We Are What We Eat, Eats-Bonus Content

In this personal and down-to-earth episode, Rip Stalvey shares why poultry nutrition isn’t just about feed—it’s about the food we ultimately serve our families. When we raise backyard chickens, their health, egg quality, and meat flavor are a direct reflection of what we put in their feeders. That’s why we say: We are what we eat, eats.

You'll learn how intentional poultry feeding choices—like balanced amino acids, calcium, high-quality fats, and grit—make all the difference. We’ll explore why pasture access isn’t enough without a complete feed, how to improve egg yolk color and shell strength, and how feeding for each bird’s purpose (layers, broilers, or breeders) leads to better outcomes.

Whether you’re feeding laying hens, raising broilers, or managing a dual-purpose flock, this episode provides real-life guidance on how to make smarter, more sustainable feed choices—even on a budget.

This conversation is for anyone who wants healthier birds, better eggs, and more flavorful meat. Because feeding your chickens isn’t just farm work—it’s food work.

Visit https://www.thepoultrykeeperspodcast.com to leave a voice message, get more resources, and join our growing community of intentional poultry keepers.

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Transcript

We Are What We Eat, Eats

[00:00:00] Hi, I am Rip Stalvey. I'm glad you're listening today. Now, this isn't going to be a polished, fancy talk, okay? I just want to have a real conversation with you, something straight from the heart, something that I've been thinking about a lot lately.

You may have heard that old saying, you are what you eat.

When we raise animals for food, especially our chickens, I think it goes even deeper because when we gather eggs or serve up that homegrown roast chicken, we're not just enjoying the fruits of our labor. We are literally feeding ourselves with what our birds ate. So I like to think of it as "we are what we eat, eats" and that thought, that little twist on a familiar phrase has changed the way I see poultry feed forever.

I want to share it with you today. Not in a preachy way, but more Hey, I've learned some things and I think they're worth talking about. So [00:01:00] let's talk about what happens when we feed our flock intentionally. What it means, what it changes, and how it circles right back to our own tables.

Everybody feed our birds to take, becomes part of something bigger. It turns into bone, muscle feathers, eggs, and then in many cases it turns into food that we share with the people we love. That's why I believe deep down, that good nutrition for them is good nutrition for us. If we feed them well, they grow well, they lay better, they feel better, and the eggs and meat they give us, it's just better.

Not just in production, in quality, in flavor, and in nourishment. Now it's not hype, it's science, and it's just plain common sense. You cracked open a beautiful egg before, haven't you? One with that rich, [00:02:00] orange yolk that practically glows in the pan. That color, that depth, it doesn't come from magic, it comes from nutrition.

A hen that's getting a diet rich in vitamin A, omega threes and natural pigments like lutein, she's going to lay an egg that shows it. You can see it and you can taste it too.

There's something I learned the hard way. Hens that lay regularly need so much more than just some cheap layer feed. They need balanced amino acids like methionine and lysine.

They need calcium in the right form and at the right time. And fats like high quality plant and animal fats to carry those vitamins where they need to go. And don't forget the granite grit so they can grind up their feed and extract all the good nutrition it contains. When they get what they need, their bodies give back generously when they don't they still lay, they just won't lay as many eggs, but the yolks are pale [00:03:00] and the shells are thin.

The flavor and nutrition, it's just not there. If I'm going to go out into the coop and the rain, or the cold or the heat every day, I want it to be worth it for them and for me.

Now, let's talk meat birds for a minute, because if you've ever tasted the difference between a homegrown chicken and one from the store, you already know what I'm about to say.

When we feed our birds whether it's broilers, dual purpose breeds, they grow into strong, well-built birds. Not flabby, not rubbery, just solid, flavorful, real chicken. But when the nutrition is off, they get leggy, they get sluggish, or they develop more fat than they do muscle or worse, they just struggle to get through the grow out phase altogether.

And that that breaks my heart when I see that because they deserve better and honestly, so do we. Feeding birds a scoop of feed and a feeder doesn't mean your birds are getting everything they need.

It's easy to assume that if they are eating and [00:04:00] laying, everything is fine. I thought that too, but just getting by and truly thriving, those are two very different things. Now, I know sometimes the budget gets tight or the feed store selection is limited, or you just plain tired and doing the best that you can.

I've been there too, but even a few small changes like choosing a slightly higher quality ration or adding a little fish meal or kelp meal can make a world of difference. Now, if your birds are on pasture or even free ranging in the backyard, that's great. I'm glad that you're able to do that for 'em. They'll snack on weeds and seeds.

They'll get sunlight. They move around more. But I wanna be honest with you. That's not complete nutrition, especially not for layers or fast growing broilers. It's great supplementation. Sure. But it's no substitute for well balanced feed, so if you've got them out on grass, wonderful. [00:05:00] Keep going. I. Just pair it with solid, optimized, age appropriate nutrition, and make sure that they have the grit to digest all that forest properly.

Another thing I had to learn, and often I'd learned it the hard way, is that not every bird needs the same feed. Layers need calcium, but not too much Protein, broilers need high quality amino acids, fats, fibers, vitamins and minerals, starting on day one. Breeders need fertility friendly nutrients like amino acids, vitamins and minerals.

So when you're feeding, think about who you're feeding and why you're feeding them feed for where they are now and where you want them to go. All of this feels like a lot, and I understand that, but I want to encourage you. You don't have to fix it all at one time. Start with what's doable, switch to a more nutrient rich feed, or talk with a poultry nutritionist about adding [00:06:00] a bit of kelp, flax, or fish meal. If your birds need a little boost, learn to pay attention to what their feathers, their eggs, and their behavior are telling you, and give yourself some grace. We're all learning as we go.

So why did I wanna share this with you today? Frankly, because I know you care. You wouldn't be listening to a podcast if you didn't. You care about your birds, you care about your food, and you care about doing things right, even when it's a little bit harder, even when it takes more time, effort, or intention.

And I think that deserves some real encouragement. So let me say this. You are not just feeding chickens, you're feeding the food that's going to nourish you and your family. You are what you eat, eats. Make it count because it does.

Thank you for joining me today and just listening. This was a personal one for me, and I hope it gives you something to think about next time [00:07:00] when you're at the feed bin or walking through the pasture, if this meant something to you or you're making a change in your flock because of it, I'd love to hear from you.

Let me know. Just head over to the poultry keepers podcast.com. Click that little microphone on the lower right corner on any page, and leave me a voice message. Let's keep this conversation going and if you've got a friend who needs to hear this too, please pass it along. That's how this community of ours grows. One story, one tip, one honest moment at a time. So until next time, keep learning, keep improving, and keep enjoying the birds you love.