PK360 Audio

Your chicks have feed, water, and heat—but are they getting the start they need? The small details in their first 14 days can affect the birds you raise months later.In this PK360 conversation, Rip Stalvey and our team’s livestock nutritionist, Jeff Mattocks, discuss the hands-on care that helps chicks get off to a strong start. Drawing on years of raising poultry and working with poultry keepers, they explain what to watch for, what to prepare, and how to tell whether your chicks are finding feed and water.We cover early feeding, chick weights, crop fill, starter feed and particle size, brooder temperature, grit, and moving chicks from the incubator. The conversation also includes Jeff’s approach to feeding eggs, water additives, dust bathing, and the value of spending time observing your chicks.Whether you raise heritage breeds, exhibition poultry, or a small backyard flock, this episode will help you pay closer attention to the details that are easy to overlook.What is one thing you do to give your chicks a strong start? Share your experience in the comments.This Audio Edition features a conversation from a previous PK360 LIVE video broadcast, edited and tightened for those who prefer to listen.Poultry Keepers 360 — Helping Poultry Keepers Make Better Decisions.#RaisingChicks #ChickCare #PoultryKeepers360Chapters and timestamps00:00 Give your chicks a strong start00:38 Why the first 14 days matter02:01 Weighing chicks and tracking growth03:42 How soon should chicks get feed?05:44 Help chicks find feed and water06:53 Introducing grit and checking crop fill08:33 Early care and genetic potential13:04 Choosing chick starter and particle size18:16 Early development and brooder temperature22:39 Brooder space during the first three days24:32 Immune development and introducing sod27:42 Small chicks and hatching egg size29:24 When to move chicks into the brooder33:02 Bantam feed and feeding eggs37:18 Water first or feed and water together?38:23 Jeff’s approach to water additives40:04 Water temperature and preparing the brooder41:16 Feed particles and chick grit42:24 Dust baths and handling chicks45:52 Shipped chicks and Grow Gel47:05 Honey and feeding eggs to older chicks49:08 Does this approach apply to meat birds?50:00 Grit size and brooder dust51:42 Encouraging chicks to drinkJoin our Facebook Groups:Poultry Keepers 360 - -  https://www.facebook.com/groups/354973752688125Poultry Breeders Nutrition - https://www.facebook.com/groups/4908798409211973

Buying spring chicks? Before you choose a breed or order another dozen, answer one question: What do you want your flock to do?Eggs for breakfast, meat for the freezer, birds to show, or simply chickens you enjoy—your answer helps you choose birds that fit your goals, your space, and your everyday life.In this Audio Edition, the Poultry Keepers 360 team—Rip Stalvey, livestock nutritionist Jeff Mattocks, Carey Blackmon, and Sue Dobson—talks through the decisions worth making before chicks come home. You'll hear why the same breed can give different results, what bargain chicks may really cost, and how adding birds can quickly stretch your time and facilities.We cover choosing birds for your climate, temperament around children, planning for family egg needs, finding exhibition stock, and keeping breeding plans manageable. We finish with a buying checklist, including what to do with extra males and what needs to be ready before the chicks arrive.Chapter00:00 What do you want your flock to do?00:41 Same breed, different results02:27 Hatchery birds and standardbred birds04:05 Choosing chickens for your climate05:38 Coop space and chicken math07:26 Choosing birds when children help08:36 Different breeds, different housing needs09:36 The time and cost of a growing flock11:59 What bargain chicks really cost13:20 A word from The Fertrell Company13:50 How many hens does your family need?15:55 Planning replacement layers17:06 Buying birds for poultry shows19:59 Eggs, meat, and bone broth: your goals count21:21 Matching breeding plans to your facilities24:38 Your chick-buying checklist26:30 Plan for extra males before buying27:17 