Twin Beaks Chicken Podcast

For anyone with chickens living in colder climes, there is the great debate of "to heat or not to heat" to consider.  While there might not be a correct answer, as it depends on your "chicken philosophy", one of the strong anti-heating arguments centers around the dangers and expense of using electric heating.  Its true that electricity causes many of the disastrous coop fires we've seen in the news, and its likewise true that electric heating is about the most expensive (inefficient) way to generate heat there is.  Short of burning money for warmth. Not that gas is cheap either.. This week in the cabinet of curiosities, among many other stories, we hear the tale of the man who designed a system to save one poultry farmer $30,000; Off of a $60,000 dollar heating bill!  Not by changing fuels, but by changing design efficiency.  There are a lot of ways to avoid electric heating that have to do with improving design.  If you're designing a coop, keeping winter temperatures in mind is very important!  We've got a few design ideas and modifications that can greatly reduce the need for heating your coop! Beyond changes in design however there are things you can try to do to raise the nighttime temperature in the coop.  You've probably heard of deep liter bedding, but is it really a solution or hype?  We'll talk about some of the problems with the idea.  We'll also go over some alternative energy ideas for warming your birds without electric heating.. Or even fuel! Amber has discovered an ancient tradition, steeped in mythology of foretelling the future with chicken bones!  Have a peek in the cabinet to learn about this curious tradition!  And, just because, Amber tells the story of a paddle boarding chicken. Of course Amber has groupies. But other peoples chickens aren't the only ones having fun; We won't apologize for the fact that this is our first show we've done in the daytime, and we are utterly distracted by the flock, who insists on stopping by periodically to watch us through the window.  It was really tempting to let them in and join us again on the show.  They haven't been on the show since they were babies, so maybe they're trying so hard because they really have something to say? And we have to talk about Sargent Pecker. Our Blue Andalusian  seems to have shifted her position in the pecking order, and has now transitioned into the role of rooster.  Oh. My.   So far, it seems to be working out the best for everybody. This week Sargent was on patrol and alerted everyone of a nearby predator! Good news with the two story chicken coop; the birds are slowly moving up to the penthouse! And the molt continues;  I can't believe the pile of feathers we find in the coop daily now.  One of our poor chickens looks like its been through a disaster, and a couple are not far behind.. Everybody's getting ready for winter- Are you?

They stopped laying eggs, they're moody, feathers falling out everywhere!  Does your chicken look like she's been out on a three night bender?  Well, before you decide the plague is at hand, or send Henrietta to rehab, check to see if its not just that she's molting!  Every year our birds go through their egg laying cycle, and molting is part of that cycle.  Sometimes dramatic, there can be quite a change in the bird.  Especially in appearance!  How do you know whether your bird is just undergoing this natural, cyclical change or if something else fowl is afoot?  Never fear Amber has the answers!  In todays show were going to tell you all about molting.  It is the season!  What does it look like, what does it mean, why does it happen?  Can I stop it?  Should I stop it?  What should I do?  Listen in as we go over all the issues around one of the more popular topics of chicken raising; The molt!  Its that time of year, be ready!  WINTER IS COMING! The cabinet of curiosities is so filled with strange, unusual goings on, we might have to chain it to the floor.  You've heard of double yolk eggs.. But there is a more rare, bizarre egg laying oddity.. You'll find it in the cabinet of curiosities!  And of course, we'll talk about curses, and chickens.  Did you know that chickens make good curse removers?  Find out why, and why you should NEVER lose a staring contest with a chicken! Theres some pretty wild, weird science news in the realm of GMO chickens.  No, were not talking about lab grown meat, or chickens with 8 legs or any of the typical stories.. This "Frankenchicken" saves lives!  What the cluck?  Lets find out! Its all right here on the Twin Beaks Chicken Podcast; "A chicken podcast so shocking, you'll molt early"

