PK360 Audio

In Part 3 of the Poultry Health Master Class on The Poultry Keepers Podcast , hosts Carey Blackmon and Jeff Mattocks continue their deep dive into poultry health, exploring the causes, symptoms, and management of some of the most common ailments affecting flocks today. This educational episode covers Marek’s disease , gout , bumblefoot , rickets , nutritional deficiencies , and chronic respiratory...

In this follow-up episode of the Poultry Keepers Podcast , poultry experts Jeff Mattocks and Carey Blackmon dive deep into the details of building and maintaining reliable poultry water systems for every season. Learn how to design a system that keeps your flock’s water clean, cool, and flowing — even in freezing winter temperatures or summer heat waves. Discover the pros and cons of nipple and cu...

Welcome to another episode of The Poultry Keepers Podcast! In this first part of our two-part deep dive, Carey Blackmon and Jeff Mattocks unpack everything you need to know about poultry water systems—from nipple and cup design to keeping water clean, cool, and algae-free. Whether you’re raising a few backyard hens or managing a larger breeding flock, clean water is critical for bird health, growt...

In this episode of The Poultry Keepers Podcast , Jeff Mattocks and Carey Blackmon continue their Poultry Health Master Class with an in-depth look at real-world health issues every poultry keeper faces. Learn how to recognize early symptoms, identify management causes, and apply effective solutions for viral and bacterial conditions that can affect your flock. Topics covered include: Understanding...

Welcome to The Poultry Keepers Podcast ! In this first installment of our four-part Poultry Health Master Class series, Carey Blackmon and Jeff Mattocks dive deep into the most common poultry health issues—and how to manage them naturally and effectively. In this episode, you’ll learn how to identify and treat: Dry vs. Wet Fowl Pox — what they look like and how they spread Infectious Bursal Diseas...

In Part 2 of Getting Ready for Breeding Season , The Poultry Keepers Podcast continues the conversation with deeper insights into preparing your flock for success. This episode covers critical topics every poultry keeper should know, including: How to manage lighting for optimal fertility without stressing birds The role of water systems and continuous flow setups in maintaining flock health Why n...

Are your chickens truly ready for breeding season? In this episode of The Poultry Keepers Podcast, Jeff Mattocks and Carey Blackmon dive into everything small flock keepers need to know to prepare for a successful breeding program. From selecting the best hens and roosters with the fewest defects, to setting realistic long-term goals for your flock, this discussion lays the foundation for healthie...

In Part 2 of our Heritage Poultry Flock Breeding & Management series, master breeder Frank Reese, Jr. dives into the practical realities of keeping true utility strains going—how many hens you need to maintain genetic diversity, when to share bloodlines with trusted partners, and how hens vs. roosters influence different traits (hens driving body size and skeletal/health; roosters shaping egg...

Heritage poultry breeding isn’t nostalgia—it’s a disciplined, data-driven path to better birds and better outcomes. In Part 1 of this deep-dive, Frank Reese, Jr. joins Carey Blackmon and Jeff Mattocks to unpack what “heritage/standard-bred” really means, how USDA recognizes certified standard-bred labels, and why the American Poultry Association’s Standard matters on the farm and in the marketplac...

Drowning in extra roosters as grow-out season hits? This episode lays out a practical, ethical roadmap so you can plan before you hatch—and avoid the last-minute scramble. We cover the real-world options, their pros and cons, and how to set up a reliable, humane system that fits your space, goals, and local rules.  What you’ll learn Why planning matters: straight-run math, space, feed, timelines,...

In this episode, we introduce Mia Thom , one of our new Poultry Keepers Podcast content creators. Mia shares her inspiring journey raising Black Silver Marans and Silver Cuckoo Marans in Southern Oregon. From her first $10 hen that sparked her passion, to carefully line breeding, selecting for dual-purpose traits, and overcoming challenges like egg color, heat stress, and hatch rates, Mia offers p...

In Part 2 of Nature vs Nurture: Hatching Chicks with Hens or Hatchers , we explore the time-tested traditions of broody hens alongside the science of modern incubators. Discover: How to prepare housing and bedding for a broody hen Why moving a setting hen rarely works and what to do instead The benefits and drawbacks of peat moss, straw, and other bedding options Why incubator calibration is criti...