Have the brooder ready first27:39 Finish this sentence: I want my flock to...28:24 Your next listen: choosing the right birds Poultry Keepers 360Helping Poultry Keepers Make Better Decisions.Recommended next episodeDid You Choose the Right Breed—but the Wrong Birds? – Audio EditionFrank Reese joins the team for a closer look at why the breeder and the line matter as much as the breed name.https://www.thepoultrykeeperspodcast.com/did-you-choose-the-right-breed-but-the-wrong-birds-audio-edition/This Audio Edition features a conversation from a previous PK360 LIVE video broadcast, edited and tightened for those who prefer to listen.Watch the original LIVE conversation here: https://youtube.com/live/e86WPLgPzEk  #BuyingChicks #BackyardChickens #PoultryKeepers360Join our Facebook Groups:Poultry Keepers 360 - -  https://www.facebook.com/groups/354973752688125Poultry Breeders Nutrition - https://www.facebook.com/groups/4908798409211973

Did you choose the right breed—but still end up with birds that don’t meet your needs? Two flocks can carry the same breed name and give their keepers very different results. What might you have overlooked?Frank Reese joins the Poultry Keepers 360 team to discuss choosing standardbred poultry for eggs, meat, and preservation. Drawing on his experience breeding chickens and turkeys, Frank explains why the breeder and the particular line deserve as much attention as the breed name.We discuss New Hampshires, Barred Plymouth Rocks, Delawares, and other traditional breeds, along with the questions to ask before bringing birds home. The conversation also covers selecting future breeders, learning from experienced poultry keepers, and working with others to maintain a line.In this episode: • Heritage poultry and the importance of breed standards. • Setting a clear purpose for your flock. • Matching a breeding line to your egg and meat goals. • The difference between hatching chicks and selecting breeders. • Finding a breeder and learning the strengths and weaknesses of a line. • Considering costs and a market before expanding. • Preserving useful qualities for future generations.This Audio Edition is adapted from a previously recorded PK360 LIVE conversation. Production figures and examples reflect Frank’s experience with particular lines and management conditions; they are not guarantees for every flock.RECOMMENDED NEXT EPISODE Linebreeding Chickens: Build Consistency Without Losing Vigor – Audio Edition https://youtu.be/ajtT02BbTWY Continue with a closer look at breeding for consistency while maintaining vigor.CHAPTERS 00:00 Why choosing the right breed isn’t enough 00:30 Frank Reese: learning from lifelong breeders 02:28 Heritage poultry and breed standards 05:58 Decide what your flock needs to do 11:48 Choosing birds for eggs and meat 15:48 New Hampshires and Delawares for the table 17:27 Hatching chicks versus selecting breeders 19:20 Why the breeding line matters 20:40 Finding a breeder and maintaining a line 30:48 Growth expectations and good management 31:18 Study the breed and its standard 33:19 Jersey Giants and the family table 34:00 Frank’s advice for getting started 36:00 Preserving poultry for future generations 36:39 Takeaways and your next episodeJOIN THE CONVERSATIONWhat do you want your flock to provide: eggs, meat, preservation, or a combination? What would you ask a breeder before choosing your next birds?Poultry Keepers 360Helping Poultry Keepers Make Better Decisions.#HeritageChickens #PoultryBreeding #PoultryKeepers360Join our Facebook Groups:Poultry Keepers 360 - -  https://www.facebook.com/groups/354973752688125Poultry Breeders Nutrition - https://www.facebook.com/groups/4908798409211973