We recently discovered Petaluma, Ca and its long history of being "The egg basket of the world".  A fascinating turn of the century story involving one mans mission to transform a quiet agricultural town into the "Egg center of the universe".  So today we're going to talk a bit about the town, its historic museum where the first patented incubator resides (A beautiful machine), as well as a variety of other Victorian era chicken raising equipment, and the man who transformed the town.  But circumstance has also led Amber to quite a bit of research on the subject of bumblefoot, a serious medical condition that all chicken owners should be prepared to deal with. Keen observation and acting early can prevent A lot of problems with with our birds, and bumblefoot is no exception.  What can be a manageable problem at first can rapidly transform into a crippling or even fatal injury if unattended.  Fortunately, the treatment is simple and generally effective.  Unfortunately, bumblefoot is kind of gross. Well, screw your courage to the sticking post and soldier on.  We've got to be ready to do what it takes to keep our birds healthy!  Amber breaks down the whole procedure, and after care.  Did you know bumblefoot can come from a simple foot injury?  You'll want to be in the know if bumblefoot shows up in your flock. But were not just going to talk about medical stuff; we've made some advances on our "Chicken tower" The play structure and swing set we converted into a coop and yard; changing our chickens diet has had some stimulating results!  We'll give you an update on the production of our Chicken raising audio book from 1885.  Chicken Pancakes (of course, we mean pancakes FOR chickens!); And the very serious business of English chicken racing... Bring your Chicken racing hat!

It seems so far away, but then its there all at once.  Winter.. And everything that comes with it.  Are you prepared?  Dealing with winter can be a manageable experience or a disaster, and a lot of that depends on preparation! Today on the Twin Beaks Podcast , we'll review some basic steps you can take to prevent an unpleasant experience for your chickens this winter.  We also will give you a lot of winterizing tips and tricks to make things easier for the winter. Its not all intuitive either, Find out why making your chicken coop air tight is a bad idea in the winter.  What can you do to prepare for winter-before you even have chickens and a coop?  Did you know that winter is the ideal time to bring chicken toys into play?  Things get dull when its raining and snowing for days on end.  Are there ways to heat up the coop without electricity? We will cover a wide range of topics-all things winterizing- on todays show.  Including touching on the subject of light, and boosting egg laying productivity through the winter. But thats not all.  Shannon has an update on his audiobook "The Biggle Poultry Book" (1895) We've finished the reading, and it won't be long till we finish editing.  Have a listen to see what thats all about. Amber stirs debate with a scientific study that suggests that chickens prefer people who match human beauty standards.  What do you think?  Chicken fact--or chicken fantasy?  Let us know.. We would like to hear from you!  Let us know if there is a topic you'd like to hear us research and discuss on the show.  We just love sharing knowledge and we want you to  Know Your Chicken. Brace Yourselves... The Twin Beaks Chicken Podcast is Coming!

Its hard to imagine something more devastating than a bear attacking your chickens.  They're such strong, large animals, that they can cause an incredible amount of devastation to your flock.  Preventing the destructive power of bears is an ancient problem, but fortunately we have many new solutions to dealing with the threat!  There are many good practices one can adopt to discourage bears from becoming a problem in the first place. As human populations expand, and more and more people come to appreciate having backyard chickens, issues with bears have become more and more of a problem.  Always looking for a free meal, bears can become attracted to your chickens.  Once they're around, things will only get worse, as they will destroy gardens, bird feeders, attack pets, and generally become a big, dangerous nuisance.  We'll go over the other things that might attract bears to your home besides chickens, and offer solutions both from our research as well as some of our own ideas to keep the bears out! The Twin Beaks Chicken Podcast recently moved into bear territory, and while they aren't an immediate, pressing threat, we decided it was time to brush up on or basic bear defenses and we'll be happy to share with you what we've learned. Join Amber in the cabinet of curiosities as we explore chickens and their amazing head tracking ability.  Have you noticed that no matter how you move a chicken, it keeps its head stationary?  Perhaps chickens would make the perfect camera tripod?  How do they do it?  It might have something to do with special "Rocks" inside their heads!  What would you expect from a bird that has a previously undiscovered form of matter in their eyes?! Amber also found a curious little fact about eggs, and how to store them.. Did you know that there is a right side up for storing eggs?  It might seem like a small thing, but after you hear why eggs should be stored the correct way, you'll be glad to know.