Thinking about letting a hen hatch her own chicks instead of using an incubator? In this Poultry Keepers Podcast episode, we explore the pros, pitfalls, and fascinating realities of hen hatching.  Learn why some breeds—like Silkies—are famous for broodiness, how a mother hen’s natural care can boost chick survival and growth, and the environmental factors that trigger broodiness. We share practica...

In Part 2 of this Poultry Keepers Podcast, Jeff Mattocks and Carey Blackmon return to tackle more proven, real-world strategies for preventing heat stress in your birds. From ventilation hacks and nutrition adjustments to water system improvements and coop cooling tricks, this episode is packed with practical insights every poultry keeper can use. We dive into: Airflow and coop design for better t...

Hot weather can spell disaster for your flock if you're not prepared. In Part 1 of Beat the Heat , Jeff Mattocks and Carey Blackmon join us for a no-fluff, practical conversation about what poultry heat stress really is, how it affects your birds, and the proactive steps small flock keepers can take to reduce risk. We cover: What defines heat stress and when it becomes dangerous How to spot e...

In this continuation of our in-depth series, host Carey Blackmon is joined by Jeff Mattocks and breeder Jason Yuke as they dive even deeper into Jason’s project to restore production quality in his Barred Plymouth Rocks. From managing harsh climates and selective breeding setbacks to measuring feed conversion, temperament, and thriftiness, this episode offers invaluable insights into the real-worl...

In this episode of Poultry Keepers 360, we kick off Part 1 of an in-depth conversation with poultry breeder Jason, who shares his hands-on experience and strategies for restoring production qualities in the Barred Plymouth Rock. From his early setbacks with show birds to discovering the secrets of line breeding, nutrition, and evaluating skeletal structure, Jason walks us through his journey of br...

In Part 2 of “Culling With Clarity,” join Mandelyn, John, and Rip as they continue their honest and thought-provoking conversation about the art and responsibility of culling within a poultry breeding program. This episode digs deeper into the emotional challenges, humane techniques, and practical considerations that all poultry keepers face when selecting and removing birds from their flocks. You...

In this insightful episode of The Poultry Keepers Podcast , Rip Stalvey, Mandelyn Royal, and John Gunterman have a deep and honest discussion on one of the most challenging but essential parts of poultry keeping: culling. But wait—culling isn’t just about processing birds. It’s about decision-making. It’s about your flock’s future. It’s about refining your breeding goals, making tough calls, and p...

Summer heat can be brutal—but your poultry don’t have to suffer through it. In this episode of The Poultry Keepers Podcast , host Rip Stalvey shares real-world, down-home strategies to help your flock stay cool, safe, and productive during the hottest months of the year.  From water and shade solutions to ventilation tricks, frozen treats, low-sodium electrolytes, and breed choices that beat the h...

In this deep-dive bonus episode of The Poultry Keepers Podcast, Rip Stalvey explores one of the most misunderstood components of poultry nutrition: fats. Whether you’re raising layers, broilers, breeders, or show birds, fat plays a crucial role in energy, feather quality, fertility, and even immunity. Host Rip Stalvey explains how dietary fats impact vitamin absorption, hormone production, feed pa...

In this powerful continuation of our Smart Selection series, we dig deeper into how to make informed, effective breeding decisions for your poultry flock. Whether you're selecting for meat, eggs, show quality, or broodiness, this episode is packed with real-life examples, practical tips, and honest conversations about how to assess and improve your birds. We cover the importance of early envi...

In this bonus episode of The Poultry Keepers Podcast , host Rip Stalvey takes a deep dive into a topic every breeder and exhibitor should understand: how feather development affects poultry type. Drawing insights from a timeless 1915 article by renowned poultry judge and illustrator Arthur O. Schilling, this episode explores how feathers influence our perception of conformation, structure, and mat...

In this bonus episode of The Poultry Keepers Podcast , host Rip Stalvey dives into one of the most critical yet overlooked components of poultry nutrition—amino acids. Whether you're raising layers, broilers, breeders, or show birds, understanding the role of amino acids can dramatically improve your flock’s health, productivity, behavior, and appearance. Learn how amino acids like methionine...

In this insightful episode of The Poultry Keepers Podcast , host Rip Stalvey is joined by Mandelyn Royal and John Gunterman to explore one of the most powerful yet misunderstood aspects of poultry breeding: Smart Selection .  Whether you're raising birds for eggs, meat, show, or heritage preservation, this conversation breaks down how purposeful culling and intentional selection can make or b...