The protein percentage may be the first number you notice on a bag of chicken feed—but it cannot tell you the whole nutritional story.In this Audio Edition, Rip Stalvey, Carey Blackmon and livestock nutritionist Jeff Mattocks examine the vitamins, minerals and metabolizable energy that help determine how well poultry use their feed.The conversation explains why minimum nutrient requirements are not necessarily optimum levels, how vitamins support vision, feather development, reproduction and normal immune function, and why minerals must remain in balance rather than being added individually without a plan.You’ll also learn:• Why vitamin A matters to feathers, skin, vision and developing chicks • How vitamin E and selenium work together • What B vitamins may contribute to normal behavior and stress response • Why vitamin C can be useful during heat stress—but difficult to add correctly • How heat, air and long storage can reduce vitamin value • Why excess minerals can interfere with one another • The relationship among calcium, phosphorus and other minerals • What metabolizable energy means on a practical level • Why growing birds need different energy levels at different stages • How to begin evaluating a poultry feed tag more thoughtfullyThis discussion is intended to help poultry keepers ask better questions about feed. It is not a recommendation to add individual vitamins or minerals without knowing the complete diet. More is not automatically better, and some nutrients can become harmful when overused.Helping Poultry Keepers Make Better Decisions.Chapters and timestamps0:00 Why Vitamins Matter in Poultry Diets2:03 Vitamin D, Sunlight and Artificial Lighting4:06 Minimum Requirements vs. Optimum Nutrition10:01 Vitamin A, Feathers and Flock Health15:02 Feed Quality and Breeder Nutrition20:20 Vitamin E and Selenium23:25 B Vitamins and Bird Behavior25:16 Vitamin C and Heat Stress27:11 Protecting Vitamins During Feed Storage30:38 Preventing Vitamin Deficiencies32:09 A Word From Our Sponsor33:28 Why Mineral Balance Matters36:28 Copper in Poultry Drinking Water37:44 How Vitamins and Minerals Work Together40:45 Finding a Quality Poultry Feed43:34 Choosing Fats and Oils45:04 Understanding Metabolizable Energy49:09 Fish Meal and Other Protein Sources50:54 Energy Levels for Conditioning Birds54:19 Feed Labels and Supplemental Selenium56:31 Closing Takeaway and Recommended Episode Prefer the original Video Edition? Watch it here:https://youtube.com/live/YRCGjk2GAfAJoin our Facebook Groups:Poultry Keepers 360 - -  https://www.facebook.com/groups/354973752688125Poultry Breeders Nutrition - https://www.facebook.com/groups/4908798409211973

Does a deep orange yolk mean a more nutritious egg? Why do some eggs taste richer or develop a fishy flavor? And what causes watery whites or thin shells?In this Audio Edition of our member-led PK360 egg show, Rip Stalvey hosts a discussion with team members Jeff Mattocks, Carey Blackmon, and Sue Dobson. Together, they work through the questions poultry keepers sent us. We discuss how feed, forage, breed, and the hen herself can affect egg flavor, yolk color, fatty acids, texture, and shell quality. We also talk about what a “complete feed” label tells you when choosing feed for laying hens.The Egg Nutrition and Flavor Research Guide mentioned in the show is available in the Files section of the Poultry Keepers 360 and Poultry Breeders Nutrition Facebook groups. It includes links to nine research papers for keepers who want to explore these questions further.CHAPTERS0:00 What makes a better egg?0:57 What gives eggs their flavor?2:13 Do breed and genetics change egg flavor?4:14 What causes a fishy smell or taste?7:58 Free ranging, flavor, and yolk color11:05 Why yolks differ—and what color tells us17:44 A member question about fragile yolks20:26 Beak and leg color in laying hens25:00 Corn, soy, and omega-enriched feeds35:49 Watery whites, texture, and hard-to-peel eggs38:02 Thin shells, meat spots, and unusual eggs42:08 What does “complete feed” mean?43:38 A word from our sponsor, Fertrell46:25 Research behind feed and egg claims48:01 Egg Nutrition and Flavor Research Guide53:04 Changing protein levels as hens mature55:00 Find past PK360 LIVEs by topic56:09 Selecting hens for egg capacityPoultry Keepers 360: Helping Poultry Keepers Make Better Decisions.Join our Facebook Groups:Poultry Keepers 360 - -  https://www.facebook.com/groups/354973752688125Poultry Breeders Nutrition - https://www.facebook.com/groups/4908798409211973