While cities everywhere are struggling with the question of allowing back yard chickens, the city of Fair Oaks, Ca has embraced the chicken, allowing them to roam free in the city, and holding a yearly celebration in their honor!  This week we made a special trip to Fair Oaks just to check out the scene at the Fair Oaks Chicken Festival, and get to the bottom of what its like for a city to let chickens free range through town. The population of Chickens in Fair Oaks is believed to be around 400 birds, and it is typical for them to outnumber the people in the town square.  Most of the people in town enjoy them, many have made it a selling point of their businesses, and the "Welcome to Fair Oaks" sign boasts a large rooster.  People tell stories of their favorite chicken they meet regularly at the local coffee shop, one fellow has come to rely on finding an egg in a specific planter by the bar, that he adds to his beer. Of course the Twin Beaks Chicken Podcast could not be kept away, and when we found out that the Fair Oaks Chicken festival was at hand, we knew we had to see what the city had to offer.  After our surprise discovery of the chickens of Yuba City, we had to see if  chickens also rule the roost in Fair Oaks.  And we were not disappointed.  It could not be mistaken that the the people of the city love their chickens! Lots of other important chicken matters to discuss as well.. We'll tell you about how chickens are working behind the scenes to revive endangered species, share a story of heroic chicken rescue and innovative chicken transport.   What do you do when the hurricane's a comin'?  Save the Chickens by any means necessary! Finally, we get a rare peek into the philosophy of chickens.  Are chickens at peace with themselves and their identity?  Lets find out!

Amber and her Pet Rooster Grettle The rise of the Pet house chicken is at hand!  People from all walks of life are embracing the idea of having a pet chicken.  And why not?  They're intelligent, can be house trained, are productive, useful, and entertaining!  Many people have a hard time imagining living with a chicken in their home, but with some preparation and careful decision making, this is a very manageable idea, and its one that is growing in popularity all the time! We've got to cover the all-important, critical question of "Can Chickens Hold It?"  Can they control when they go to the bathroom. "Experts" on the internet say its impossible.  But anecdotal evidence abounds that pet chickens can be trained to restrain and retrain.  Which is true?  We'll give you both sides, and you make the call. Why Shouldn't people have pet chickens?  How are they different from parrots?  When you listen to the arguments against keeping chickens as pets, theres not much there that can't be said about any other type of animal.  So are people who keep chickens in their houses reasonable?  Or are they clucking crazy?  On this weeks show, we'll cover the ins and outs of the great "indoor chicken" debate!  We'll also talk about how to keep chickens indoors, some of the chief considerations, when keeping a chicken indoors might be a good tactical idea, and what some other alternatives to house chickens might be.  Maybe you've already decided its time to have a pet chicken.  In that case, the experience will be determined largely by how well you have trained your chicken.  We made a whole episode about that; "The Hunger Games". And of course, we'll take a look in the cabinet of curiosities; back in time , to the mid 1800's when the discovery that tornadoes pluck chickens alive compelled humanity to ask the question; "How fast can I shoot this chicken out of a cannon before its feathers fly off".  FOR SCIENCE!!  No really. More sciency goodness than you can handle; coming at you at 341 miles an hour... Only on The Twin Beaks Chicken Podcast!

Many people make the mistake of waiting until stress is causing observable, dramatic problems with the flock.  But stress can be subtle, low grade, and can add up to significant losses over time; in egg production, in weight gain, in poorer health, and so on.  Today on the show we're going to talk about stress, and some of the things that are likely to stress your birds.  Even inappropriate light periods can lead to unhappy, stressed-out, unproductive chickens.  And... You might never know!  Is your dog stressing out your birds?  How about the cat?  How about the neighbors?  What about YOU?!?  You might be surprised at some of the suggestions on how to reduce stress in your chickens lives. Theres also some interesting stories in this weeks cabinet of curiosities.. The worlds smallest Egg!  You'd need a few to make an omelet.  Theres a man in Texas, who decided to troll people by taking his chicken on walks in a stroller.. Little did he know, he'd become a sensation!  And... An incredible curiosity; What caused a man to build a giant church shaped like a chicken in the middle of the jungle? And we'll put the icing on the cake with a pirate song.  About chickens.  What else...?

