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Explorez tous les épisodes du podcast Poultry Nerds: Backyard Chickens, Quail & Hatching Eggs

Plongez dans la liste complète des épisodes de Poultry Nerds: Backyard Chickens, Quail & Hatching Eggs. Chaque épisode est catalogué accompagné de descriptions détaillées, ce qui facilite la recherche et l'exploration de sujets spécifiques. Suivez tous les épisodes de votre podcast préféré et ne manquez aucun contenu pertinent.

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TitreDateDurée
Chickens Aren't Vegetarians: Jessica, Founder of Coop Cravings05 Nov 202600:36:17

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Chickens are omnivores, but a treat is still a treat. What goes into one—and what does it take to bring a new poultry product to a farm-store shelf?

Jennifer talks with Jessica, founder of Coop Cravings, about her years in poultry retail, developing chicken treats with her mother, choosing ingredients and suppliers, and building a small brand. They also discuss why treats belong alongside a balanced, complete feed rather than replacing it.

In this episode:
• Why Jessica wanted meat-based chicken treats
• From kitchen-table experiments to production
• Finding suppliers and getting products onto store shelves

Explore Coop Cravings: https://coopcravings.com/

Support the show

Feel Free to email us at - PoultryNerds@gmail.com

Join us on Facebook at - https://www.facebook.com/PoultryNerds

Sign up for News at PoultryNerds.com

EggFoam.com get your egg shippers and live shipping boxes and always get free shipping!

ShowPro feed supplement for all your feathered friends! Grow them bigger and healthier with the best ingredients.

Coturnix Quail hatching eggs from Bryant's Roost, including jumbo celadons!

Quail cartons and Supplies from Double R Farms

Please subscribe to our podcast and leave a review, we appreciate you.  And if you have a subject request, email us. PoultryNerds@Gmail.com

Bored Birds? Missing Feathers? Fix This Now29 Oct 202600:23:48

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Missing feathers? Before you change the whole pen—or blame the feed—watch what your birds are actually doing.

Jennifer Bryant and Carey Blackmon talk through feather picking in quail and poultry, from crowded grow-outs and boredom to feed labels, dust baths and the breeding decisions that shape a flock. Jennifer shares what she noticed in her turkey pens and quail setup, while Carey explains why the protein number is only part of the feed conversation.

In this episode:
• Crowding, boredom and the layout around the pen
• Dust baths and Jennifer’s observations with quail
• Feed labels, amino acids and feather quality
• Finding the bird that starts the trouble
• Territorial aggression versus feather picking
• Selecting breeders you can handle

A useful starting point: sit down, watch the group and record who does what, where and when. The hosts share their experiences across different species and setups; the conversation is not a single stocking-density or feeding formula for every flock.

Hosts: Jennifer Bryant & Carey Blackmon

Explore more Poultry Nerds resources:

Management & Welfare guides

Support the show

Feel Free to email us at - PoultryNerds@gmail.com

Join us on Facebook at - https://www.facebook.com/PoultryNerds

Sign up for News at PoultryNerds.com

EggFoam.com get your egg shippers and live shipping boxes and always get free shipping!

ShowPro feed supplement for all your feathered friends! Grow them bigger and healthier with the best ingredients.

Coturnix Quail hatching eggs from Bryant's Roost, including jumbo celadons!

Quail cartons and Supplies from Double R Farms

Please subscribe to our podcast and leave a review, we appreciate you.  And if you have a subject request, email us. PoultryNerds@Gmail.com

Standard Cornish Chickens: Not Cornish Cross! | Blake Phillips22 Oct 202600:18:58

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Standard Cornish chickens aren’t Cornish Cross—and choosing good breeders takes more than spotting a big young bird.

Blake Phillips of 4 Hill Acres joins Jennifer Bryant and Carey Blackmon to talk about raising large-fowl Cornish, selecting for balanced proportions, and waiting long enough to see a potential breeder’s full promise. Blake explains why he waits until about 18 months to choose his breeders and what he hopes to preserve by continuing to breed an older male.

In this episode:
• Standard Cornish versus Cornish Cross
• Body shape, leg placement, and clamshell wing carriage
• Maturity, natural breeding, and longevity
• Feeding decisions and seasonal fertility in Blake’s flock
• Preparing white Cornish for a poultry show

WATCH THE VIDEO
https://youtu.be/Oujdkqx_wp0


EXPLORE POULTRY NERDS
https://www.poultrynerdspodcast.com/


Guest: Blake Phillips • 4 Hill Acres, Cookeville, Tennessee
Hosts: Jennifer Bryant & Carey Blackmon

WEIGHT CORRECTION
The 8½ lb and 6½ lb weights discussed early in the episode are for large-fowl Cornish cockerels and pullets, respectively—not bantams.
Reference: https://livestock.extension.wisc.edu/articles/chicken-breeds-varieties-a2880/

Blake’s growth, maturity, and fertility observations describe his own birds and breeding program; results vary between flocks.

Support the show

Feel Free to email us at - PoultryNerds@gmail.com

Join us on Facebook at - https://www.facebook.com/PoultryNerds

Sign up for News at PoultryNerds.com

EggFoam.com get your egg shippers and live shipping boxes and always get free shipping!

ShowPro feed supplement for all your feathered friends! Grow them bigger and healthier with the best ingredients.

Coturnix Quail hatching eggs from Bryant's Roost, including jumbo celadons!

Quail cartons and Supplies from Double R Farms

Please subscribe to our podcast and leave a review, we appreciate you.  And if you have a subject request, email us. PoultryNerds@Gmail.com

Chicken Keeping That Works for You | Nikki Husted of Purely Chickens15 Oct 202600:36:19

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A beautiful chicken coop is only useful if it works for your birds—and for the person doing the chores.

Jennifer Bryant and Carey Blackmon talk with Nikki Husted of Purely Chickens about backyard chicken keeping, learning from social media without copying every trend, and making practical choices for your own flock. Nikki shares her journey from hatching chicks in a kindergarten classroom to educating chicken keepers online, plus the thinking behind her books Chicken Keeping Pure and Simple and A Healthy Home Flock.

In this conversation:
• Designing a setup around your flock, climate, and daily routine
• Learning from other chicken keepers while questioning questionable advice
• Choosing products thoughtfully instead of following every promotion
• Preparing for the health, injury, and predator problems that can come with keeping chickens
• Nikki’s new book, A Healthy Home Flock, scheduled for release November 3, 2026

READ THE COMPANION ARTICLE & FIND RESOURCES
https://www.poultrynerdspodcast.com/2026-episodes/how-to-choose-a-chicken-coop

Our website brings together the coop-planning checklist, related episodes, and Nikki’s book link.

Educational discussion, not a substitute for veterinary diagnosis or care.

Support the show

Feel Free to email us at - PoultryNerds@gmail.com

Join us on Facebook at - https://www.facebook.com/PoultryNerds

Sign up for News at PoultryNerds.com

EggFoam.com get your egg shippers and live shipping boxes and always get free shipping!

ShowPro feed supplement for all your feathered friends! Grow them bigger and healthier with the best ingredients.

Coturnix Quail hatching eggs from Bryant's Roost, including jumbo celadons!

Quail cartons and Supplies from Double R Farms

Please subscribe to our podcast and leave a review, we appreciate you.  And if you have a subject request, email us. PoultryNerds@Gmail.com

Duck Care Myths: Water, Niacin & Health with Dr. Teresa Morishita08 Oct 202600:30:21

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Do ducks need a pond? Can ducklings swim? Does every duck need extra niacin—and what health risks should backyard keepers actually watch for?

Jennifer Bryant welcomes poultry veterinarian Dr. Teresa Morishita back to Poultry Nerds for a practical conversation about duck care, feeding, and flock health. Jennifer brings examples from her own Welsh Harlequin flock and her move toward Muscovies, while Dr. Morishita discusses the questions she encounters in veterinary practice.

In this episode:
• Drinking water, bill-dipping, and the mess around duck waterers
• Preening, feather condition, and safe water access for ducklings
• Cold-weather questions and how ducks conserve heat
• Avian influenza, duck viral enteritis, botulism, and Salmonella
• Why dead birds and contaminated water need prompt attention
• Niacin, brewer’s yeast, balanced feed, and medicated-feed questions
• Handling ducks carefully and protecting their feet

This episode is educational and is not a diagnosis or treatment plan for an individual bird. If birds are sick, injured, or dying unexpectedly, contact a poultry veterinarian or your state animal-health office.

Read the companion duck-care guide and find the research links:
https://www.poultrynerdspodcast.com/2026-episodes/duck-care-myths


Explore poultry health and biosecurity:
https://www.poultrynerdspodcast.com/poultry-health


About our guest:
Dr. Teresa Y. Morishita, DVM, PhD, DACPV, is a professor of poultry medicine and food safety at Western University of Health Sciences and a Diplomate of the American College of Poultry Veterinarians.

Subscribe to Poultry Nerds for more practical poultry conversations, and send your questions to PoultryNerds@gmail.com.

Support the show

Feel Free to email us at - PoultryNerds@gmail.com

Join us on Facebook at - https://www.facebook.com/PoultryNerds

Sign up for News at PoultryNerds.com

EggFoam.com get your egg shippers and live shipping boxes and always get free shipping!

ShowPro feed supplement for all your feathered friends! Grow them bigger and healthier with the best ingredients.

Coturnix Quail hatching eggs from Bryant's Roost, including jumbo celadons!

Quail cartons and Supplies from Double R Farms

Please subscribe to our podcast and leave a review, we appreciate you.  And if you have a subject request, email us. PoultryNerds@Gmail.com

How Thin Shells Affect Incubation: Calcium, Phosphorus & Vitamin D for Hens01 Oct 202600:24:51

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The chick pulls much of its calcium out of the eggshell, so what the hen ate before she laid the egg matters long before it hatches.

Thin shells, soft shells, or chicks that don't make it: it is not always the incubator and it is not always shipping. Carey and I walk through calcium, phosphorus, and vitamin D, why a hen needs all three, whether more oyster shell helps, whether chickens get vitamin D from the sun, and why vitamins in the water are a poor plan.

We also get into soil health and feed quality, what to ask a hatching-egg seller about their feed, whether roosters can eat layer feed, feeding through the seasons, and the concrete block grit and shell feeder. Our free vaccine and disease masterclass is coming to poultrynerdspodcast.com.

Watch the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1OnH4uyFxio

Blog with sources and studies: https://www.poultrynerdspodcast.com/2026-episodes/how-thin-shells-affect-incubation

Studies and resources mentioned:
Alabama Extension, Feeding the Laying Hen: https://www.aces.edu/blog/topics/farming/backyard-small-poultry-flock-management-series-feeding-the-laying-hen/
Oregon State Extension, How to Feed Your Laying Hens: https://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalog/pnw-477-how-feed-your-laying-hens

Support the show

Feel Free to email us at - PoultryNerds@gmail.com

Join us on Facebook at - https://www.facebook.com/PoultryNerds

Sign up for News at PoultryNerds.com

EggFoam.com get your egg shippers and live shipping boxes and always get free shipping!