Poor hatch rates are not always the incubator’s fault. Temperature, humidity, airflow, egg quality, breeder nutrition, storage, turning, and even the room where the incubator operates can influence the outcome.In this Audio Edition, the Poultry Keepers 360 team explains how to prepare and fine-tune an incubator, recognize temperature and humidity problems, manage hatching eggs, and make better decisions throughout the incubation process.Topics include:• Preparing an incubator before setting eggs • Choosing the right location • Temperature and humidity targets • Finding hot and cold spots • Using calibrated thermometers and data loggers • Monitoring air-cell development • Turning and storing hatching eggs • Breeder nutrition and chick vigor • Dry incubation • Cleaning and sanitizing dirty eggs • When to remove chicks from the hatcherCHAPTERS0:00 Understanding the incubator’s job1:33 Prepare the incubator before setting eggs2:49 Choosing the right incubator location5:24 Fertility, nutrition, and egg sanitation8:46 Turning eggs correctly10:16 Incubator construction and insulation11:13 Temperature and humidity targets13:44 When to remove chicks from the hatcher16:02 Opening the incubator and recovery time20:41 Finding hot spots and airflow problems26:11 Thermometers, hygrometers, and data loggers31:18 Air-cell development and humidity adjustment34:46 Candling and removing problem eggs37:45 Comparing incubator designs and features44:28 Feeding breeders for better hatching eggs48:50 Cleaning dirty eggs and protecting the bloom55:18 Dry incubation and regional humidity57:12 Storing and turning eggs before incubation1:02:49 How long hatching eggs can be stored1:04:18 Stabilizing a partly filled incubator1:05:33 Hand-turning duck eggs1:08:10 Can poultry be bred year-round?1:13:44 Hatching eggs upright or on their sides1:15:37 Food and water inside the hatcherIf you enjoy thoughtful, experience-based poultry information like this, that’s what this channel is all about.Poultry Keepers 360 Helping Poultry Keepers Make Better DecisionsJoin our Facebook Groups:Poultry Keepers 360 - -  https://www.facebook.com/groups/354973752688125Poultry Breeders Nutrition - https://www.facebook.com/groups/4908798409211973

Linebreeding can reveal weaknesses already hiding in a flock—and that is exactly why careful breeders use it.This Audio Edition was adapted from a PK360 LIVE conversation featuring Rip Stalvey, poultry nutritionist Jeff Mattocks, Karen Johnson, and guest Logan Courtney. Logan is a sixth-generation Oklahoma farmer who uses linebreeding with registered Jersey dairy cattle, Hereford cattle, and Light Sussex chickens.Together, they discuss what linebreeding can accomplish, why it sometimes produces disappointing generations, and how selection, records, nutrition, and patience work together to build a more consistent flock.Topics include:• What linebreeding is and what it can accomplish • Why it exposes hidden genetic problems • Clan breeding and practical systems for smaller flocks • Record keeping, wing bands, and pedigree software • Protecting size, vigor, fertility, and production • Choosing breeders and evaluating each generation • Starting with limited breeding stock • Bringing a needed improvement into an established line • Giving birds the nutrition needed to express their genetic potentialOriginal PK360 LIVE video broadcast date: February8, 2024Prefer the original video? Watch the PK360 LIVE Video Edition here: https://youtube.com/live/96mZJxuCYogIf you enjoy thoughtful, experience-based poultry information like this, that’s what this channel is all about.#PoultryBreeding #ChickenGenetics #PoultryKeepers360Chapters and timestamps0:00 Meet Logan Courtney4:46 What Linebreeding Really Does8:22 Consistency, Selection and Patience14:09 Records, Wing Bands and Pedigrees16:58 Building a Clan Breeding System22:57 Protecting Production Qualities27:15 A Practical Program for Smaller Flocks31:24 Matings That Reveal Hidden Genetics36:47 Exposing and Removing Genetic Problems38:31 Maintaining Vigor and Choosing Breeders43:11 Nutrition and Genetic Potential47:26 Egg Selection and When to Cull52:11 Can You Start With One Pair?56:52 Introducing Improvements Into a Line1:00:03 How Long Should You Use a Proven Male?1:03:26 Closing Thoughts and Future QuestionsJoin our Facebook Groups:Poultry Keepers 360 - -  https://www.facebook.com/groups/354973752688125Poultry Breeders Nutrition - https://www.facebook.com/groups/4908798409211973

