PK360 Audio

Winter has a way of changing a flock. Some birds become more active. Others spend more time on the roost. Feed consumption changes. Water consumption changes. Social interactions change. The question isn't whether your flock behaves differently during the winter—the question is whether you know how to read what those changes are trying to tell you. Join us for this PK360 LIVE as we explore on...

The future of Poultry Keepers 360 starts now.   Join Rip Stalvey, Sue Dobson, and Carey Blackmon in this special PK360 Audio, as they unveil the biggest improvements and educational initiatives in our organization's history.   During this show, we'll discuss:  • The new PK360 Learning System  • Field Guide Videos  • PK360 Sheets  • YouTube Shorts as learning reinforcement tools  • The Ob...

Discover the art and science behind selecting and breeding true dual-purpose chickens in Part 2 of our series! Join us as we dive deep into evaluating carcass quality, balancing body structure for meat and egg production, and how nutrition and genetics both shape your flock’s success. Learn firsthand from real breeders’ experiences, feeding trials, and practical selection methods to create resilie...

In this information-packed episode of the Poultry Keepers Podcast, we dive deep into how to evaluate and select true dual-purpose poultry breeds for both meat and egg production. Join Rip, Jeff, Carey, and Mandelyn as they discuss hands-on selection techniques, key body traits, breed standards, carcass evaluation, and how to use real production data to make better breeding decisions. Whether you’r...

This is the conclusion of last week's episode. Calling all poultry enthusiasts! Are you ready to elevate your bird game? This episode unravels the science and art behind poultry breeding and selection, a path that can take your casual interest in birds to a whole new level. We guide you through the maze of information, from understanding the essential factors like egg laying rates, persistenc...

Get ready for an invigorating journey into the world of poultry, as we unravel the intricacies of laying cycles, bird selection, and egg production. Our expert guides are seasoned veterans in the poultry hobby. We'll draw on their wealth of knowledge to delve into the impact of various factors on the laying cycle, from lighting to regional variances. They reveal golden strategies for keeping...

Think your chicken coop is “good enough”? What Rip, Jeff, and Carey reveal in this episode will change the way you look at every part of your coop—from the floor under their feet to the air they breathe. Most poultry keepers focus on predators, bedding, or heat… but the real secrets that make coops safe, healthy, and long-lasting are hiding in plain sight. In this episode of Poultry Keepers Podcas...

Discover the real secrets behind a clean, productive, low-stress chicken coop that keeps your birds happy, healthy, and stress-free. In this episode of The Poultry Keepers Podcast , Rip Stalvey, Jeff Mattocks, and Carey Blackmon reveal the five coop setup choices that have the biggest impact on flock health, egg quality, and ease of management. These aren’t the tips you find on Pinterest—these are...

Think your chicken coop is “good enough”? What Jeff reveals in this episode will change the way you look at every part of your coop—from the floor under their feet to the air they breathe. Most poultry keepers focus on predators, bedding, or heat… but the real secrets that make coops safe, healthy, and long-lasting are hiding in plain sight. In this episode of Poultry Keepers Podcast, Rip, Carey,...

If you’ve ever wondered why some coops keep birds healthy and thriving while others create nonstop problems… this episode is your missing blueprint. Rip Stalvey, Jeff Mattocks, and Carey Blackmon break down the real factors that make or break a coop—space requirements, ventilation, run design, soil management, flock stress, and more. Whether you’re building your first coop or improving one you’ve...

Welcome to Part 4 of the Poultry Health Master Class, featuring poultry nutritionist Jeff Mattocks and poultry educator Carey Blackmon. In this final session of the series, Jeff and Carey walk through advanced poultry health concepts , including how to recognize internal issues through necropsy, how heart attack presents in chickens, and how to manage rare but serious conditions like Egg Drop Synd...

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...