The Coop with Meyer Hatchery

Ever wondered what judges look for at poultry shows? In this episode of The Coop Podcast, Phil and Lauren sit down with American Poultry Association (APA) President and Ohio National judge Jeff Halbach to discuss poultry judging, breed standards, and the world of exhibition poultry. Whether you're interested in showing chickens, improving your breeding program, or simply learning more about poultry breed standards, Jeff shares valuable insights into how birds are evaluated and what makes a q...

Thinking about adding ducks, geese, guineas, or turkeys to your flock? In this episode of The Coop Podcast, Phil and Lauren are joined by Meyer Hatchery Customer Service team member Lynsey to discuss what it's really like to raise different types of poultry. From muddy ducks and friendly geese to noisy guineas and curious turkeys, Lindsay shares her firsthand experiences raising a mixed flock and offers practical tips for housing, feeding, flock management, and introducing different poultry ...

Thinking about adding ducks to your backyard flock? 🦆🐔 In this interview with poultry expert Gail Damerow, we talk all about raising ducks for beginners, including whether ducks and chickens can live together, what management actually looks like, and the biggest mistakes new duck keepers make. We cover: ✔️ Can ducks and chickens be kept together? ✔️ Beginner duck care basics ✔️ Water management (this one surprises everyone 👀) ✔️ Housing differences between ducks and chickens ✔️ What to know...

Are you doing enough to protect your backyard flock from disease? In this episode of The Coop Podcast, Phil and Lauren break down the essentials of chicken biosecurity and explain how simple daily habits can help prevent illness in backyard chickens, ducks, geese, turkeys, and mixed flocks. Learn why quarantining new birds, maintaining a closed flock, practicing proper chicken coop cleaning, controlling rodents and pests, and following good hygiene habits are some of the most effective ways t...

In this episode, we talk with backyard chicken expert and author Lisa Steele about her 10th Anniversary Edition of Gardening with Chickens and how chickens and gardens can work together in a practical, sustainable way. Lisa shares her journey from growing up near a chicken farm in New England to becoming a leading voice in backyard poultry and homesteading. She breaks down how to use chickens in the garden for natural pest control, soil aeration, and fertilization, plus how timing their acces...