ShowPro feed supplement for all your feathered friends! Grow them bigger and healthier with the best ingredients.

Coturnix Quail hatching eggs from Bryant's Roost, including jumbo celadons!

Quail cartons and Supplies from Double R Farms

Please subscribe to our podcast and leave a review, we appreciate you.  And if you have a subject request, email us. PoultryNerds@Gmail.com

Heat Plates Don't Heat the Brooder: Brooder Setup Mistakes That Kill Chicks24 Sep 202600:34:43

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Heat plates don't heat the brooder. They heat the chick, and only if it can touch the plate. If you're losing chicks, that's one of several brooder mistakes we see all the time.


Carey is building a new brooder, so we're getting into what actually matters when you raise chicks: why an old-time show breeder swears by solid-top brooders, why 99.9% of the "my chicks are dying" messages we get in winter come down to one thing (the brooder is sitting on the floor), how to set a heat plate so chicks can pick their own temperature, and why food, water and heat all belong in one pile in the middle.


We also cover the 95°F-and-down rule and when it doesn't apply, how to tell cold chicks from hot ones from a draft, bedding that keeps them dry and off slick plastic, and brooding button quail, turkeys and ducks, including a cake pan waterer that saves your sanity.


Also in this episode: the new Poultry Nerds news email, with updates on Georgia's egg candler license, Oklahoma loosening restrictions, and the EU treating HPAI as a year-round wild bird risk.


🎥 Watch the video: https://youtu.be/9OnZeK07V5I

📬 Get the Poultry Nerds news email every Monday: poultrynerdspodcast.com

📖 Read the brooding blog: poultrynerdspodcast.com

Support the show

Feel Free to email us at - PoultryNerds@gmail.com

Join us on Facebook at - https://www.facebook.com/PoultryNerds

Sign up for News at PoultryNerds.com

EggFoam.com get your egg shippers and live shipping boxes and always get free shipping!

ShowPro feed supplement for all your feathered friends! Grow them bigger and healthier with the best ingredients.

Coturnix Quail hatching eggs from Bryant's Roost, including jumbo celadons!

Quail cartons and Supplies from Double R Farms

Please subscribe to our podcast and leave a review, we appreciate you.  And if you have a subject request, email us. PoultryNerds@Gmail.com

Why Predators Keep Showing Up at Your Chicken Coop | David Mizejewski17 Sep 202600:45:46

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Why do raccoons, snakes, hawks, and other wildlife keep appearing around a chicken coop? Sometimes the chickens are not what attracted them first.

National Wildlife Federation naturalist David Mizejewski joins Jennifer and Carey to explain how spilled feed, rodents, habitat, and easy access can turn a poultry area into a predator destination. Drawing on more than two decades of wildlife education, David helps us look beyond simply blaming the predator and understand what is happening around the coop.

In this episode, we discuss:

• How spilled feed can attract mice and rats—and what may follow them
• Why raccoons can be dangerous even when they cannot enter the coop
• Hawks, snakes, and the realities of free-ranging poultry
• Practical ways to protect birds without trying to eliminate every wild animal
• How habitat and natural prey influence predator activity
• Carpenter bees and other misunderstood wildlife around the farm
• Why making poultry harder to access is often more effective than constantly reacting

David Mizejewski is a naturalist with the National Wildlife Federation, where he has spent more than 25 years helping people understand wildlife and create healthier habitats. He has appeared across national television and hosts the Wild Critters USA podcast.

If you raise chickens, quail, ducks, or other poultry, this conversation will change how you look at the wildlife—and the food chain—around your coop.

Follow Poultry Nerds for practical poultry conversations grounded in experience, science, and the people doing the work.

Support the show

Feel Free to email us at - PoultryNerds@gmail.com

Join us on Facebook at - https://www.facebook.com/PoultryNerds

Sign up for News at PoultryNerds.com

EggFoam.com get your egg shippers and live shipping boxes and always get free shipping!

ShowPro feed supplement for all your feathered friends! Grow them bigger and healthier with the best ingredients.

Coturnix Quail hatching eggs from Bryant's Roost, including jumbo celadons!

Quail cartons and Supplies from Double R Farms

Please subscribe to our podcast and leave a review, we appreciate you.  And if you have a subject request, email us. PoultryNerds@Gmail.com

Chicken Coop Design: Ventilation & Deep Litter with Matt DuBois of Carolina Coops10 Sep 202600:57:52

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Does keeping chickens really have to mean constant coop cleaning? Matt Dubois of Carolina Coops joins Jennifer Bryant and Carey Blackmon to discuss how thoughtful coop design can make backyard chicken keeping easier.

We explore Matt’s approach to deep litter, why ventilation matters in every season, and how space, moisture management, and predator protection shape a functional chicken coop.

In this episode:
• Deep litter explained—and why sand is a different approach
• Ventilation versus drafts, including cold-weather considerations
• How stocking density affects litter and outdoor runs
• Matt’s three coop priorities: safety, ventilation, and space
• Duck tubs, working animals, and “bullseye gardening”
• How Carolina Coops grew from a small Craigslist sale into a custom coop business
• The story behind building Mike Tyson’s pigeon coop

Whether you’re buying your first coop or improving your current setup, this conversation offers plenty of questions to ask before you spend.

Explore Carolina Coops: https://carolinacoops.com
Find poultry education, research, and more episodes: https://www.poultrynerdspodcast.com

Subscribe to Poultry Nerds for new conversations every Thursday.

Support the show

Feel Free to email us at - PoultryNerds@gmail.com

Join us on Facebook at - https://www.facebook.com/PoultryNerds

Sign up for News at PoultryNerds.com

EggFoam.com get your egg shippers and live shipping boxes and always get free shipping!

ShowPro feed supplement for all your feathered friends! Grow them bigger and healthier with the best ingredients.

Coturnix Quail hatching eggs from Bryant's Roost, including jumbo celadons!

Quail cartons and Supplies from Double R Farms

Please subscribe to our podcast and leave a review, we appreciate you.  And if you have a subject request, email us. PoultryNerds@Gmail.com

Chicken Labels Explained: What Are You Actually Paying For?03 Sep 202600:39:49

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Fresh. Natural. Organic. Free-range. Air-chilled. Raised without antibiotics. A package of chicken can carry half a dozen reassuring claims—but what are you actually paying for?

In this episode, Jennifer and Carey sort through the language on grocery-store chicken packages and explain which questions those labels answer, which details they leave out, and when a higher price may—or may not—match what matters to you.

We discuss:
• Why “fresh” describes temperature history, not the slaughter date
• What natural and organic actually mean
• Free-range, cage-free, and the difference between outdoor access and active foraging
• Why “no hormones added” is not a special poultry-production achievement
• What raised without antibiotics does—and does not—tell you
• Air-chilled versus water-chilled poultry
• Retained water versus an added solution
• How genetics, age, activity, rigor, resting, and cooking affect flavor and texture
• Why buying locally or raising your own provides traceability—not an automatic guarantee

Chicken labels are not useless. They simply answer specific questions. The smartest approach is to decide what difference matters to you before paying more for the words on the package.

Read the companion article:
https://www.poultrynerdspodcast.com/2026-episodes/chicken-labels-explained

Explore the Poultry Nerds Research Library:
https://www.poultrynerdspodcast.com/research-library

Support the show

Feel Free to email us at - PoultryNerds@gmail.com

Join us on Facebook at - https://www.facebook.com/PoultryNerds

Sign up for News at PoultryNerds.com

EggFoam.com get your egg shippers and live shipping boxes and always get free shipping!

ShowPro feed supplement for all your feathered friends! Grow them bigger and healthier with the best ingredients.

Coturnix Quail hatching eggs from Bryant's Roost, including jumbo celadons!

Quail cartons and Supplies from Double R Farms

Please subscribe to our podcast and leave a review, we appreciate you.  And if you have a subject request, email us. PoultryNerds@Gmail.com

The Molt: Why Are My Chickens Naked?27 Aug 202600:23:40

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Chicken molt season can make even experienced keepers panic: feathers everywhere, birds that suddenly look half naked, fewer eggs, and a flock that seems miserable.

In this episode, Jennifer and Carey break down what a normal molt looks like, what triggers it, and how to help chickens through it without adding more stress. They cover:

• Why shorter days can trigger a molt
• Why egg production often slows down or stops
• Why molting birds may feel hot, uncomfortable, and sensitive to handling
• When to separate roosters from hens
• Feed, treats, supplements, and why more protein is not always the simple answer
• Why cat food and dog food are not a shortcut for chicken nutrition
• How lighting affects laying—and why extending the morning is often easier on the flock
• When switching from layer feed to an all-flock feed can make sense
• What feather-eating can tell you about your flock’s diet

Whether you are seeing your first molt or managing breeders through the season, this episode will help you know what is normal, what deserves attention, and how to keep your birds comfortable while they grow their new feathers.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• Poultry Nerds Research Library: https://www.PoultryNerdsPodcast.com/research-library
• First Peck Chick Start Supplement: https://showprofarmsupply.com/showpro/p/first-peck-chick-start-supplement
• HBN Outdoor Waterproof Mechanical Timer: https://amzn.to/4gT1LN3
• 100-Foot Outdoor LED Rope Lights, White: https://amzn.to/4zBxKbU

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Support the show

Feel Free to email us at - PoultryNerds@gmail.com

Join us on Facebook at - https://www.facebook.com/PoultryNerds

Sign up for News at PoultryNerds.com

EggFoam.com get your egg shippers and live shipping boxes and always get free shipping!

ShowPro feed supplement for all your feathered friends! Grow them bigger and healthier with the best ingredients.

Coturnix Quail hatching eggs from Bryant's Roost, including jumbo celadons!

Quail cartons and Supplies from Double R Farms

Please subscribe to our podcast and leave a review, we appreciate you.  And if you have a subject request, email us. PoultryNerds@Gmail.com

American Bresse vs. Orpingtons: Which Makes the Better Meat Bird?21 Aug 202600:22:10

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Why raise American Bresse for the freezer when giant Orpingtons are already on the farm?

Jennifer and Carey compare American Bresse, standard-bred Orpingtons, and Cornish Cross chickens—not just by size, but by growth rate, feed investment, reproduction, flavor, texture, and usefulness in the kitchen.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Why standard-bred and utility Orpingtons are not the same
• How breeding priorities affect growth, egg production, and carcass development
• Why Jennifer selects American Bresse at 17–18 weeks
• The value of a meat bird that can reproduce naturally
• Why older, active birds develop deeper flavor and firmer texture
• Which chickens work best for frying, baking, barbecue, soups, stews, and broth
• Why proper resting after processing matters before cooking a fresh chicken

This is not about declaring one breed “best.” It is about understanding what each bird was bred to do—and choosing the right chicken for your breeding program, freezer, and dinner table.