"I Have No Regrets" Are your chickens lawbreakers?  Have you checked lately?  All Across the United States local cities, towns, counties, are engaged in show downs over Chicken Laws.  Its quite a flap (Oh Yes I did).  Today on the show, were going to talk about the various issues with backyard flocks.  We'll discuss different examples of how these struggles get resolved...or don't.. And what you can do about it.  Lots of people are fighting the good fight, pushing their local government to change Chicken laws to allow people to keep chickens on their own property. Not everybody is on board however.  There are forces big and small out there who want to prevent people from passing chicken laws.  Some are "Big Poultry", but most are busy-body neighbors with not much argument.  Yet, due to their persistence, and lack of being challenged by chicken owners, they often carry the day at the local planning meeting, and prevent chicken laws from being passed. There are a lot of things you can do to change the law in your favor however.  And a great many of them aren't really that much work.  Today on the show we're going to show you whats worked in other areas, and give you talking points and tactics to help win over chicken laws in your favor. For example; remember when we talked about Live Oak, Ca, and the popularity of their free range city chickens that hang out at coffee shops?  A politician might give over to a small group of complainers.. But if they see the potential for growth and buzz, they might see things differently. Even if you have no intention of fighting legislatively, these talking points are still useful for you in talking to others, and convincing people that backyard chickens aren't just OK, they're a great idea. Were also going to be talking on the show today about Sentinel chickens.. The chickens you probably don't even know are keeping your flock safe!  Find out about these secretive chicken heroes.    We'll also take you into the world of mad scientists... Where they are slowly reverse engineering the chicken on a genetic level to produce little chicken /dinosaur hybrids. You Can't Rooster Like You Used To...Says Zydeco Joe in our featured music..  But we can still fight to keep hens, even in the cities!  Let this show "Give you a booster" to do just that! Turning chickens into dinosaurs, crude innuendo and overturning the law... where else, but the Twin Beaks Chicken Podcast!

Don't Leave Your Chickens in "The Hot Place" Are your chickens too hot?  Are they laying hard boiled eggs? Its been hotter than a billygoat with a blowtorch with record heat waves reported across the country!   Are you worried if your birds can cope?  You should be! Heat stress is a serious condition that poses great risk for your chickens. The best thing to do is avoid your birds getting too hot in the first place.   In this episode, were going to talk about how to deal with hot birds.  Simple solutions, and larger, permanent projects.  We'll share tips that keep birds from getting too hot, even in the baking Arizona summers.   We all know your flock needs plenty of cool water and shade when the sun is scorching, and its hot outside.   But extreme temperatures require extraordinary measures to keep your chickens safe. Personally, we like to bring them indoors, blast the AC and hook them up with mealworm martinis and a personal masseuse.  We would give them the whole house if we could; but every situation calls for a unique set of tools.  Don't worry if you can't bring the chickens in the house, we've got you covered in this episode with plenty of simple things you can do to beat the heat. But of course, the show will be about much more;  Are chickens a solution to the energy crisis?  How are the Twin Beaks flock doing with the new tractor? Have you ever looked into your chickens eyes, and contemplated the inherent contradictions in physical matter staring back at you?  No?  Listen in to find out why chickens eyes challenge our very notions of the nature of matter itself, and present a seeming paradox in physical matter!  Chickens are the only known living thing that displays "Disordered Hyper-uniformity, challenging our very understanding of the world with a mere glance of the eye. How could chickens get any cooler?  Find out.  On the Twin Beaks Chicken Podcast .

