In Episode 143 of Mother Earth News and Friends, Patrick Bigg Ph.D. outlines what you can expect during a chick’s first few weeks and the ins and outs of caring for baby chicks, as well as other poultry, including nutrition and water needs, brooder setup, and protection.
Thank you to our sponsor, Purina Mills for making this episode possible!
Senior Nutritionist and Companion Animal Technical Solutions at Purina
It started with a college job at the pet store. Patrick brought home a cockatiel, and from then on, he was all birds all the time, going on to specialize in poultry nutrition.
As passionate as backyard flock owners are, the modern chicken is not as easy to manage as the chickens our grandparents kept. Patrick helps people sort fact from fiction to keep their chickens happy, healthy, and productive. He guides flock fanatics on oyster shells and chick treats, brown vs. white eggs, and caring for an older hen that’s become a pet.
Patrick holds a master’s and doctorate from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. There, he looked at different ways to manage flocks without antibiotics. He continues the work at Purina by developing feeds with prebiotics and probiotics to keep birds healthy.
Learn more from Purina about how to successfully raise your baby birds.
Our Podcast Team:
Carla Tilghman and Jessica Mitchell
Music: “Improvisation: Fast Blues in A” by Reverend Gary Davis.
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