Support the show

Feel Free to email us at - PoultryNerds@gmail.com

Join us on Facebook at - https://www.facebook.com/PoultryNerds

Sign up for News at PoultryNerds.com

EggFoam.com get your egg shippers and live shipping boxes and always get free shipping!

ShowPro feed supplement for all your feathered friends! Grow them bigger and healthier with the best ingredients.

Coturnix Quail hatching eggs from Bryant's Roost, including jumbo celadons!

Quail cartons and Supplies from Double R Farms

Please subscribe to our podcast and leave a review, we appreciate you.  And if you have a subject request, email us. PoultryNerds@Gmail.com

Poultry Nutrition Just Changed: The First Major Update Since 199413 Aug 202600:44:13

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For the first time since 1994, the National Academies has released a major revision of the nutrient requirements for poultry. What does that mean for the feed in your barn—and should you change anything?

Jennifer and Carey break down why crude protein alone does not describe a complete diet, how digestibility and amino-acid balance affect what birds can actually use, and why species, genetics, age, reproductive workload, environment and water all matter.

In this episode:
• What the new 2026 Nutrient Requirements of Poultry report is
• Why the feed tag is a starting point, not the whole answer
• Digestible amino acids, energy and mineral availability
• Nutrition for breeders, growing birds and molting flocks
• How feed changes, water quality and environment affect birds
• Why supplements and high-protein treats cannot repair an unbalanced diet
• How to use new research without abruptly changing your flock’s feed

Read Nutrient Requirements of Poultry: Tenth Revised Edition online:
https://www.nationalacademies.org/read/25395

Explore the official publication:
https://www.nationalacademies.org/projects/DELS-BANR-15-01/publication/25395

Learn more from the Poultry Nerds:
https://www.poultrynerdspodcast.com

Need help with incubation?
https://www.incubationmasterclass.com

This episode discusses poultry nutrition research alongside practical experience. Nutrient needs vary by species, age, genetics, environment and production stage. Confirm health concerns through appropriate testing and veterinary guidance.

Support the show

Feel Free to email us at - PoultryNerds@gmail.com

Join us on Facebook at - https://www.facebook.com/PoultryNerds

Sign up for News at PoultryNerds.com

EggFoam.com get your egg shippers and live shipping boxes and always get free shipping!

ShowPro feed supplement for all your feathered friends! Grow them bigger and healthier with the best ingredients.

Coturnix Quail hatching eggs from Bryant's Roost, including jumbo celadons!

Quail cartons and Supplies from Double R Farms

Please subscribe to our podcast and leave a review, we appreciate you.  And if you have a subject request, email us. PoultryNerds@Gmail.com

Buying and Selling Hatching Eggs06 Aug 202600:34:08

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How do you choose a reputable poultry breeder—and what should you ask before buying birds or hatching eggs?

In this video, we cover 10 important questions every buyer should ask before placing an order. You’ll learn how to evaluate a breeder’s experience, breeding goals, nutrition program, recordkeeping, biosecurity practices, shipping methods, replacement policy, and customer support.

We also explain the green flags that inspire confidence, the red flags worth investigating, and why NPIP participation alone doesn’t guarantee breeding quality.

Whether you’re choosing a chicken breeder, looking for a quail breeder, or buying hatching eggs online, this guide will help you compare breeders fairly and set realistic expectations.

🐣 Read the complete guide:
www.PoultryNerdsPodcast.com/how-to-choose-a-poultry-breeder

🥚 Browse the HatchingEggDirectory.com 

🌾 Learn more about Show Pro:
ShowProFarmSupply.com

Price should never be the only question. Instead, ask: Does this breeder inspire confidence?

Subscribe to Poultry Nerds for practical information about poultry breeding, nutrition, incubation, and flock management.

#PoultryBreeder #HatchingEggs #ChickenBreeder #QuailBreeder #PoultryNerds

Support the show

Feel Free to email us at - PoultryNerds@gmail.com

Join us on Facebook at - https://www.facebook.com/PoultryNerds

Sign up for News at PoultryNerds.com

EggFoam.com get your egg shippers and live shipping boxes and always get free shipping!

ShowPro feed supplement for all your feathered friends! Grow them bigger and healthier with the best ingredients.

Coturnix Quail hatching eggs from Bryant's Roost, including jumbo celadons!

Quail cartons and Supplies from Double R Farms

Please subscribe to our podcast and leave a review, we appreciate you.  And if you have a subject request, email us. PoultryNerds@Gmail.com

Summer Chicken Feeding Myths: Do Chickens Need Electrolytes? | Poultry Nerds Podcast30 Jul 202600:37:15

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Every summer, backyard chicken owners hear the same advice—but how much of it is actually true?

In this episode of the Poultry Nerds Podcast, we separate fact from fiction as we tackle common summer feeding myths, including:

  • Does scratch corn cool chickens down—or make them hotter?
  • Should treats replace layer feed during hot weather?
  • Can chickens have unlimited watermelon and frozen fruit?
  • Does protein make chickens overheat?
  • How nutrition affects egg production during summer.
  • Why balanced feed matters more when birds eat less.

Along the way, we share real-world experiences, practical feeding advice, and explain the science behind what chickens actually need during periods of heat stress.

Whether you raise backyard chickens, homestead poultry, or manage a larger flock, this episode will help you make better feeding decisions and avoid common nutrition mistakes.

Topics covered: summer chicken care, chicken nutrition, scratch grain, treats for chickens, layer feed, protein requirements, heat stress, backyard chickens, poultry nutrition, egg production.

Support the show

Feel Free to email us at - PoultryNerds@gmail.com

Join us on Facebook at - https://www.facebook.com/PoultryNerds

Sign up for News at PoultryNerds.com

EggFoam.com get your egg shippers and live shipping boxes and always get free shipping!

ShowPro feed supplement for all your feathered friends! Grow them bigger and healthier with the best ingredients.

Coturnix Quail hatching eggs from Bryant's Roost, including jumbo celadons!

Quail cartons and Supplies from Double R Farms

Please subscribe to our podcast and leave a review, we appreciate you.  And if you have a subject request, email us. PoultryNerds@Gmail.com

Keeping Chickens Cool in Summer Heat23 Jul 202600:19:26

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Are frozen treats really dangerous? Should you close the coop to keep hot air out? Does ice water hurt chickens?

Summer is full of advice about keeping poultry cool—but not all of it is accurate. In this episode of Poultry Nerds, Jennifer Bryant and Carey Blackmon tackle some of the most common heat stress myths they see online and explain what actually helps birds survive hot weather.

Drawing from current research and years of practical experience raising poultry, they discuss ventilation, shade, cool drinking water, fans, broody hens, obesity, breed differences, and why simply "giving them shade" isn't always enough. Jennifer also shares what has worked on her own farm during extreme heat and why understanding your environment is just as important as understanding your birds.

Whether you raise backyard chickens, Coturnix quail, or other poultry, this episode will help you separate fact from fiction and better prepare your flock for the hottest days of the year.

In this episode you'll learn:

  • Common heat stress myths and what the research says
  • Whether ice water and frozen treats are actually harmful
  • Why ventilation is often more important than shade alone
  • Practical cooling methods that have worked on Jennifer's farm
  • Why broody hens are at greater risk during hot weather
  • The relationship between obesity and heat stress
  • Signs your birds are coping—and signs they need immediate attention

Supporting Partner

This episode of Poultry Nerds is brought to you by Show Pro Feed. Their support helps make free, research-backed poultry education possible while allowing us to continue sharing practical information for backyard poultry keepers.

Learn more about Poultry Nerds, browse our Research Library, and explore additional educational resources at https://www.PoultryNerdsPodcast.com.

Support the show

Feel Free to email us at - PoultryNerds@gmail.com

Join us on Facebook at - https://www.facebook.com/PoultryNerds

Sign up for News at PoultryNerds.com

EggFoam.com get your egg shippers and live shipping boxes and always get free shipping!

ShowPro feed supplement for all your feathered friends! Grow them bigger and healthier with the best ingredients.

Coturnix Quail hatching eggs from Bryant's Roost, including jumbo celadons!

Quail cartons and Supplies from Double R Farms

Please subscribe to our podcast and leave a review, we appreciate you.  And if you have a subject request, email us. PoultryNerds@Gmail.com

Backyard Chickens and Apple Cider Vinegar16 Jul 202600:16:52

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Episode Description

Can apple cider vinegar prevent disease? Is bleach water ever safe for chickens? Are homemade remedies helping your flock—or creating new problems?

In this episode of the Poultry Nerds Podcast, Carey Blackmon and Jennifer Bryant play Fact or BS? as they tackle some of the most common chicken health myths circulating online. From apple cider vinegar and water additives to dangerous cleaning myths and summer flock care, they separate evidence-based poultry management from internet folklore.

You'll learn:

  • Why some popular remedies contain a small grain of truth—but don't tell the whole story.
  • When apple cider vinegar may have a limited role—and when it can create problems.
  • Why clean, cool water is one of the most important tools for keeping chickens healthy.
  • The dangers of mixing household chemicals around your flock.
  • How to evaluate poultry advice before trying it on your birds.

Whether you're new to backyard chickens or have years of experience, this episode will help you make more informed decisions based on research, practical experience, and good flock management.

Resources Mentioned

  • Dangerous Homemade Chicken Remedies: When Good Intentions Can Harm Your Flock
  • Apple Cider Vinegar for Chickens Research Library
  • Assessing Your Chickens for Health
  • How Birds Stay Cool: The Science Behind Heat Stress

If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe to the Poultry Nerds Podcast, leave a review, and share it with another poultry keeper who appreciates science over speculation.


Support the show

Feel Free to email us at - PoultryNerds@gmail.com

Join us on Facebook at - https://www.facebook.com/PoultryNerds

Sign up for News at PoultryNerds.com

EggFoam.com get your egg shippers and live shipping boxes and always get free shipping!

ShowPro feed supplement for all your feathered friends! Grow them bigger and healthier with the best ingredients.

Coturnix Quail hatching eggs from Bryant's Roost, including jumbo celadons!

Quail cartons and Supplies from Double R Farms

Please subscribe to our podcast and leave a review, we appreciate you.  And if you have a subject request, email us. PoultryNerds@Gmail.com

How to Build a Poultry Business Without Burning Out09 Jul 202600:28:11

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Quick Look

In this episode, we discuss:

  • Why so many poultry keepers and homesteaders experience burnout.
  • The difference between working in your business and working on it.
  • Why social media shouldn't be your entire business strategy.
  • How websites, blogs, and email lists create long-term growth.
  • The story behind why Jennifer created Beyond the Egg.

Most people start raising poultry because they love the animals—not because they want to spend every evening answering Facebook messages, updating social media, or repeating the same customer service conversations.

In this episode of the Poultry Nerds Podcast, Jennifer shares the philosophy behind Beyond the Egg, a new educational membership designed to help poultry breeders and small farm businesses build smarter systems instead of simply working longer hours.

Carey and Jennifer discuss what they've learned about growing a poultry business, setting boundaries, using automation wisely, and creating assets you actually own—like websites, blogs, and email lists—instead of relying entirely on social media.

