick identification methods, and the process of selecting and grooming birds for shows. John shares his experiences in breeding different varieties of Minorcas, including efforts to revive the Rose Comb White Minorca and his new project with Buff Minorcas. Listeners are pro...

In this episode of the Poultry Keepers Podcast hosted by Rip Stalvey, guest John Tinsley discusses his extensive experience raising Minorcas, a chicken breed known for its size, fertility, and egg production. Tinsley shares his journey into poultry, influenced by his father and grandfather, his transition to raising Minorcas for their desirable traits, and the challenges involved in giving them enough space. He details his coop and pen setups, feeding practices, and breeding methodology, highli...

In this special episode of the Poultry Keepers Podcast, Rip Stalvey uncovers a valuable conversation with poultry expert Danny Feathers. The episode dives deep into Danny's techniques for maintaining and breeding white leghorns, from identifying ideal bird traits to breeding strategies and maintaining line purity. Originally recorded for the American Poultry Association, this insightful interview was rediscovered from a forgotten computer, preserving Danny's wisdom and offering listeners practi...

In this special episode of the Poultry Keepers Podcast, host Rip Stalvey presents a historic conversation with the late Danny Feathers, an expert on White Leghorns. Danny shares his deep passion for the breed, recounts his childhood attraction to White Leghorns, and offers detailed advice on breeding techniques, including selecting and pairing birds. Danny recalls revitalizing the characteristics and quality of Leghorns and discusses his methodology for breeding, focusing on various bird attrib...

In this episode of the Poultry Keepers Podcast delves into managing Shamo chickens. We discuss their behavior, the challenges of different age groups in brooders, and the importance of enrichment to prevent aggression. We touch on breeding considerations, hatching ease, and differences in raising Shamo compared to other breeds. Jessica shares her experiences with nutritional needs, including the myth of glucosamine necessity and the importance of a proper diet. Showing Shamo, and training them ...

This episode of the Poultry Keepers Podcast is a replay of a previously rec0orded PK360 Live, Rip Stalvey, and Jeff Mattocks along with guest Jessica Watson, delve into the fascinating world of Shamos, a magnificent breed of poultry. Jessica shares insights on the breed’s origins, traits, and her personal journey with Shamos. They discuss the bird's unique physical features, their original purpose, and their suitability as pets. The episode also covers topics like breeding, housing requirements...

In this episode of the Poultry Keepers podcast, Mandelyn Royal and co-hosts John Gunterman and Rip Stalvey continue their in-depth discussion on poultry breeding and selection practices. The conversation covers techniques such as identifying which hens lay which eggs, the importance of shape and size in egg selection, and the role of natural selection in maintaining flock quality. The hosts share their personal experiences with different breeding methods, flock management challenges, and achievi...

This episode covers the journey and management of poultry during the grow-out season for dual-purpose flock goals, featuring insights from Mandy, Rip, and John. Mandy discusses her process, including the initial hatching in March, reaching a peak in June, and reducing numbers systematically until November. At peak, she manages around 200 birds, focusing on retaining 30 females and a few males by fall. John details his method of daily weighing chicks for the first three weeks to compare growth p...

In this episode of the Poultry Keepers podcast, Mandelyn Royal, John Gunterman, and Rip Stalvey discuss various aspects of poultry feeding and management. Key topics include adhering to weight standards for birds, the importance of regulating feed quantities, and the cost-efficiency of high-quality feeds versus lower-quality alternatives. The hosts emphasize the significant benefits of high-quality feed, such as improved egg production, better hatch rates, and overall healthier birds. They also...

In this episode of the Poultry Keepers podcast, host Mandelyn Royal, along with team members John Gunterman and Rip Stalvey, delve into the true costs of starting and maintaining a flock. They discuss the economic pitfalls of trying to save money on poultry care, including the price and quality trade-offs between hatching eggs, chicks, and adult stock. The team evaluates the efficacy of different incubators and the importance of consistent environmental control for successful hatching. They al...

In this episode, Jeff Mattocks, Carey Blackmon, and Rip Stalvey finish their explanation of how you can effectively manage your flock's annual molt. They explain how you can help your birds manage stress, lose weight, and regrow beautiful feathers after the molt. 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 ...

It’s time for our birds to start their annual molt. This episode of the Poultry Keepers Podcast is a replay of the Poultry Keepers 360 Live recorded on June 27, 2024. The show features Rip Stalvey, Jeff Mattocks, and Carey Blackmon as they delve into the critical topic of molting in poultry. Jeff Mattocks provides comprehensive insights into the molting process, emphasizing that it's more than just feather loss. He explains how the birds experience flu-like symptoms due to hormonal changes and ...

In this episode of the Poultry Keepers podcast, Mandelyn Royal, John Gunterman, and Rip Stalvey discuss the intricacies of preparing poultry for exhibitions. The conversation covers essential practices such as conditioning and show training, the importance of reducing stress in birds, and techniques to make birds show-ready, including handling routines, dietary controls, and grooming details like cleaning scales and trimming beaks and spurs. The hosts also discuss the different aspects of show e...

In this episode of the Poultry Keepers Podcast, the hosts engage in an unplanned discussion on conditioning birds for shows. They delve into the reasons for showing poultry, from camaraderie and breeding improvement to competition. The conversation covers various aspects of conditioning, including nutritional requirements, the benefits of outdoor rearing, and the importance of avoiding stress. They discuss historical and practical tips on finding and preparing show-quality birds, the impact of g...

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

It's often recommended that new poultry keepers find a mentor to help them learn the ins and outs of good poultry keeping. However, rarely does anyone talk about how to be a good mentor. In this episode, Mandelyn, John, and Rip tackle that subject. They help you learn what goes into being the sort of person who can help others succeed with their birds. You can email us at - poultrykeeperspodcast@gmail.com Join our Facebook Groups: Poultry Keepers Podcast - https://www.facebook.com/groups/90767...

In this episode, John, Mandelyn, and Rip talk about the different types of incubators, broody hen management, and the important role nutrition plays in good-quality hatching 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...

In this episode, Mandelyn John and Rip share their thoughts about hatching eggs, broody hens, and incubators. They share all the details you need to navigate when sourcing hatching eggs. You hear in-depth discussions from identifying a good breeder to shipping and receiving eggs. You'll be better prepared to take on what can be a trying experience for many new to the experience after listening. You can email us at - poultrykeeperspodcast@gmail.com Join our Facebook Groups: Poultry Keepers Podc...

In this podcast episode, we conclude our discussion with Jeff Mattocks about the feed trial Mandelyn Royal is conducting. This trial uses a custom, breed-specific feed, designed by Jeff, for Mandelyn’s Breese. We cover the importance of grit, what healthy gizzards should look like, and why corn and soy-free diets are so hard to formulate. We'll also talk about plants for future studies that Mandelyn would like to do to keep improving her flock. You can email us at - poultrykeeperspodcast@gmail....

In this podcast episode, Jeff Mattocks joins us to discuss a feed trial Mandelyn Royal is conducting. This trial uses a custom, breed-specific feed, designed by Jeff, for Mandelyn’s Breese. We explore the purpose of the trial, its mechanics, and potential outcomes. It includes insights from Mandelyn and Jeff regarding the development, monitoring, and optimization of feed for improved growth and performance of the birds. You can email us at - poultrykeeperspodcast@gmail.com Join our Facebook Gro...