The Coop with Meyer Hatchery – Details, episodes & analysis

Welcome back to The Coop Podcast with Meyer Hatchery, a poultry podcast for backyard chicken keepers and anyone starting their poultry journey.

In this teaser episode, Phil and Lauren introduce the return of The Coop Podcast and share what listeners can expect in the season ahead. We talk about starting chickens the right way, from checking local rules and planning your chicken coop setup to choosing the right chicken breeds and caring for your flock with confidence.

Whether you are a beginner chicken keeper, raising chicks for the first time, or expanding into ducks, quail, turkeys, or other backyard poultry, this podcast is here to make poultry keeping approachable, educational, and fun. We will cover chicken care tips, feed and nutrition, egg laying issues, flock management, and real life lessons from years in poultry.

New episodes of this homesteading and backyard farming podcast drop every other week. Subscribe now and join us in the coop.

Don’t forget to place your 2026 Meyer Hatchery order! 🐔 Use code MHYT at meyerhatchery.com for $5 off your order (one-time use per customer, $50 subtotal minimum).

In this episode of The Coop, your new host Blaire is joined by Lauren from the marketing team and Anne from customer service to discuss egg production in cooler weather. Together, they explore the natural reasons hens slow down during fall and winter and share practical tips on how to keep them laying. From the impact of shorter daylight hours to molting and energy conservation, you'll get all the details on managing your flock during seasonal changes. They also answer questions from listeners in different climates and highlight breeds that are excellent year-round layers. Don't miss out on these tips for optimizing your flock's egg production throughout the year!

Check out our Blog on Supplemental Coop Lighting for Egg Production

Shop Meyer Hatchery Poultry Feed

Shop Cold Hardy Chicken Breeds

Are you adding any waterfowl to your flock this year? Brooding waterfowl is such a fun and rewarding experience. Listen as Linda shares tips for brooding waterfowl and get your flock off to a great start!

Wonderful Waterfowl resources
Shop Meyer Hatchery's great selection of waterfowl!
Help Desk Articles all about raising waterfowl

Let’s take a Meyer Moment to talk about my 6 things for brooding chicks. If you’ve ever had the pleasure of chatting with me on the phone, you may have heard my 6 things. It’s a conversation I have with new chicken keepers, and those getting back into the brooding game after years of maintaining the same flock. 

If you follow my six things, you’ll have created a safe brooding environment for your chicks leaving the rest up to nature to take its course. What are my six things? Well, I’m glad you asked. 

Resources

• All About Brooding
• Brooder Supplies

Today we’re talking about keeping different poultry types together. As more and more customers expand their flocks by adding new breeds and eventually new poultry types, it’s a question we often receive. Can my flock live together cohesively? In short, the answer is YES, but there are a few things you need to take into consideration. 

In this episode you'll: 

• Learn Why You Should Brood Your Poultry Types Separately
• Hear Kendra's Two Main Tips For Raising A Mix Flock
• Catch Our Top Considerations For Successful Integration

Important Links:

• Why not to mix species in the brooder - blog
• EP13: Coop Considerations - A Year With Chickens
• EP28: Flying The Coop - A Year With Chickens

Let’s take a Meyer Moment to talk about feed storage.If you keep a very large chicken flock, or like to enjoy the discount that is usually included with bulk purchases, you likely have multiple bags of feed to store. There are a few things to consider when storing feed including location and temperature.

Today we’re talking about our coop organization checklist. We’ve compiled the essentials into one checklist to help you prepare and organize your coop. Organizing your coop is one small task in chicken keeping that can make a big impact. From efficient coop cleanouts to being prepared when weather or predators strike. This is especially helpful for new chicken keepers, but stay tuned seasoned pros you might learn a thing or two! 

In this episode you'll: 

• Discover The Benefit to Keeping Your Coop Organized
• Hear Kendra + Jeff's Favorite Tools
• Catch Some New Ideas For Keeping Your Coop Well Stocked

Important Links:

• Free Download: Coop Organization Checklist
• MM14: Poultry First Aid
• Use Code THECOOP and receive 20% off your first bag of First Saturday Lime, here!
  
  
  

Let’s take a Meyer Moment to talk about pest prevention and treatment. Chickens are superstars at controlling all sorts of small pests, such as ticks and other bugs, but they can become bothered by others such as mites or parasites. These are naturally found in all chicken-keeping situations, but an overload or infestation is when treatment steps need to be taken.  

Today we’re talking about pest control, as part of our Best Of Series. For the month of June, we’re going to dive into the best breeds for pest control. By early June the entire US is moving into warmer temperatures and with it comes the return of bugs. The flying, squirming, crawling, and downright creepy creatures that most would care to avoid. The breeds and poultry types you choose for your flock can help control the infestation of pests, making your outdoor time and theirs more enjoyable.

At one time or another, you’ve dealt with slugs, grasshoppers, Japanese beetles, ticks, flies, snakes, mice, and or spiders. If you’re looking for a natural solution to help control these pests look no further than your feathered flock mates. 

In this episode you'll: 

• Discover The Best Breeds For Pest Control
• Learn Reasons Why Certain Poultry Types Do Best
• Catch A Few Pest Control Considerations

Important Links:

• Chickens
• Heritage Turkeys
• Guineas
• All Geese
  White Chinese Gosling
  Tufted Buff Gosling
  American Buff Gosling
• All Ducks
  Runner Ducklings
  Muscovy Duckling

Let’s take a Meyer Moment to talk about coop building plans. If you are handy and enjoy DIY projects, Meyer Hatchery coop plans are ideal for creating the perfect home for your flock. We offer building plans for all stages of chicken keeping, including brooders and chicken tractors. Each available as an instant download, purchase a plan and start building today!

Resources:

Chicken Tractor Plans

Hover Brooder Plans

DIY Coop Plans