Whether you're selling hatching eggs, breeding stock, farm products, or simply dreaming about turning your hobby into a business, this episode offers practical insights into building a business that supports your homesteading lifestyle instead of taking it over.

Mentioned in this episode

If this episode resonated with you, be sure to subscribe, leave a review, and share it with another poultry keeper or homesteader who's trying to grow their business without losing the joy that started it all.

Support the show

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Sign up for News at PoultryNerds.com

EggFoam.com get your egg shippers and live shipping boxes and always get free shipping!

ShowPro feed supplement for all your feathered friends! Grow them bigger and healthier with the best ingredients.

Coturnix Quail hatching eggs from Bryant's Roost, including jumbo celadons!

Quail cartons and Supplies from Double R Farms

Please subscribe to our podcast and leave a review, we appreciate you.  And if you have a subject request, email us. PoultryNerds@Gmail.com

Flies in the Coop: Causes, Prevention, and Control02 Jul 202600:37:22

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What Flies Are Really Telling You About Your Chicken Coop

Flies are more than just an annoyance—they're often an indicator of what's happening in your coop and run. In this Poultry Nerds Podcast clip, we discuss why flies are attracted to chickens, the environmental conditions that encourage them, and practical management strategies to reduce fly populations.

Whether you keep a small backyard flock or manage a larger operation, understanding the root causes of fly problems can help you create a healthier environment for your birds while making your coop a more enjoyable place to work.

This episode covers:

  • Why flies are attracted to chicken coops
  • Common causes of fly infestations
  • Management practices that reduce fly breeding
  • Practical tips for long-term fly control

If you enjoy this discussion, be sure to listen to the full Poultry Nerds Podcast for more science-based conversations on poultry health, management, and husbandry.

Support the show

Feel Free to email us at - PoultryNerds@gmail.com

Join us on Facebook at - https://www.facebook.com/PoultryNerds

Sign up for News at PoultryNerds.com

EggFoam.com get your egg shippers and live shipping boxes and always get free shipping!

ShowPro feed supplement for all your feathered friends! Grow them bigger and healthier with the best ingredients.

Coturnix Quail hatching eggs from Bryant's Roost, including jumbo celadons!

Quail cartons and Supplies from Double R Farms

Please subscribe to our podcast and leave a review, we appreciate you.  And if you have a subject request, email us. PoultryNerds@Gmail.com

Poultry With Purpose: Harrison's Hatchery and Carolina Rooster Solution25 Jun 202600:40:28

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What happens when a simple incubator turns into a mission?In this episode of the Poultry Nerds Podcast, we visit with Laurie Pineda of Harrison's Hatchery to hear the inspiring story of how her family's poultry journey began with one young man's fascination with hatching chicks.Harrison, who is on the autism spectrum, discovered an incredible passion for incubating eggs. That passion eventually grew into Harrison's Hatchery, where the family now hatches thousands of chicks while creating meaningful opportunities for learning, responsibility, and independence.We also discuss Laurie's vision for "Poultry With a Purpose," including her Carolina Rooster Solution, a program that rehomes unwanted roosters—including placing some with veterans experiencing loneliness and depression—and her goal of helping more neurodivergent individuals discover the value of caring for poultry.Along the way, we also nerd out about:
  • Starting and growing a hatchery
  • Scaling from one incubator to over 1,000 eggs
  • Choosing the right poultry business model
  • NPIP guidance for beginners
  • Hy-Line Brown ready-to-lay pullets
  • Developing new breeding projects
  • And, of course... why naked neck chickens are so controversial!
Whether you're interested in poultry, entrepreneurship, or the unexpected ways chickens can change lives, this is a conversation you won't want to miss.

SEO Keywords

  • autism and chickens
  • poultry with a purpose
  • Harrison's Hatchery
  • backyard chickens
  • incubating chicken eggs
  • neurodiversity
  • backyard poultry
  • hatchery business
  • NPIP
  • Hy-Line Brown
  • Carolina Rooster Solution
  • poultry entrepreneurship


Support the show

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Sign up for News at PoultryNerds.com

EggFoam.com get your egg shippers and live shipping boxes and always get free shipping!

ShowPro feed supplement for all your feathered friends! Grow them bigger and healthier with the best ingredients.

Coturnix Quail hatching eggs from Bryant's Roost, including jumbo celadons!

Quail cartons and Supplies from Double R Farms

Please subscribe to our podcast and leave a review, we appreciate you.  And if you have a subject request, email us. PoultryNerds@Gmail.com

Coturnix Quail Selection Points18 Jun 202600:36:55

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What makes a quality coturnix quail breeder? In this episode of the Poultry Nerds Podcast, Jennifer Bryant of Bryant's Roost and Carey Blackmon discuss practical quail selection methods that breeders can use to improve their flocks generation after generation.

Whether you are raising coturnix quail for eggs, meat production, hatching eggs, homesteading, or developing your own breeding program, understanding how to properly evaluate birds is one of the most important skills you can learn.

Topics covered include:

• How to select breeding quail for long-term flock improvement
• Evaluating body structure and conformation in coturnix quail
• Selecting for egg production and egg size
• Choosing meat-type quail and growth traits
• Fertility and hatchability considerations
• Temperament and behavior in breeding stock
• Common mistakes quail breeders make when selecting birds
• Genetic considerations for coturnix breeding programs
• How to identify birds that should be retained versus culled
• Selection strategies for homesteaders and commercial breeders

If you've ever wondered how experienced breeders evaluate coturnix quail, this episode provides practical insights that can help improve productivity, consistency, and overall flock quality.

Whether you raise jumbo coturnix quail, celadon quail, feather-sexable quail, meat quail, egg-laying quail, or mixed breeding projects, the principles discussed in this episode can help you make more informed breeding decisions.

Learn how proper quail selection affects:

✔ Egg production
✔ Fertility rates
✔ Hatchability
✔ Growth rate
✔ Feed efficiency
✔ Carcass quality
✔ Bird health and vigor
✔ Genetic progress
✔ Long-term flock performance

Resources Mentioned:

🌐 Bryant's Roost: Bryant's Roost

🌐 Poultry Nerds Podcast: Poultry Nerds Podcast

🌐 Beyond the Egg: Beyond the Egg

Keywords: coturnix quail, quail breeding, quail selection, selecting breeding quail, quail genetics, coturnix breeder, jumbo coturnix quail, quail egg production, meat quail, quail hatchability, quail fertility, quail farming, backyard quail, homestead quail, raising quail, quail breeder tips, quail conformation, poultry breeding, poultry genetics, celadon quail, feather sexable quail, quail husbandry, quail management, quail flock improvement, poultry nerds podcast, Bryant's Roost.

#CoturnixQuail #QuailBreeding #QuailSelection #RaisingQuail #Homesteading #BackyardPoultry #PoultryNerdsPodcast #BryantsRoost #QuailEggs #MeatQuail #QuailFarm #PoultryBreeding #QuailGenetics #CeladonQuail #JumboCoturnixQuail

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EggFoam.com get your egg shippers and live shipping boxes and always get free shipping!

ShowPro feed supplement for all your feathered friends! Grow them bigger and healthier with the best ingredients.

Coturnix Quail hatching eggs from Bryant's Roost, including jumbo celadons!

Quail cartons and Supplies from Double R Farms

Please subscribe to our podcast and leave a review, we appreciate you.  And if you have a subject request, email us. PoultryNerds@Gmail.com

Broody Chickens : Care, feed and breaking them11 Jun 202600:37:06

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Broody hens are a natural part of chicken keeping, but they can be confusing and frustrating if you don't understand what's happening.

In this episode of the Poultry Nerds Podcast, Jennifer Bryant and Carey Blackmon take a deep dive into broodiness—what causes it, how to recognize it, and what poultry keepers should do when a hen decides it's time to hatch chicks.

You'll learn about the hormonal changes that drive broody behavior, why some breeds are more likely to go broody than others, and how broodiness affects feed intake, body condition, egg production, and flock management. The discussion also covers practical strategies for managing broody hens, including when to encourage natural incubation, when to intervene, and science-based methods for breaking broodiness when necessary.

Whether you're dealing with your first broody hen or managing a flock of dedicated mothers, this episode will help you understand the biology behind the behavior and make informed decisions for your birds.

In this episode:

• Signs that a hen has gone broody
• The role of prolactin and reproductive hormones
• Breeds known for strong broodiness
• Natural incubation versus artificial incubation
• Health considerations during broodiness
• How to break a broody hen safely and effectively
• Managing broody hens in breeding and production flocks
• Common myths and misconceptions about broodiness

Join us as we explore one of the most fascinating instincts in poultry and discuss how to work with—or against—nature when a hen decides she wants to become a mother.

For more poultry education, visit PoultryNerdsPodcast.com.

Support the show

Feel Free to email us at - PoultryNerds@gmail.com

Join us on Facebook at - https://www.facebook.com/PoultryNerds

Sign up for News at PoultryNerds.com

EggFoam.com get your egg shippers and live shipping boxes and always get free shipping!

ShowPro feed supplement for all your feathered friends! Grow them bigger and healthier with the best ingredients.

Coturnix Quail hatching eggs from Bryant's Roost, including jumbo celadons!

Quail cartons and Supplies from Double R Farms

Please subscribe to our podcast and leave a review, we appreciate you.  And if you have a subject request, email us. PoultryNerds@Gmail.com

Feed, supplements and Carey's BIG announcement!04 Jun 202600:48:16

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What should you feed your chickens, quail, and other poultry? Does protein really matter? Are expensive feeds worth the cost? And how much does nutrition impact hatchability, chick quality, and flock performance?

In this episode of the Poultry Nerds Podcast, Jennifer Bryant and Carey Blackmon tackle listener questions about poultry feed and nutrition. They discuss feed formulations, protein levels, breeder nutrition, common feeding mistakes, and how proper nutrition affects everything from egg production to hatch rates.

Whether you're raising a backyard flock, breeding exhibition birds, or trying to improve your hatch results, this episode is packed with practical information to help you make better feeding decisions.

Plus, congratulations to Carey and the Show Pro Feed team on the launch of their new storefront! Be sure to visit ShowProFarmSupply.com to learn more about their products and support a growing small business serving poultry keepers.

Resources mentioned in this episode:
• Download Carey's Poultry Feed Requirements Guide
• Learn more at PoultryNerdsPodcast.com
• Visit ShowProFarmSupply.com

Have a question for a future episode? Submit it through the Poultry Nerds website and it may be featured on an upcoming show.

Support the show

Feel Free to email us at - PoultryNerds@gmail.com

Join us on Facebook at - https://www.facebook.com/PoultryNerds

Sign up for News at PoultryNerds.com

EggFoam.com get your egg shippers and live shipping boxes and always get free shipping!

ShowPro feed supplement for all your feathered friends! Grow them bigger and healthier with the best ingredients.

Coturnix Quail hatching eggs from Bryant's Roost, including jumbo celadons!

