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
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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 investment, reproduction, flavor, texture, and usefulness in the kitchen.
In this episode, we discuss:
• Why...
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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 crude protein alone does not describe a complete diet, how digestibility and amino-acid balance affect what birds...
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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 breeder’s experience, breeding goals, nutrition program, recordkeeping, biosecurity practices, shipping methods, ...
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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:
- Does scratch corn cool chickens down—or make them hotter?
- Should treats replace layer feed during hot weather?
- Can chickens hav...
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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, Jennifer Bryant and Carey Blackmon tackle some of the most common heat stress myths they see online and explain what actually hel...
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Episode Description
Can 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 Blackmon and Jennifer Bryant play Fact or BS? as they tackle some of the most common chicken health myths circulating online. From ...
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Quick Look
In 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 shouldn't be your entire business strategy.
- How websites, blogs, and email lists create long-term growth.
- The story behind why Jennifer created Beyond the Egg.
Most people s...
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What Flies Are Really Telling You About Your Chicken Coop
Flies 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 attracted to chickens, the environmental conditions that encourage them, and practical management strategies to reduce fly population...
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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 young man's fascination with hatching chicks.Harrison, who is on the autism spectrum, discovered an incredible passion...
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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 after generation.
Whether you are raising coturnix quail for eggs, meat production, hatching eggs, homesteading, or develo...
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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 broodiness—what causes it, how to recognize it, and what poultry keepers should do when a hen decides it's time to hatch ...
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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 Poultry Nerds Podcast, Jennifer Bryant and Carey Blackmon tackle listener questions about poultry feed and nutrition. They discus...
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From hobby chickens to homesteading chickens, we all have questions. In this episode we discuss feeding chickens to dry hatching and more!
Hatching Marans
Dry hatching
washing hatching eggs
Exploding eggs
Chick Electrolytes
Hatching Upright
Listen on your favorite platforms, youtube and on the www.PoultryNerdsPodcast.com
Valley Hatchery is a proud sp...
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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.
The conversation covers the story behind the “Coffee Egger,” connecting with fellow homesteaders, and the real...
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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 meat production. If you’ve ever wondered why home-raised chicken tastes different than store-bought chicken — or whether raising your own meat birds is actual...
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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 comes to breeding, raising, and selecting high-quality Silkies.
From genetics and defects to breed standards and real-world...
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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, and the five-year timeline most beginners don’t expect.
In this episode, you’ll learn how to evalu...
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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, explain why a recessive gene can hide for 20 years before showing up in your hatch, and talk about the breeder res...
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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. We cover large fowl, quail, and celadon eggs, break down double yolkers, torpedo shapes, golf balls, and the perfe...
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Whether you've already impulse-bought chicks at Tractor Supply or you're planning your first flock, this episode is your roadmap to avoiding the most common beginner chicken-keeping mistakes. We answer real listener questions from a first-time chicken owner — covering nesting boxes, safe treats for kids to give chickens, when to stop using a heat lamp, and...
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