Chicken Tractors can be for small operations too! How would you like a way of housing your chickens thats cheaper than the conventional hen house and run operation and will improve your land too?  What if I told you it was also better for the chickens?  Chicken tractors can offer all this and more, and are an alternative worth considering.  Amber and Shannon just picked up their first chicken tractor and want to share with the audience what chicken tractors are all about. Chicken tractors are a lightweight, low budget, intelligent way to manage your chickens grazing.  With reasonable attention to planning, one can use chicken tractors to make sure that there will always be a supply of the best forage for your birds.  They will always live on fresh ground.  Using a chicken tractor allows for a grazing system that actually improves biodiversity and soil health.  You can avoid "Hammered" land; Property that the birds have killed all the good plants on and compressed the soil.  Additionally, with some planning you can design your chicken tractor with other elements of your property in mind.  What if you could make your chickens weed the yard?  Fertilize the garden?  Chicken Tractors make it easy! Its a good thing we did the episode on Breaking broody hens, because over the last week one of our hens went broody.  Did the techniques we talked about on the show work?  We had some unanticipated results, and we'll talk about them for our weekly Chicken Update. If only we could see as they do.... Were also going to cover some strange and unusual stories in Ambers Cabinet of Curiosities.  Chickens see a completely different world than we humans do.  You may think you can tell how your chicken sees things, but you'll be blown away by what Amber has to tell you about what makes chicken eyesight unique; even among birds.   Do chickens live in a psychedelic wonder world invisible to human eyes?  Get the birds-eye view with Amber! Over half a century ago, a man cut off a chickens head.  And didn't kill it.  Friends, when circumstances such as these arrive, you know the players are going straight to stardom.  You'll want to hear Ambers story of the headless chicken, and the weirdest chicken festival in the world. And if thats not enough chicken obscurity; if you are not yet entertained; stay tuned for the end of the show for the amazing talent of our one stringed guitar player and his song about chickens!  Here on Twin Beaks Podcast, we bring you not any chicken festival, but the weirdest chicken festival imaginable- All this and we still make the chicken tractors run on time.

Are your chickens eating each others eggs?  Are they stressed out?  Bored?  Picking at each other?  Does it seem like they go looking for things to get themselves into trouble?  Did you know chickens can be TOO heavy?  Are yours eating too much?  Does it seem like they are constantly trying to escape?  What if I told you that you can add something to your chicken operation that addresses and mitigates all these issues?  For Free?  Yes, chicken toys might be your answer! Many chicken owners are under the mistaken impression that providing chicken toys to your flock is a frivolous, self-indulgent affair.  Something that people that think too highly of their birds do.  "Experts" even warn people away from certain chicken toys, merely on principle that the idea is "silly".  Far from it, apart from providing yourself, your family and your chickens with entertainment, chicken toys help to prevent many problems from starting with your flock, and even stopping some problems after they've started.  Chickens are smarter than many people think.  They need mental stimulation!  Apart from addressing problems, some chicken toys will provide practical improvements to your birds environment, we'll go over the various advantages during the show!  Are you just setting up the yard for chickens?  Make sure they've got something to keep their minds busy! You don't need to have a big budget to provide chicken toys for your flock either.  In fact, many chicken toys can be made for free.  Odds are, you have everything you need to start making chicken toys today.  And... you should!  Chicken toys are very entertaining for both humans and chickens.  They're a great way to keep your kids involved with the flock as well.  There are a lot of creative, cheap or free ways to make toys  for the flock and we'll make sure you've got at least one good idea that you can use today! Make sure you catch the rest of the show too; Strange things are going on in the chicken cabinet of curiosities (or should we say closet?) and a word of warning in song to those who prey upon the chicken.. One day you'll look up, and see Ghost Chickens in the Sky. Witchcraft, chicken ghosts and tips on which musical instruments are best for your chickens... Where else but the Twin Beaks Chicken Podcast!!