Quail cartons and Supplies from Double R Farms

Please subscribe to our podcast and leave a review, we appreciate you.  And if you have a subject request, email us. PoultryNerds@Gmail.com

What to feed my chickens, dry incubating/hatching, and more listener questions answered28 May 202600:43:22

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From hobby chickens to homesteading chickens, we all have questions.  In this episode we discuss feeding chickens to dry hatching and more!  

Hatching Marans

Dry hatching

washing hatching eggs

Exploding eggs

Chick Electrolytes

Hatching Upright

Listen on your favorite platforms, youtube and on the www.PoultryNerdsPodcast.com 

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Sign up for News at PoultryNerds.com

EggFoam.com get your egg shippers and live shipping boxes and always get free shipping!

ShowPro feed supplement for all your feathered friends! Grow them bigger and healthier with the best ingredients.

Coturnix Quail hatching eggs from Bryant's Roost, including jumbo celadons!

Quail cartons and Supplies from Double R Farms

Please subscribe to our podcast and leave a review, we appreciate you.  And if you have a subject request, email us. PoultryNerds@Gmail.com

Coffee Eggers, Homesteading & Hatching with Little Willow Homestead21 May 202600:35:11

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In this episode of the Poultry Nerds Podcast, Jennifer Bryant and Carey Blackmon sits down with Jessica from Little Willow Homestead to talk about chickens, homesteading, hatching, and building a recognizable brand in the poultry world.

The conversation covers the story behind the “Coffee Egger,”  connecting with fellow homesteaders, and the realities of growing a homestead-focused platform while balancing everyday farm life.

Whether you’re a backyard chicken keeper, breeder, or simply love the homesteading lifestyle, this episode is full of relatable conversation and practical insight from someone actively building a community around poultry and rural living.

Be sure to visit:
Bryant’s Roost – https://bryantsroost.com

Carey Blackmon - https://CareyBlackmon.com
Poultry Nerds Podcast – https://poultrynerdspodcast.com


Subscribe for more poultry education, breeder discussions, incubation tips, and homesteading conversations.

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Sign up for News at PoultryNerds.com

EggFoam.com get your egg shippers and live shipping boxes and always get free shipping!

ShowPro feed supplement for all your feathered friends! Grow them bigger and healthier with the best ingredients.

Coturnix Quail hatching eggs from Bryant's Roost, including jumbo celadons!

Quail cartons and Supplies from Double R Farms

Please subscribe to our podcast and leave a review, we appreciate you.  And if you have a subject request, email us. PoultryNerds@Gmail.com

Heritage Chicken vs Hybrid Broilers: Flavor, Cost, Health & Reality Explained14 May 202600:43:57

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In this episode of the Poultry Nerds Podcast, Carey and Jennifer break down the real-world differences between heritage chickens, hybrid broilers, and the Cornish Cross birds used in commercial meat production. If you’ve ever wondered why home-raised chicken tastes different than store-bought chicken — or whether raising your own meat birds is actually worth it — this episode dives deep into the truth most people never hear.

From Orpingtons and dual-purpose heritage breeds to fast-growing commercial broilers like the Cobb and Ross lines, this conversation explores flavor, texture, nutrition, growth rates, feed management, processing timelines, bone broth quality, freezer space, bird welfare, and the realities of modern poultry production.

Jennifer also shares firsthand experience raising large batches of Cornish Cross birds, including the smell, management challenges, leg problems, feed consumption, mortality issues, and why many homesteaders eventually transition toward slower-growing heritage breeds instead.

You’ll also learn why older pasture-raised birds produce darker, richer, more nutrient-dense broth, how exercise and bone development affect flavor and texture, and why many traditional chicken breeds create a completely different eating experience than what most people buy at the grocery store.

Whether you raise backyard chickens, homestead, process your own meat birds, or simply want healthier and better-tasting food for your family, this episode offers practical, honest insight without the fluff.

Topics Covered:

  •  Heritage chickens vs Cornish Cross 
  •  Hybrid broiler chickens explained 
  •  Why grocery store chicken tastes different 
  •  Raising meat birds at home 
  •  Pasture-raised poultry management 
  •  Chicken flavor and texture differences 
  •  Bone broth from heritage birds 
  •  Feed costs and freezer planning 
  •  Broiler health and growth problems 
  •  Best chickens for self-sufficiency and homesteading 

Valley Hatchery is a proud sponsor of Poultry Nerds, find more at ValleyHatchery.com

Support the show

Feel Free to email us at - PoultryNerds@gmail.com

Join us on Facebook at - https://www.facebook.com/PoultryNerds

Sign up for News at PoultryNerds.com

EggFoam.com get your egg shippers and live shipping boxes and always get free shipping!

ShowPro feed supplement for all your feathered friends! Grow them bigger and healthier with the best ingredients.

Coturnix Quail hatching eggs from Bryant's Roost, including jumbo celadons!

Quail cartons and Supplies from Double R Farms

Please subscribe to our podcast and leave a review, we appreciate you.  And if you have a subject request, email us. PoultryNerds@Gmail.com

Silkies Aren’t “Just Cute”—Here’s What You’re Missing07 May 202600:36:01

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Silkie chickens are one of the most misunderstood breeds in poultry—and most people are getting it wrong.

In this episode of the Poultry Nerds Podcast, we sit down with veterinarian Dr. Nicole to break down what actually matters when it comes to breeding, raising, and selecting high-quality Silkies.

From genetics and defects to breed standards and real-world care, this episode cuts through the fluff and gives you practical knowledge you can actually use.

We cover everything from the truth behind Silkie traits like black skin and five toes, to common defects like crossbeak, duck toe, and poor crest structure—and how to identify and eliminate them from your breeding program.

We also dive into incubation, egg selection, housing challenges, and why Silkies require a completely different level of care than most chickens.

No guesswork. No gatekeeping. Just real poultry education.

We believe poultry breeders deserve accurate information, proven methods, and real guidance—not opinions, trends, or bad advice from people who aren’t doing it.

If you're serious about improving your birds, this episode is for you.

Support the show

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Sign up for News at PoultryNerds.com

EggFoam.com get your egg shippers and live shipping boxes and always get free shipping!

ShowPro feed supplement for all your feathered friends! Grow them bigger and healthier with the best ingredients.

Coturnix Quail hatching eggs from Bryant's Roost, including jumbo celadons!

Quail cartons and Supplies from Double R Farms

Please subscribe to our podcast and leave a review, we appreciate you.  And if you have a subject request, email us. PoultryNerds@Gmail.com

How to Start a Poultry Breeding Program: What Every New Breeder Needs to Know30 Apr 202600:51:27

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How do you actually start a poultry breeding program? Carey and Jennifer break down the realities of building a breeding program from the ground up — from picking the right breed and finding a reputable source, to understanding culls, genetics, and the five-year timeline most beginners don’t expect.
In this episode, you’ll learn how to evaluate breed traits, why visiting a poultry show beats scrolling Facebook, the difference between standard-bred, utility, and English-style birds, and how phenotype and genotype actually work. We share the resources that helped us most — including the APA Standard of Perfection, Kenny Troiano’s Breeders Academy, Brian Reeder’s color genetics work, and Sigrid Van Dort’s books — plus practical advice on housing, hatching numbers, mentorship etiquette, and keeping your own records.
Whether you raise chickens, turkeys, ducks, quail, or gamefowl, this episode gives you the framework to build a real breeding program without making the costly mistakes most beginners make.


Companion blog: poultrynerdspodcast.com/blog

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Sign up for News at PoultryNerds.com

EggFoam.com get your egg shippers and live shipping boxes and always get free shipping!

ShowPro feed supplement for all your feathered friends! Grow them bigger and healthier with the best ingredients.

Coturnix Quail hatching eggs from Bryant's Roost, including jumbo celadons!

Quail cartons and Supplies from Double R Farms

Please subscribe to our podcast and leave a review, we appreciate you.  And if you have a subject request, email us. PoultryNerds@Gmail.com

Splash, Ermine & Modeled: Decoding Americana Color Genetics with Gina Wrather23 Apr 202600:48:58

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Gina Wrather of Wrather Farms in Columbia, Tennessee returns to break down three of the most visually stunning — and most misunderstood — color varieties in Americana chickens. We dig into the genetics behind Splash, Ermine, and Modeled, explain why a recessive gene can hide for 20 years before showing up in your hatch, and talk about the breeder responsibility that comes with selling birds. If you've ever hatched a surprise chick and wondered where it came from, this episode is for you.

Join the Poultry Nerds and Gina Wrather from Wrather Farms as we breakdown backyard and exhibition breeding tactics.

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Sign up for News at PoultryNerds.com

EggFoam.com get your egg shippers and live shipping boxes and always get free shipping!

ShowPro feed supplement for all your feathered friends! Grow them bigger and healthier with the best ingredients.

Coturnix Quail hatching eggs from Bryant's Roost, including jumbo celadons!

Quail cartons and Supplies from Double R Farms

Please subscribe to our podcast and leave a review, we appreciate you.  And if you have a subject request, email us. PoultryNerds@Gmail.com

Not All Eggs Are Created Equal — Egg Selection for Hatching16 Apr 202600:46:10

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Think you can just toss any egg in the incubator? Think again. In this episode of Poultry Nerds, we go nest box to incubator — sorting real eggs by weight, shape, shell quality, and cleanliness to show you exactly what to set and what to skip. We cover large fowl, quail, and celadon eggs, break down double yolkers, torpedo shapes, golf balls, and the perfect 67-gram specimen. Plus — a listener question about noisy roosters and how to keep your neighbors from losing their minds. Whether you're brand new or refining a breeding program, this one's packed with practical knowledge.

🐣 Topics covered: gram weight ranges, egg shape, shell texture, dirty vs. washed eggs, quail egg selection, celadon quirks, separating hatching baskets by egg quality, and why your hatch rate problems might start at the nest box — not the incubator.

🔗 Join the Incubation Masterclass: incubationmasterclass.com

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EggFoam.com get your egg shippers and live shipping boxes and always get free shipping!

ShowPro feed supplement for all your feathered friends! Grow them bigger and healthier with the best ingredients.

Coturnix Quail hatching eggs from Bryant's Roost, including jumbo celadons!

Quail cartons and Supplies from Double R Farms

Please subscribe to our podcast and leave a review, we appreciate you.  And if you have a subject request, email us. PoultryNerds@Gmail.com

10 Things You Don't Wanna Mess Up With Your Chickens (But You Will) | Chicken Care for Beginners09 Apr 202600:52:10

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Whether you've already impulse-bought chicks at Tractor Supply or you're planning your first flock, this episode is your roadmap to avoiding the most common beginner chicken-keeping mistakes. We answer real listener questions from a first-time chicken owner — covering nesting boxes, safe treats for kids to give chickens, when to stop using a heat lamp, and whether water supplements are worth the money. Then we dive into our list of 10 critical mistakes new flock owners make: impulse buying without a plan, brooder setup errors, sizing your coop wrong, ignoring predator protection (yes, chicken wire is useless), choosing the wrong feed for your birds' life stage, misunderstanding biosecurity risks, skimping on ventilation, and not deciding ahead of time how you'll handle sick birds. We also cover why you need to know your *why* before you ever bring home a chick — pets, livestock, bug control, or show birds all require a different approach. Plus: the truth about prebuilt kit coops, hardware cloth vs chicken wire, aerial predator netting, and why incubation is basically the most addictive hobby in backyard farming.

