The Coop with Meyer Hatchery

Let’s take a Meyer Moment to talk about hen pecking! Pecking is a normal chicken behavior that allows birds to explore their surroundings. But if your hens cross from curious to aggressive pecking, you may have a bigger issue on your hands. It’s important to identify the cause then make changes to ensure the well being of your flock. 

Let’s take a Meyer Moment to talk about heated waters! As the temperature continues to plummet it’s time to start thinking about your watering set-up. Frozen waterers, hoses, and thirsty birds can make for a miserable winter. However, with a little planning now, you can set yourself up for a successful season. 

Each waterer we discuss today will be linked in the show notes below! 

Today, we're discussing predators as part of our A Year With Chickens Series. We dedicate one episode per month to this series, covering what to expect when raising a chicken in that particular month. For the month of October, we're taking a look at predators. We’ll discuss everything from what types of predators to watch for, how to identify them, and how to best protect your flock.

In this episode you'll: 

• Learn About The Most Common Predators Chickens Face
• How To Spot Signs To Help Identify Your Predator
• Catch Suggestions For How To Best Protect Your Flock

Important Links:

• Predators 101 - blog post
• Brinsea Automatic Coop Door
• Electric Poultry Netting
• Nite Guard Solar
• Nite Guard Tape
• What’s Killing My Chickens? 

Also don't forget to join our exclusive Facebook Group "Inside The Coop" and submit your Poultry Pride Story, here!

Let’s take a Meyer Moment to talk about the deep litter method! As winter approaches, you may be considering using deep litter, in your coop for waste management. If done properly, it can create less frequent coop cleanouts and fabulous compost, ready for your garden or flower beds. 

So how do you begin using the deep litter method?

Let’s take a Meyer Moment to talk about the seasonal shift! The autumnal equinox has arrived, meaning fall has officially begun for the Northern Hemisphere. As the season shifts, the sun will begin to rise later and nightfall will approach sooner. Now is the time to layer up in a cozy sweater and hot mug of coffee for your morning chores.

Most believe the fall foliage and amount of eggs your hens lay is due to the change in weather, a common misconception, it’s actually a result of the amount of daylight. 

This year we’ve seen a lot of new chicken keepers join the club. Now occasionally you can find me in emails and chats for Meyer Hatchery, and Jeff on the phones. If you’ve had the luxury to chat with us live, we may have warned you of a few of these items already. But just so we’re clear, here are 10 things they don’t tell you about raising chickens.

Important Links:

• Friendliest Rooster - blog
• Chicken Health Handbook
• Nesting Box Garden - YouTube
• Boredem Busters - blog
• Chicken Poop Lip Balm
• Kitchen Decor
  
  

Also don't forget to join our exclusive Facebook Group "Inside The Coop" and submit your Poultry Pride Story, here!

Let’s take a Meyer Moment, to wake up and talk about Better Breakfast Day, happening September 26th!

So how did this day come to be? Better Breakfast day originated, during WWI as the United States encouraged citizens, to eat a better breakfast. Then the  Cereal Institute soon began promoting, Better Breakfast Month for the first time in September. 

With our counters overflowing with eggs, we can’t help but agree, that breakfast is one of the most important meals of the day. So what better way to celebrate Better Breakfast Day, than with fresh eggs from your backyard flock! 

Now if you’re getting tired, of the same old scrambled or fried egg in the morning, we have some egg-citing recipes you can try in celebration of Better Breakfast.

On The Coop today, you’ll hear how heritage breed conservation and your backyard flock play an important role in agricultural biodiversity with Senior Program Manager, Jeannette Beranger of the Livestock Conservancy. 

Now, “heritage” has become a popular word so we further explore how the Livestock Conservancy defines heritage, as well as some of the criteria they use to rank breeds on their conservation priority list. You can find this list linked below in the show notes, but we’ve also marked the breeds we carry in our annual catalog on the breed comparison chart. 

If all of this sounds a little over your head, I encourage you to continue listening as the work of the Livestock Conservancy is more critical than ever in protecting our food system, conserving valuable genetic traits, supporting sustainable family farms, and preserving our history and culture. 

Breeding poultry, raising a backyard flock or simply supporting the Livestock Conservancy’s efforts all play an important role, but what exactly is the impact and what does it mean for you? 

In this episode you'll: 

• Hear How "Heritage" Is Defined
• Discover The Formula For The Conservation Priority List
• Learn Ways You Can Support Poultry Conservation

Important Links:

• The Livestock Conservancy
• Chicken Conservation Priority List
• Get Involved With The Livestock Conservancy
• Comparison Chart 2020 Catalog
• Standard of Perfection
• North American Poultry Census
  
  

Also don't forget to join our exclusive Facebook Group "Inside The Coop" and submit your Poultry Pride Story, here!

Let’s take a Meyer Moment to talk about your aggressive rooster. Roosters were born to protect your flock. They are fearless when it comes to predators, but this can be intimidating to us humans. Getting flogged in the back of the legs while tending to your flock, takes the fun out of chicken keeping and can cause serious harm. So how do you handle an aggressive rooster and can they be tamed? 

Hey everyone! Welcome back to The Coop with Meyer Hatchery - where we talk all things poultry in hopes of inspiring crazy chicken keepers and educating future flock owners. Each week we like to take a Meyer Moment to cover relevant happenings. Let’s take a Meyer Moment to talk about National Chicken Month! 

Over two decades ago, the National Chicken Council, came together with major chicken producers to promote chicken sales in September, resulting in September being National Chicken Month! To celebrate in our own way, we’re sharing 10 facts about chickens you may not have known.