Goth ladies love the Chicken Lifestyle Too! Which Chicken Lifestyle choice is right for you?  If you've been to the supermarket lately, or have thought about marketing your own eggs, you've doubtlessly noticed that there is a growing range of "Lifestyle choices"-quality of life standards for the laying hens- boasted about on egg cartons.  "Cage Free", "Free Range", "Outdoor range" and many more.  But what do these descriptions really look like in practice?  Are you making the decision that actually reflects your values? Whether you buy eggs, or you sell them, or you just want a better understanding of the issues, you'll want to tune in to this weeks show.  Joining us is Avia Moore.  Avia is a student and intern at the U.C. Davis poultry facility as part of her pursuit of a degree in veterinary medicine, who also has an established career in the Goth/alt fashion industry.  She is familiar with the issues of flock management in caged and range environments, and know the various benefits and pitfalls of the different lifestyles of industrial birds.  Have a listen, what she has to say may shock you!  Did your eggs come from a scene that looks like Little House On The Prairie?  Or is it more like a Sex Pistols Mosh Pit?    Can you actually tell what chicken lifestyle the hens had?  We'll go over the different choices, and help you find a chicken lifestyle you're happy with. Did the bird that lays your eggs grow up in a mosh pit? And.. if you make eggstra money selling eggs, or are a backyard chicken evangelist, you'll want to hear about whats going on in the industry to share the news with your neighbors and customers.  There are limits to what you can reasonably expect from people who raise birds by the thousands in terms of attention, care, and quality of life.  Judgments of the industry aside, its simply impossible for someone to raise 10,000 birds with the same chicken lifestyle as your little backyard flock.  Thats part of the appeal of your eggs, and you'll want to know the alternatives to discuss them for your customers.  What will you say when someone asks you why your eggs are twice as much as they are in the store?  They're making a chicken lifestyle choice.  Discussing alternatives in chicken lifestyle will make your customers feel confident they made the right decision. We're also going to cover issues with the industry that pertain to the back yard chicken enthusiast  in Ambers Cabinet of Curiosities.  China has recently signed a trade deal with the US to allow processed cooked chicken from China into the US market.  If you eat chicken, or sell chicken, you're going to want to hear the story.    Also we'll talk about A completely preventable tragedy that kills entire flocks of backyard chickens, and threatens their owners weekly in this country.  Don't let it happen to you!  And, we'll look back for a laugh at an article from 2008 that declares the "Backyard Chicken Movement" as a fad.  Has the movement grown much since?  We'll look at some numbers.

Is your hen in the mood for the brood? Are you concerned with her obsessive devotion to her nest? Why has she stopped eating and started pulling out her feathers? What is this avian insanity which has befallen your fowl friend? In this show we discuss why hens get broody, how it affects your hen physically and mentally and what you can do to break this broody behavior ....or use it to your advantage! There are many great things about having a broody hen. Have you ever incubated eggs and cared for chicks until they are ready to go outdoors? Its a huge job and a mother hen knows how to do it best. Whats even better is having a broody hen hatch a clutch of chicks from eggs you ordered online or bought locally. These eggs can be a variety of pure breeds specifically chosen to fan the flames of your flock fanaticism. Imagine the variety of chicks you could hatch and all without need of a rooster! We will also give a few suggestions if you're looking for a broody breed who will care for her chicks like a crowned goddess of motherhood. But, nature loves to provide, and in many cases, you might not want a broody hen.  There are lots of obscure tips and tricks to cure even the most stubborn hen of broodiness. Some are very simple and may work with little effort and others will require more diligence. Be reassured if you want your hen to keep laying instead of being a “lay about” we have solutions for you. We have anti brood secrets that will stop even the most ambitious hen as well as tips for understanding brooding behavior and nest site preferences. Our Cabinet of Chicken Curiosities is a bit darker this week with some scary stories of chicken thievery. We all know we have to keep our clickers safe from tooth, fang and talon but what about human predators?   The recent "discovery" of the joy of back yard chickens has led to climbing prices, and with climbing prices comes..... Theft.  We share some news about poultry pilferers and shudder at the thought! Peering deeper into the Cabinet we will peruse some stunning examples of strange genetics, and naughty bird behavior!   Did you know chickens can mate with peacocks and have occasionally hatched and reared young? Find out all about the legendary pea-chick! This week at the end of the show, we have a fantastic story-teller named Akizur sharing the story of "The Good Farmer and The Chickens". A fantastic parable, told brilliantly.  After you've heard it on the show, check out this video to watch Akizur tell the story.  That's a treat in itself.