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ShowPro feed supplement for all your feathered friends! Grow them bigger and healthier with the best ingredients.

Coturnix Quail hatching eggs from Bryant's Roost, including jumbo celadons!

Quail cartons and Supplies from Double R Farms

Please subscribe to our podcast and leave a review, we appreciate you.  And if you have a subject request, email us. PoultryNerds@Gmail.com

Shipping Hatching Eggs, Buying Better Birds & Incubation Mistakes to Avoid | Poultry Nerds Podcast02 Apr 202600:44:43

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In this episode of the Poultry Nerds Podcast, we get into the real-world side of shipping hatching eggs, buying from breeders, hatch rate expectations, incubation mistakes, poultry medications, NPIP misconceptions, and how to find quality hatching eggs.

We talk through what actually matters when you’re buying hatching eggs or live birds, what questions to ask a breeder, how nutrition affects fertility and hatchability, why some eggs should never be shipped, and the red flags people ignore when they’re shopping for birds online.

We also break down:
 how to choose which hatching eggs are worth shipping,
 why damaged, torpedo-shaped, oversized, undersized, dirty, or questionable eggs should be culled from hatching orders,
 why shipping partially incubated eggs is a bad idea,
 how chilling, handling, and stressing embryos can reduce hatch rates,
 what buyers should ask breeders about feed, flock management, medications, and shipping methods,
 why NPIP is not the same thing as breeder quality,
 how poor nutrition and bad breeder practices can affect developing chicks,
 why shipping materials matter,
 what to know about egg age, embryo age, and improper storage,
 and how to find better hatching egg sellers without gambling on social media.

This episode is for anyone raising quail, chickens, or other poultry who wants better hatch rates, stronger chicks, and fewer expensive mistakes. If you’ve ever bought hatching eggs online, struggled with incubation, or wondered how to tell a quality breeder from a bad one, this is a conversation you need to hear. 

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EggFoam.com get your egg shippers and live shipping boxes and always get free shipping!

ShowPro feed supplement for all your feathered friends! Grow them bigger and healthier with the best ingredients.

Coturnix Quail hatching eggs from Bryant's Roost, including jumbo celadons!

Quail cartons and Supplies from Double R Farms

Please subscribe to our podcast and leave a review, we appreciate you.  And if you have a subject request, email us. PoultryNerds@Gmail.com

Pasture Poultry, Feed Freedom, Duckweed & Natural Flock Health with Blaze of Bad Baxter Farm26 Mar 202600:43:49

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In this episode of the Poultry Nerds Podcast, we sit down with Blaze from Bad Baxter Farm in Wynnewood, Oklahoma to talk about raising poultry and livestock in a more natural, practical, and self-sustaining way.

Blaze shares how her health journey led her deeper into nutrition, homesteading, growing her own food, and building a farm focused on stronger animals, better management, and less dependence on bagged feed and constant medications. We talk about what it really looks like to raise birds on pasture, why ducks are underrated, how closed flocks can help build stronger birds, and why so many health problems in poultry come back to management, environment, and nutrition.

We also get into:

  •  pasture-raised chickens, ducks, quail, rabbits, and turkeys 
  •  feed freedom and reducing dependence on commercial feed 
  •  duckweed as a low-cost, high-protein livestock supplement 
  •  natural flock health and disease prevention 
  •  coccidiosis prevention, probiotics, whey, and yogurt 
  •  why ducks may outperform chickens on some homesteads 
  •  breed choices, breeding goals, and raising what actually works 
  •  how strong animals are built through better systems, not just more medication 

This is a real conversation about learning the hard way, building healthier flocks, and creating a farm system that works in the real world—not just on paper.

If you care about poultry nutrition, pasture poultry, natural flock management, homesteading, feed alternatives, and raising healthier birds, this episode is for you.

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EggFoam.com get your egg shippers and live shipping boxes and always get free shipping!

ShowPro feed supplement for all your feathered friends! Grow them bigger and healthier with the best ingredients.

Coturnix Quail hatching eggs from Bryant's Roost, including jumbo celadons!

Quail cartons and Supplies from Double R Farms

Please subscribe to our podcast and leave a review, we appreciate you.  And if you have a subject request, email us. PoultryNerds@Gmail.com

Bresse Chickens Explained | Breeding, Processing, Selection & Why We Prefer Them Over Cornish19 Mar 202600:45:53

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Today we’re talking all about Bresse chickens and why they’ve become one of our favorite breeds for a self-sustaining flock.

In this episode, we cover:

  • Why we prefer Bresse over Cornish in many situations
  • Meat quality, tenderness, and ideal processing age
  • How to select breeder birds for width, body shape, and table quality
  • Egg size, egg selection, and incubation tips
  • How to build a breeding program around your goals
  • The difference between breeding for production versus breeding for show
  • Why Bresse may be one of the best chickens for homesteaders who want both meat and eggs

If you’ve been wondering whether Bresse chickens are worth the hype, or you want a better long-term option for meat production on your farm, this episode is for you.


Bresse chickens, Bresse chicken breeding, Bresse meat birds, best meat chicken breed, Cornish vs Bresse, self sufficient chickens, dual purpose chickens, homestead poultry, backyard chickens, poultry breeding, meat bird selection, chicken processing, incubation, hatching eggs, sustainable poultry

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EggFoam.com get your egg shippers and live shipping boxes and always get free shipping!

ShowPro feed supplement for all your feathered friends! Grow them bigger and healthier with the best ingredients.

Coturnix Quail hatching eggs from Bryant's Roost, including jumbo celadons!

Quail cartons and Supplies from Double R Farms

Please subscribe to our podcast and leave a review, we appreciate you.  And if you have a subject request, email us. PoultryNerds@Gmail.com

Frozen Quail Feeders Explained | Falconry, Reptiles, Culling & Shipping Tips12 Mar 202600:39:55

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On this episode of the Poultry Nerds Podcast, we sit down with Brent from Zero G Quail Farm to talk all about frozen quail feeders, who buys them, how they are sized, packaged, processed, and shipped, and why they can be a valuable outlet for quail breeders.

We also go down some fun rabbit holes, including the history of quail hatched in space, the strange legal gray areas around keeping quail, and the surprising demand from the falconry community, reptile owners, raw feeders, and more.

In this episode, we cover:

What frozen feeder quail are and why people buy them

Falconry birds, reptiles, zoos, rescues, and raw feeding markets

How breeders use feeders as an outlet for culls

Sizing birds by weight for customers

Packaging and freezing tips that make birds look better and store better

Cervical dislocation vs. CO2 dispatch

Handling breeder birds vs. younger birds

Shipping challenges, dry ice, delivery logistics, and customer expectations

Using more of the bird for added value

Why setting boundaries matters if you want to turn quail into a business

If you raise quail, breed coturnix, sell feeders, or want to understand another side of the poultry world, this episode is packed with practical insight and real-world experience.

Guest: Brent of Zero G Quail Farm
Website: Zero G Quail Farms
Community Mentioned: Incubation Masterclass Facebook Group

Subscribe for more episodes on:
quail farming, poultry breeding, incubation, gamebirds, nutrition, business strategy, and practical poultry management.

#PoultryNerdsPodcast #QuailFarming #FrozenFeeders #CoturnixQuail #Falconry #ReptileFeeders #QuailBreeding #BackyardPoultry #Homesteading #PoultryPodcast #RawFeeding #Gamebirds #Incubation #QuailBusiness

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EggFoam.com get your egg shippers and live shipping boxes and always get free shipping!

ShowPro feed supplement for all your feathered friends! Grow them bigger and healthier with the best ingredients.

Coturnix Quail hatching eggs from Bryant's Roost, including jumbo celadons!

Quail cartons and Supplies from Double R Farms

Please subscribe to our podcast and leave a review, we appreciate you.  And if you have a subject request, email us. PoultryNerds@Gmail.com

Thinking About Raising Quail? What You MUST Know Before You Start05 Mar 202600:38:00

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Thinking about raising quail but not sure how to get started?

In this episode of the Poultry Nerds Podcast, we walk through the real decisions every beginner faces when starting with quail. Should you buy hatching eggs, chicks, or adult birds? What equipment do you really need? And what housing systems work best for backyard quail keepers?

We also explain the true costs of starting a quail flock, the pros and cons of different setups, and how experienced breeders plan their operations before buying their first birds.

Whether you're interested in quail for eggs, meat, breeding, or homesteading, this episode will help you build a clear plan before investing money in birds or equipment.

In this episode we discuss

• Starting quail with eggs vs chicks vs mature birds
• The real cost of incubators, brooders, and equipment
• How shipping live birds through USPS actually works
• Different housing options: cages, hutches, aviaries, and barns
• Why planning your quail goals saves money and frustration
• How quail compare to chickens for eggs, meat, and breeding

Quail are one of the fastest growing poultry species, reaching maturity in just a few weeks, making them ideal for backyard farmers, breeders, and homesteaders.

🎧 Listen now and learn how to start raising quail the right way.

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EggFoam.com get your egg shippers and live shipping boxes and always get free shipping!

ShowPro feed supplement for all your feathered friends! Grow them bigger and healthier with the best ingredients.

Coturnix Quail hatching eggs from Bryant's Roost, including jumbo celadons!

Quail cartons and Supplies from Double R Farms

Please subscribe to our podcast and leave a review, we appreciate you.  And if you have a subject request, email us. PoultryNerds@Gmail.com

The Incredible Edible Egg Hatching | Incubation Science, Air Cells, Shipped Eggs & Hatch Rate Secrets27 Feb 202600:44:23

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Is the egg just a shell with a chick inside?

Not even close.

In this episode of the Poultry Nerds Podcast, we break down the real science behind egg incubation and hatching — and clear up some of the biggest myths spreading through backyard chicken groups.

If you're incubating chicken eggs, quail eggs, duck eggs, or shipped hatching eggs this season, this episode will help you improve your hatch rate and produce stronger, healthier chicks.

We discuss:

  • How breeder nutrition affects egg quality and chick vigor
  • The real structure of the egg (yolk, albumen, membranes, air cell, bloom)
  • Why you should NOT wash hatching eggs
  • Hydrogen peroxide and egg sanitation myths
  • Vertical incubators vs. horizontal turners
  • Why vibration kills embryos
  • Broken air cells from shipped eggs (and how to fix them)
  • Why egg turning during the first third of incubation is critical
  • Humidity mistakes at lockdown that drown chicks
  • Why pullet eggs and misshapen eggs shouldn’t be set

The egg isn’t just a container — it’s a complete biological life-support system designed to grow a chick.

