Southern Songbird Farm Podcast

As we’ve said before, chickens are the gateway drug to farming. You get a few hens, then you suddenly acquire some ducks, maybe a goose, and soon, you’re on your way to goats or sheep or cattle! After our Chicken 101 series, we had a request for a similar series for getting started with cattle.

In this first episode, we go over the minimum requirements for bringing a cow/cows home, and discuss selecting a breed that’s right for you. As always, we have the farm update, share some fun facts, and give our tip of the week. Thanks for listening, and please share if you love it!

As both healthcare workers and small farmers, Carrie and Doug have a unique perspective on the current COVID-19 pandemic. They share facts about the Spanish Flu of 1918 and similarities between a pandemic in wartime and that of the novel coronavirus outbreak today. It feels as though the world has stopped in many ways, but life goes on at Southern Songbird Farm. After all, cows don't care about COVID. The animals still have to be fed and watered, eggs collected, pastures rotated, and seeds started. Carrie and Doug still share their farm update, tip of the week, and some interesting facts. Stay safe and well, folks!

In our final episode of our Chicken 101 series, Carrie and Doug talk all about roosters, broody hens, and considerations for illness and end of life. We dispel some myths and give our advice on the required mindset for chicken keeping. As always, we give our farm update, share some facts and lore, and give our tip of the week!

On our last episode, Carrie and Doug discussed getting our chicks to the great outdoors, but the real excitement comes when your chicks reach 5-6 months old and you open your nest box to find that beautiful first egg! It’s like Christmas morning! In this latest installment of Chicken 101, we discuss feed and nest box requirements, as well as clear up some egg myths. As always, we give our farm update and the tip of the week.

In the second episode continuing our Chicken 101 series, Carrie and Doug take us from brooder to the great outdoors. We discuss when to switch from chick feed to a layer ration, options for outdoor housing, and when you might notice that one of your biddies is a big ole rooster! As always, we present some fun facts, give our farm update, and share our tip of the week.

We are beginning a short series on starting your own chicken flock in our Chickens 101. In this episode, we discuss how to acquire chicks to start your own backyard chicken flock. We briefly touch on choosing a breed(s), where to purchase chicks, and what minimal equipment you should gather prior to bringing your chickens home. As always, we present some fun facts, give our farm update, and share a tip of the week.

Doug and Carrie tell the tale of how they acquired a rescue donkey named Tom Bombadil. They also share some donkey history, facts, and lessons learned.

Doug and Carrie interview two of their teens to get their viewpoint on moving from life in the suburbs to life on the farm.

Carrie and Doug discuss how they went from “accidental duck owners” to how they manage a laying flock of ducks on pasture. Duck facts and myths are also discussed.

Excuse me?? Doug and Carrie tell the story of how they “accidentally” became duck keepers. It all started with two “Easter ducks” named Berta and Henrietta. Those two got us started on our duck journey and gave us a taste for duck eggs. This will be the first of a series of podcasts about keeping ducks on the farm.