Poultry Nerds: Backyard Chickens, Quail & Hatching Eggs
Want healthier birds, better hatches, and fewer costly mistakes? Poultry Nerds gives backyard flock keepers and breeders practical, science-informed answers about chickens, Coturnix quail, hatching eggs, incubation, breeding, nutrition, brooding, biosecurity, housing, and flock health.
Jennifer Bryant of Bryant’s Roost and Carey Blackmon of Show Pro Farm Supply bring real-world poultry experience to honest conversations with breeders, researchers, poultry professionals, and other people who truly know birds. We explain not only what to do, but why it works, so you can make better decisions for your own flock.
Whether you are setting your first incubator, raising breeding stock, shipping hatching eggs, or managing an established farm, every episode gives you useful information you can put to work.
Learn more: https://www.poultrynerdspodcast.com
Build your incubation skills: https://www.incubationmasterclass.com
Coturnix quail education: https://www.quailmania.com
Find hatching-egg breeders: https://www.hatchingeggdirectory.com
Hatching-egg and live-bird shipping supplies: https://www.eggfoam.com
Valley Hatchery is a proud partner of the Poultry Nerds Podcast, providing hard-working birds for hard-working people: https://www.valleyhatchery.com
Episodes
143 episodes
How Thin Shells Affect Incubation: Calcium, Phosphorus & Vitamin D for Hens
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 alw...
Heat Plates Don't Heat the Brooder: Brooder Setup Mistakes That Kill Chicks
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...
Why Predators Keep Showing Up at Your Chicken Coop | David Mizejewski
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 expla...
Chicken Coop Design: Ventilation & Deep Litter with Matt DuBois of Carolina Coops
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 app...
Chicken Labels Explained: What Are You Actually Paying For?
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 langua...
The Molt: Why Are My Chickens Naked?
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 ...
American Bresse vs. Orpingtons: Which Makes the Better Meat Bird?
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 investme...
Poultry Nutrition Just Changed: The First Major Update Since 1994
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...
Buying and Selling Hatching Eggs
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 bree...
Summer Chicken Feeding Myths: Do Chickens Need Electrolytes? | Poultry Nerds Podcast
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:
Keeping Chickens Cool in Summer Heat
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, J...
Backyard Chickens and Apple Cider Vinegar
Episode DescriptionCan 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 Bla...
How to Build a Poultry Business Without Burning Out
Quick LookIn 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 shou...
Flies in the Coop: Causes, Prevention, and Control
What Flies Are Really Telling You About Your Chicken CoopFlies 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 attra...
Poultry With Purpose: Harrison's Hatchery and Carolina Rooster Solution
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 y...
Coturnix Quail Selection Points
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 a...
Broody Chickens : Care, feed and breaking them
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 ...
Feed, supplements and Carey's BIG announcement!
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 Po...
What to feed my chickens, dry incubating/hatching, and more listener questions answered
From hobby chickens to homesteading chickens, we all have questions. In this episode we discuss feeding chickens to dry hatching and more! Hatching MaransDry hatchingwashing hatching eggsExploding eggs
Coffee Eggers, Homesteading & Hatching with Little Willow Homestead
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.T...
Heritage Chicken vs Hybrid Broilers: Flavor, Cost, Health & Reality Explained
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 ...
Silkies Aren’t “Just Cute”—Here’s What You’re Missing
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 c...
How to Start a Poultry Breeding Program: What Every New Breeder Needs to Know
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,...
Splash, Ermine & Modeled: Decoding Americana Color Genetics with Gina Wrather
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, explai...
Not All Eggs Are Created Equal — Egg Selection for Hatching
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. ...