If you want better hatch rates, fewer weak chicks, and less frustration during hatching season, this episode is for you.

Join the conversation inside our Incubation Masterclass Facebook group and hatch smarter this year.

Support the show

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Sign up for News at PoultryNerds.com

EggFoam.com get your egg shippers and live shipping boxes and always get free shipping!

ShowPro feed supplement for all your feathered friends! Grow them bigger and healthier with the best ingredients.

Coturnix Quail hatching eggs from Bryant's Roost, including jumbo celadons!

Quail cartons and Supplies from Double R Farms

Please subscribe to our podcast and leave a review, we appreciate you.  And if you have a subject request, email us. PoultryNerds@Gmail.com

Quail Mania 2 Debrief + Rooster Health: Fertility, Layer Feed Myths, Molt & Aggression19 Feb 202600:49:31

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Quail Mania 2 is officially in the books — and the turnout was huge. In this episode of the Poultry Nerds Podcast, we debrief the event results, what improved from last year, and what’s already being planned for Quail Mania 3 (including a Kids Corner and the possibility of expanding to three days).

Event highlights discussed:

  • 15 speakers, 16 sponsors, and 1,363 participants
  • Over 4,800 live chat messages
  • All-Access Pass availability through May 31 (so you can learn through breeding season)

Then we shift into a topic that directly impacts hatch rates and breeder success: rooster (cock bird) health and fertility.

You’ll learn:

  • Layer feed vs all-flock feed: what’s best during breeding season
  • The truth about calcium and roosters (and why it’s usually a long-term management issue)
  • How fat roosters reduce fertility and performance
  • Molt management and why weight cycling matters
  • Foot health, roost height, and preventing injuries
  • Spur management and protecting hens
  • Easy ways to check fertility before setting a full batch
  • Why aggression shouldn’t be tolerated in a breeding program

If you’re trying to improve fertility, hatchability, and chick quality — this is a must-listen.

Sponsors mentioned: Valley Hatchery (coupon code: QuailMania), Hatching Time, ParcelPath

Support the show

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EggFoam.com get your egg shippers and live shipping boxes and always get free shipping!

ShowPro feed supplement for all your feathered friends! Grow them bigger and healthier with the best ingredients.

Coturnix Quail hatching eggs from Bryant's Roost, including jumbo celadons!

Quail cartons and Supplies from Double R Farms

Please subscribe to our podcast and leave a review, we appreciate you.  And if you have a subject request, email us. PoultryNerds@Gmail.com

Backyard Chicken myths busted12 Feb 202600:41:50

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This week on the podcast we talk about some questions we see asked in our new Facebook group, Incubation Masterclass about incubating and general chicken keeping.  We answer general questions and correct some misinformation we have seen discussed.  Get more confident with your chicken skills after this episode

Support the show

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EggFoam.com get your egg shippers and live shipping boxes and always get free shipping!

ShowPro feed supplement for all your feathered friends! Grow them bigger and healthier with the best ingredients.

Coturnix Quail hatching eggs from Bryant's Roost, including jumbo celadons!

Quail cartons and Supplies from Double R Farms

Please subscribe to our podcast and leave a review, we appreciate you.  And if you have a subject request, email us. PoultryNerds@Gmail.com

The Threes C's of Chicks: Better Hatches, Better Broods, Better Birds06 Feb 202600:37:00

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In this episode of the Poultry Nerds Podcast, we break poultry husbandry down into something simple, practical, and proven: the rule of threes.

Every bird goes through three critical stages of life — incubation, brooding, and grow-out — and in each stage, there are three things that matter most. Miss them, and problems follow. Get them right, and everything gets easier.

We dive into:

  • Egg selection for better hatches (size, shape, shell quality, and why pullet eggs are a hard no)
  • Why constant candling hurts more than it helps — and when checking eggs actually makes sense
  • Turning, tilting, airflow, and avoiding incubator disasters
  • Brooding basics done right: heat, dryness, airflow, and why floors matter more than people think
  • Heat lamps vs brooder plates and how different species really behave
  • Grow-out fundamentals: feeder space, moisture control, and consistent growth
  • Why we don’t medicate, how natural selection strengthens flocks, and what ethical culling really means
  • Common myths, bad habits, and hard truths most breeders won’t say out loud

This episode is equal parts education, experience, and straight talk — no gimmicks, no hype, just what actually works in real barns with real birds.

Whether you raise chickens, quail, turkeys, or gamefowl, this episode will help you hatch stronger chicks, brood them cleaner, and grow them out healthier.

👉 Like, subscribe, and share — and if this helped even one bird do better, it was worth it.

Support the show

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EggFoam.com get your egg shippers and live shipping boxes and always get free shipping!

ShowPro feed supplement for all your feathered friends! Grow them bigger and healthier with the best ingredients.

Coturnix Quail hatching eggs from Bryant's Roost, including jumbo celadons!

Quail cartons and Supplies from Double R Farms

Please subscribe to our podcast and leave a review, we appreciate you.  And if you have a subject request, email us. PoultryNerds@Gmail.com

From Hobby to Hustle: How to Scale Quail Sales + Payments, Websites, and Reviews29 Jan 202600:47:55

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In this episode, we’re talking about how to scale from hobby quail-keeping to a real business—without getting burned by scammers, chargebacks, or platform fees.

Carrie’s back from travel (and we’re recording during an ice storm), so we’re using that momentum to break down the practical business side of quail: how to start selling, how to get paid safely, where to sell online, and how to price correctly when fees stack up. Even if you raise chickens, turkeys, ducks, or other poultry, the same business principles apply.

What we cover:

  • The 3 types of poultry people you’ll run into (and why it matters for learning & scaling)
  • Payment processors: PayPal, Venmo, Zelle — what they do and what they don’t protect
  • Why “Friends & Family” payments are a major red flag for buyers
  • Purchase protection fees (and why sellers must price for them like any other cost of doing business)
  • The buyer/seller trust balance: shipping risk, fair expectations, and chargebacks
  • Selling platforms: Etsy, eBay, Amazon, Shopify, Squarespace (pros, cons, and what fees really cost)
  • Why websites are never “set it and forget it” (and when platform fees might be worth it)
  • The importance of reviews: reading them, leaving honest ones, and building long-term credibility

If you want more business scaling strategy and quail-specific education, check out Quail Mania (free): quailmania.com.

Email us:
Carey@PoultryNerdsPodcast.com
Jennifer@PoultryNerdsPodcast.com
Or: poultrynerds@gmail.com

#Quail #QuailFarming #CoturnixQuail #HatchingEggs #PoultryBusiness #SmallFarmBusiness #FarmMarketing #EtsySeller #eBaySeller #Shopify #Squarespace #PayPal #Venmo #Zelle #Hatching #Incubation #Homesteading #BackyardFarming #PoultryNerdsPodcast #QuailMania

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EggFoam.com get your egg shippers and live shipping boxes and always get free shipping!

ShowPro feed supplement for all your feathered friends! Grow them bigger and healthier with the best ingredients.

Coturnix Quail hatching eggs from Bryant's Roost, including jumbo celadons!

Quail cartons and Supplies from Double R Farms

Please subscribe to our podcast and leave a review, we appreciate you.  And if you have a subject request, email us. PoultryNerds@Gmail.com

How HP Murray Built a Quail Operation: Imports, Brooder Houses, Automatic Waterers & Quail Math22 Jan 202600:50:38

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In this episode of the Poultry Nerds Podcast, we sit down with HP Murray of Gopher Ridge Farms for an honest, behind-the-scenes conversation about raising quail, building efficient farm systems, and how quail math can turn a small hobby into a full-time operation.

HP shares his journey from growing up on a farm, stepping away from agriculture, and then returning to it through quail after retirement. From early brooding mistakes to importing German quail lines, this episode is packed with real-world experience you won’t find in a textbook.

Topics covered in this episode include:

  • How HP got started raising quail and what he learned the hard way
  • Why quail quickly become a 7-day-a-week commitment
  • Importing quail eggs from Germany and introducing new genetics
  • Building your own quail lines through selection instead of constantly adding “new blood”
  • Designing a brooder house for heat, ventilation, and ammonia control
  • Moving away from stacked cages to a low-maintenance, one-level cage system
  • Why automatic waterers can dramatically reduce daily labor
  • Raising and managing gamebirds like chukars and bobwhites
  • Lessons learned from decades of breeding, hatching, and scaling production

Whether you raise quail for eggs, meat, breeding, or business, this episode offers practical insight from someone who has lived it—mistakes, successes, and all.

👉 Subscribe to the Poultry Nerds Podcast for real poultry education, honest conversations, and experience-based learning.

Support the show

Feel Free to email us at - PoultryNerds@gmail.com

Join us on Facebook at - https://www.facebook.com/PoultryNerds

Sign up for News at PoultryNerds.com

EggFoam.com get your egg shippers and live shipping boxes and always get free shipping!

ShowPro feed supplement for all your feathered friends! Grow them bigger and healthier with the best ingredients.

Coturnix Quail hatching eggs from Bryant's Roost, including jumbo celadons!

Quail cartons and Supplies from Double R Farms

Please subscribe to our podcast and leave a review, we appreciate you.  And if you have a subject request, email us. PoultryNerds@Gmail.com

What are celadon quail eggs, and why are blue eggs one of the most misunderstood topics in the quail world?15 Jan 202600:26:37

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In this episode of the Poultry Nerds Podcast, we break down the celadon gene, explain how true blue eggs are formed, and clear up common myths surrounding celadon quail breeding. From genetics and egg shell pigmentation to breeding mistakes and record-keeping challenges, this episode delivers real education without the fluff.

We discuss:

  • What the celadon gene actually does
  • Why blue eggs are blue all the way through
  • The difference between true blue lines and random blue eggs
  • Why celadons are NOT harder to hatch
  • The importance of proper egg selection
  • How recessive genetics impact celadon breeding
  • Why plumage color does NOT indicate celadon genetics
  • Why older hens lay lighter blue eggs
  • Common social media myths about blue eggs and celadons

We also explain why many people unknowingly sell celadon carriers instead of true celadons, and how improper breeding can ruin a celadon program.

This episode is part of our Quail Mania countdown, leading up to one of the biggest quail education events of the year.

🎟️ Join Quail Mania (Free or VIP):
https://www.quailmania.com

Whether you’re new to quail or working toward a true blue celadon line, this episode will help you understand the science, genetics, and practical realities behind celadon quail eggs.

👉 Subscribe to the Poultry Nerds Podcast for honest poultry education and myth-busting conversations.

Support the show

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Sign up for News at PoultryNerds.com

EggFoam.com get your egg shippers and live shipping boxes and always get free shipping!

ShowPro feed supplement for all your feathered friends! Grow them bigger and healthier with the best ingredients.

Coturnix Quail hatching eggs from Bryant's Roost, including jumbo celadons!