Winter gives poultry keepers something we rarely have during the busy season: an opportunity to slow down, look back, and decide what genuinely needs improvement.A winter flock reset does not mean changing everything. It means identifying the routines, systems, and decisions that made poultry keeping harder than necessary—and correcting them before another breeding or hatching season begins.In this episode, Rip Stalvey, Jeff Mattocks, Carey Blackmon, and Sue Dobson discuss how to evaluate the past year honestly. They examine breeding results, recordkeeping, housing, ventilation, watering systems, mud and litter problems, nutrition, body condition, winter enrichment, and preparations for the next breeding season.You’ll also hear why changing several things at once makes it nearly impossible to determine what worked, how your birds’ behavior can reveal whether a change is helping, and why some successful parts of your system should be left alone.The goal is not a complete overhaul. It is a more manageable flock, stronger birds, better breeding decisions, and fewer avoidable problems next year.If you enjoy thoughtful, experience-based poultry information like this, that’s what this channel is all about.#PoultryKeepers360 #WinterChickenCare #FlockManagementTIMESTAMPS & CHAPTERS00:00 Using winter as a practical reset 01:24 Evaluating the past year’s results 04:06 Learning from experienced poultry keepers 13:38 Records, observations, and breeding plans 17:40 Housing and ventilation 22:30 Water, mud, litter, and manure 27:56 A word from Fertrell 30:11 Winter watering systems and frostbite 33:24 Viewer questions about garlic and flock health 37:23 What body condition reveals about feeding 40:09 Feed quality, supplements, and behavior 47:12 How much feed do chickens need? 51:22 Preventing winter boredom and aggression 56:35 Selecting and pairing breeding birds 59:39 Winter jobs that prepare for breeding season 1:02:50 Is the system failing—or the follow-through? 1:03:51 Keep what works and measure the results 1:05:44 Change one thing at a time 1:07:52 Breeding goals and difficult selection decisions 1:09:24 Closing thoughtsListen to the Audio Edition here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDRODbVf9y3gWatch the Video Edition here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fGfX27f-7_IJoin our Facebook Groups:Poultry Keepers 360 - -  https://www.facebook.com/groups/354973752688125Poultry Breeders Nutrition - https://www.facebook.com/groups/4908798409211973

Successful breeding begins long before the first eggs go into the incubator.In this episode, Carey Blackmon and poultry nutritionist Jeff Mattocks explain how to prepare a flock for breeding season—from choosing the right birds and setting breeding goals to managing lighting, nutrition, housing, and nest boxes.We discuss:The difference between hatching chicks and building a breeding programChoosing breeders with the fewest serious faultsDeciding what you want your flock to becomeUsing linebreeding to improve consistencyWhat inbreeding depression really looks likeChoosing the right time of year to hatchPreparing breeders through lighting managementAdjusting light for younger and older birdsImproving breeder nutrition before collecting eggsEgg size and its effect on chick qualityAmino acids, vitamins, and chick vigorPreparing clean, comfortable nest boxesWhether greens have a place in the breeder dietBreeding season is not simply a matter of putting a rooster with a few hens. Better chicks begin with healthier breeders, clearly defined goals, and thoughtful preparation.If you enjoy thoughtful, experience-based poultry information like this, that’s what this channel is all about.Poultry Keepers 360 Helping Poultry Keepers Make Better Decisions.Chapters and Timestamps0:00 Opening Conversatio7:22 Getting Ready for Breeding