Quail cartons and Supplies from Double R Farms

Please subscribe to our podcast and leave a review, we appreciate you.  And if you have a subject request, email us. PoultryNerds@Gmail.com

Poultry Pro App Explained: Using Data, Genetics & Technology to Breed Better Birds | Poultry Nerds Podcast08 Jan 202600:38:41

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In this episode of the Poultry Nerds Podcast, we’re joined by Brie—agricultural engineering student, software developer, and creator of the Poultry Pro app—to explore how data, genetics, and technology are transforming modern poultry breeding.

Brie shares how her background in agricultural engineering and livestock systems led her from managing endless spreadsheets to building Poultry Pro, a powerful yet easy-to-use platform designed specifically for poultry keepers. Whether you raise backyard chickens, quail, or large breeding flocks, this episode breaks down how tracking the right information can save time, improve results, and increase profitability.

We cover how Poultry Pro helps poultry breeders:

  • Track egg production, fertility, hatchability, and feed usage
  • Manage individual birds, flocks, pedigrees, and genetic traits
  • Monitor health checks and condition scores before problems arise
  • Calculate cost per egg, cost per bird, and overall farm profitability
  • Export financial data for Schedule F and farm records
  • Benchmark performance against real breeder averages

We also discuss the challenges of building agricultural apps, why mobile apps matter for today’s breeders, and how data-driven decision-making leads to stronger, healthier birds.

If you want to stop guessing and start breeding with confidence, this episode is packed with practical insight and real-world poultry knowledge you can apply immediately.

poultry podcast, poultry breeding, Poultry Pro, chicken genetics, quail breeding, poultry data tracking, backyard chickens, poultry health, farm management software, poultry records, livestock technology, agricultural engineering, precision farming, poultry finances, Schedule F, Quail Mania, Poultry Nerds

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Sign up for News at PoultryNerds.com

EggFoam.com get your egg shippers and live shipping boxes and always get free shipping!

ShowPro feed supplement for all your feathered friends! Grow them bigger and healthier with the best ingredients.

Coturnix Quail hatching eggs from Bryant's Roost, including jumbo celadons!

Quail cartons and Supplies from Double R Farms

Please subscribe to our podcast and leave a review, we appreciate you.  And if you have a subject request, email us. PoultryNerds@Gmail.com

Quail Mania 2 Is Here! | 2025 Recap, 2026 Preview & Why Quail Just Make Sense01 Jan 202600:32:46

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Happy New Year and welcome to Year 3 of the Poultry Nerds Podcast! 🎉
We just crossed 50,000 downloads, and in this episode we’re celebrating by looking back at 2025, looking ahead to 2026, and breaking down why quail are becoming one of the smartest poultry choices today.

We officially announce Quail Mania 2, a free, two-day online quail education event packed with expert speakers, real-world knowledge, giveaways, and incubation insight — from first egg to freezer or business.

In this episode, we cover:

  • What we learned from launching the first Quail Mania
  • Why quail are easier, faster, and more efficient than chickens
  • Real timelines: incubation, growth, laying, and harvest
  • Feed-to-meat cost comparisons (real numbers)
  • Why quail are perfect for small spaces and urban setups
  • How quail fit modern homesteading and food planning
  • What to expect from Quail Mania 2 in February

Whether you’re a chicken keeper curious about quail, a homesteader looking for efficient protein, or someone ready to scale quail production up or down — this episode gives you clarity and a plan.

🎟️ Quail Mania 2
📅 February 14–15
🎥 Free to attend all weekend
🎁 Giveaways, expert speakers, incubation education
👉 Learn more & register: quailmania.com


quail farming, raising quail, quail eggs, quail meat, backyard quail, homesteading podcast, poultry podcast, small scale farming, quail incubation, quail vs chickens, urban homestead, sustainable protein, poultry education, quail business, quail hatching

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ShowPro feed supplement for all your feathered friends! Grow them bigger and healthier with the best ingredients.

Coturnix Quail hatching eggs from Bryant's Roost, including jumbo celadons!

Quail cartons and Supplies from Double R Farms

Please subscribe to our podcast and leave a review, we appreciate you.  And if you have a subject request, email us. PoultryNerds@Gmail.com

Merry Christmas from the Poultry Nerds | Gratitude, Growth & What’s Coming in 202625 Dec 202500:04:03

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A short Christmas thank-you from the Poultry Nerds Podcast, plus a look at strange warm winter weather, laying turkeys, hidden duck nests, and what is coming in 2026.

Jennifer Bryant and Carey Blackmon thank listeners around the world for two years of the Poultry Nerds Podcast, more than 50,000 downloads, two online courses, and a yearly live event. They also talk about a record-warm Christmas, turkeys and hens laying out of season, finding a hidden duck nest of unknown age, and new things coming for backyard chicken, quail, and turkey keepers in 2026.

For backyard poultry keepers and longtime Poultry Nerds listeners.

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EggFoam.com get your egg shippers and live shipping boxes and always get free shipping!

ShowPro feed supplement for all your feathered friends! Grow them bigger and healthier with the best ingredients.

Coturnix Quail hatching eggs from Bryant's Roost, including jumbo celadons!

Quail cartons and Supplies from Double R Farms

Please subscribe to our podcast and leave a review, we appreciate you.  And if you have a subject request, email us. PoultryNerds@Gmail.com

What Happens To The Rest of The Bird?18 Dec 202500:36:30

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Nose-to-tail poultry: how to use the whole chicken, quail, or turkey after processing, from bone broth and schmaltz to pet treats, bone meal, and manure for the garden.

Jennifer Bryant and Carey Blackmon share how they get the most out of every bird they raise with little to no waste. They cover skinning and spatchcocking quail, sorting parts on processing day, saving hearts, livers, and gizzards, dehydrated pet treats from wings, feet, heads, and backs, making and concentrating bone broth in an Instant Pot, freeze-drying broth into powder, rendering schmaltz, cooking tough legs and thighs from heritage turkeys, slicing turkey breast for sandwiches, grinding meat from older birds, homemade dog food, bone meal, feather and skull crafts, feeding scraps to pigs, and composting and spreading poultry manure on pastures and orchards.

For backyard chicken keepers, homesteaders, and anyone raising their own meat birds.

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Feel Free to email us at - PoultryNerds@gmail.com

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Sign up for News at PoultryNerds.com

EggFoam.com get your egg shippers and live shipping boxes and always get free shipping!

ShowPro feed supplement for all your feathered friends! Grow them bigger and healthier with the best ingredients.

Coturnix Quail hatching eggs from Bryant's Roost, including jumbo celadons!

Quail cartons and Supplies from Double R Farms

Please subscribe to our podcast and leave a review, we appreciate you.  And if you have a subject request, email us. PoultryNerds@Gmail.com

From backyard breeder to full time business, move your quail and chickens to the Next Level 11 Dec 202500:42:52

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How to track quail and chicken business expenses, egg production, hatch rates, and sales so you know if your backyard flock is actually profitable.

Jennifer Bryant talks with Christian of Unicus and QuailOS, a quail farmer and software developer who turned a backyard quail hobby into a full-time business. Christian demonstrates QuailOS, a farm management app for poultry keepers, and they discuss tracking bird inventory and feed, logging eggs and hatches, egg production forecasting, invoices and price lists, customer text messaging, shipping labels with destination weather checks for hatching eggs and live birds, a shared good-buyer and bad-buyer risk list, expense and profit reports, time tracking, and exporting your data for your accountant.

For quail and chicken breeders ready to move from backyard hobby to a real small business.

Support the show

Feel Free to email us at - PoultryNerds@gmail.com

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Sign up for News at PoultryNerds.com

EggFoam.com get your egg shippers and live shipping boxes and always get free shipping!

ShowPro feed supplement for all your feathered friends! Grow them bigger and healthier with the best ingredients.

Coturnix Quail hatching eggs from Bryant's Roost, including jumbo celadons!

Quail cartons and Supplies from Double R Farms

Please subscribe to our podcast and leave a review, we appreciate you.  And if you have a subject request, email us. PoultryNerds@Gmail.com

Veterinarian Tips on Managing Worms in Chickens, turkeys and quail04 Dec 202500:37:29

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Worms in chickens, turkeys, and quail explained by a poultry vet: roundworms, tapeworms, cecal worms, fecal float testing, safe deworming, and blackhead disease.

Jennifer Bryant and Carey Blackmon welcome back poultry veterinarian Dr. Teresa Morishita (Dr. M) to talk about internal parasites in backyard flocks. Learn how chickens get worms from worm eggs in the soil, why crowded runs build up worm loads, how a fecal flotation test works and where to get one, the most common worms in poultry including roundworms, tapeworms, gapeworms, and cecal worms, why heavy infections can cause impaction, egg and meat withdrawal times and the FARAD database, the risks of off-label dewormers, routine deworming vs. quarantine and prevention, checking intestines during necropsy, and how cecal worms and earthworms spread blackhead (histomoniasis) from chickens to turkeys.

For backyard chicken keepers, turkey and quail raisers, and anyone bringing new birds into a flock.

Support the show

Feel Free to email us at - PoultryNerds@gmail.com

Join us on Facebook at - https://www.facebook.com/PoultryNerds

Sign up for News at PoultryNerds.com

EggFoam.com get your egg shippers and live shipping boxes and always get free shipping!

ShowPro feed supplement for all your feathered friends! Grow them bigger and healthier with the best ingredients.

Coturnix Quail hatching eggs from Bryant's Roost, including jumbo celadons!

Quail cartons and Supplies from Double R Farms

Please subscribe to our podcast and leave a review, we appreciate you.  And if you have a subject request, email us. PoultryNerds@Gmail.com

Progressive Pied Quail, Genetics, and Black Friday Deals27 Nov 202500:34:53

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Progressive pied Coturnix quail explained: how the progressive pied gene works, how it differs from regular pied, and how to breed jumbo quail for color and size.

Jennifer Bryant and Carey Blackmon welcome back Aaron Guidroz of Guidroz Family Farm in Louisiana to talk about his progressive pied quail project. Learn how this incompletely dominant modifier adds white that increases with age and each molt, why no two birds look alike, how to avoid being scammed by listings for regular pied or tuxedo quail, selecting for crisp feather edges and a balance of white and pattern, crossing onto jumbo Tibetan and Pharaoh lines for size, white wing pied and Celadon quail, using leg bands and cage tags to stay organized, and why brooder plates and lifting brooders off cold floors improve quail chick survival.

For quail keepers, Coturnix breeders, and anyone interested in quail color genetics.

Support the show

Feel Free to email us at - PoultryNerds@gmail.com

Join us on Facebook at - https://www.facebook.com/PoultryNerds

Sign up for News at PoultryNerds.com

EggFoam.com get your egg shippers and live shipping boxes and always get free shipping!

ShowPro feed supplement for all your feathered friends! Grow them bigger and healthier with the best ingredients.

Coturnix Quail hatching eggs from Bryant's Roost, including jumbo celadons!

Quail cartons and Supplies from Double R Farms

Please subscribe to our podcast and leave a review, we appreciate you.  And if you have a subject request, email us. PoultryNerds@Gmail.com

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