Season9:38 Hatching Chickens vs Breeding Poultry11:12 Where a Breeding Program Begins12:52 Where Should Your Flock Be in Five Years?15:58 Turning Goals Into a Breeding Plan16:20 Linebreeding, Inbreeding, and Predictability18:05 What Inbreeding Depression Really Means22:38 Choosing the Right Hatch Season23:19 Preparing Breeders With Light25:22 Light Color and Intensity29:40 Increasing Day Length Gradually32:15 Lighting Older Breeding Birds38:55 Continuous-Flow Watering Update43:15 Feeding Birds for Breeding Season44:35 Egg Size and Hatching Quality46:29 Amino Acids and Chick Vigor49:17 Nest Boxes for Breeding Pens50:57 Bedding and Nest Cleanliness53:32 Five-Gallon Bucket Nest Boxes59:57 Do Breeding Birds Need Greens?1:03:33 Alfalfa and Other Green Feeds1:06:03 Final ThoughtsThis Audio Edition was adapted from a PK360 LIVE originally broadcast on September 18, 2025. Prefer to watch the original Video Edition? You can find it here: https://www.youtube.com/live/tagqQL2d1_E Join our Facebook Groups:Poultry Keepers 360 - -  https://www.facebook.com/groups/354973752688125Poultry Breeders Nutrition - https://www.facebook.com/groups/4908798409211973

When cold weather arrives, many poultry keepers instinctively close their coops tightly to keep their chickens warm. Unfortunately, that can trap moisture, ammonia, and stale air—creating conditions far more dangerous than the cold itself.In this episode of PK360 LIVE, Rip Stalvey, Jeff Mattocks, Carey Blackmon, and Sue Dobson take a practical look at winter air quality and what poultry keepers can learn by observing their birds and the conditions inside their coops.The team discusses:• The difference between healthy ventilation and a harmful draft• Why dry birds generally tolerate cold temperatures remarkably well• How moisture and condensation accumulate inside winter housing• Why ammonia can harm chickens before people can smell it• How to calculate coop volume and choose an exhaust fan• Timed and forced-air ventilation• The connection between bedding, carbon, moisture, and ammonia• What respiratory behavior and feather condition may reveal• How stocking density and coop construction affect air quality• Common winter ventilation mistakes• The risks associated with supplemental heatGood winter management is not about creating human comfort inside a chicken coop. It is about protecting birds from direct weather while maintaining clean, dry, healthy air.Poultry Keepers 360 brings breeding, management, and nutrition together to help small-flock keepers understand their birds and make better-informed decisions.If you enjoy thoughtful, experience-based poultry information like this, that’s what this channel is all about.Our sincere thanks to The Fertrell Company for sponsoring PK360 LIVE and supporting practical poultry education.TIMESTAMPS AND CHAPTERS0:00 Why winter air quality matters1:57 Cold temperatures versus moisture and wind3:07 Ventilation versus drafts4:35 Where an exhaust fan should be placed7:17 Calculating coop volume and fan runtime9:38 A mentor’s cold-weather ventilation system14:30 Where winter moisture comes from16:08 Ammonia can cause harm before you smell it19:09 Bedding, carbon, and ammonia control21:02 Biochar, activated charcoal, and peat moss25:14 Should ventilation change with temperature?26:05 What birds reveal about poor air quality27:49 Feather condition, humidity, and dietary fat34:39 What a properly managed coop should smell like35:51 How chickens behave when they are truly cold37:32 Ventilating open-sided coops and barns40:35 A word from The Fertrell Company42:10 Stocking density and air quality43:19 Wooden coops versus metal construction47:26 Common winter ventilation mistakes48:52 Helping birds adjust to environmental changes50:26 Balancing weather protection and ventilation52:45 One change that can improve coop air quality54:25 Choosing breeds suited to the climate55:57 The risks of supplemental heat58:49 Final winter air-quality lessonsJoin our Facebook Groups:Poultry Keepers 360 - -  https://www.facebook.com/groups/354973752688125Poultry Breeders Nutrition - https://www.facebook.com/groups/4908798409211973