Are you looking for an affordable, simple way to boost productivity in your flock?  Are you being overrun with pests?  Flies?  Mites?  Rats!?  Do you sell eggs?  Would your customers like to see that signature deep, rich, orange color to their yolks that says "Home grown and farm fresh"?  Maybe you just like to "Mother" your hens?  All the best for the girls, right?  Whatever the reason, and there are many, you, and your chickens can benefit from the use of herbs! Today on the show, Amber and Shannon talk dig deep into the cabinet of curiosities, and pull out an old "Snake oil" product; "The Sex Finder". Was there a now forgotten technology for home sexing....anything... on the farm?  Check out the "Annihilator" of all prior chicken sexing technology! Speaking of technology, chickens are at the forefront of the science of protecting people from the ravages of mosquito-borne diseases!  Would you believe that the solution to malaria might be smelling like a chicken?  Can you use chickens as a natural mosquito repellant?  Amber has the story! Were going to talk about chickens that would fool any sex detector; would you believe a chicken thats half male and half female?  You would!?  Well how about a chicken thats female on one side and male on the other?  Its one of those things that happens in Amber's Cabinet of Curiosities! Today were going to take a look at incorporating herbs into your chicken raising.  Herbs can be used for countless purposes in caring for your flock, and can be used topically (such as lining the nest with insect deterring plants) or internally.  Herbs can be used for a number of purposes; They deter parasites, internal and external, improve overall health and immunity, can be used curatively, and will even keep flies and other insects at bay, just by leaving them around the coop.  Herbs can be a low-cost, low effort method of solving or preventing a number of problems that we chicken tenders face.  Have a listen to some of Ambers tips for using herbs in the coop, and start having healthy, relaxed, and bug-free birds today! Lastly, we bring you another strange and unusual ballad by Tacheo Ischi;  you might want to click through after you listen to the show to see the video for "Chicken Attack"; the story of good overcoming evil with the power of the chicken.  You know you needed it, You're Welcome.

A chicken about town What if there were chickens everywhere in your town? While towns all over the world argue about whether or not to allow their citizens to own chickens, other towns have taken a different approach.  They allow flocks of feral chickens to run all over town! I had thought that you had to go to a place like Guatemala to find a town enlightened enough to let their chickens run free, but it turns out there was a town, much, much closer! Amber and I visited Yuba City, Ca, which is just such a town.  We had no idea that fate had delivered us directly into a flock of feral chickens.  How do they survive?  How do the locals feel?  What about other cities?  Would you believe that one city has taken advantage of their 300 member strong chicken population, and even have a yearly festival?  We'll tell you all about it! Also in this weeks show; we're moving to a new town!  Amber bought a house, and the chickens have far greener pastures ahead!  Pardon us while we make the transition.  An episode might be late here and there, but were not going away any time soon!  Moving to a new town means starting all over with our chicken yard, chicken coop, our whole chicken set up. Stay tuned to future episodes and follow along as we show you how we make a new home for our chickens! Amber has Medieval Christian Chickens in her Cabinet of Curiosities this week!  What did Christian Medieval Monastics have to do with your hens wonderful personality?  Amber takes a deep dive back into chicken history to bring you the curious history of Friar Tuck and Fryer Turken. We've been really busy with the move, theres a lot of work to do on the new house.  But we did get the chance to watch the movie "Chicken People"; An entertaining look at the world of show chickens.  Chicken shows may sound silly, but they're highly competitive, very exacting, and the competitors (ok, their people) take the shows very seriously.   The characters in the movie are complex and interesting, and theres lots of very, very pretty birds to look at.  If you've been curious about chicken shows, the movie gives the audience a good look at the workings of chicken competition. Let us know what you think of the show in the comments or on our Facebook page; we look forward to hearing from you!

Announcing our upcoming contest! Does your hen look like its gone gangsta?  We thought maybe one of our hens had been talking to the local High School kids, and had started sagging her pants; but it turns out that she has ascites!  There are several conditions that can cause your hen to look like her abdomen is sagging.  Some of them are dire emergencies- none of them are good.  During the show we're going to explore the different conditions that cause this symptom, and what the treatments for these conditions are.  Treating ascites requires some special skills and tools, you'll want to know what these are so you can be ready in advance! We're not just talking about dire medical conditions like ascites though;  tune in to hear about our upcoming contest!  We've been working away on a special, unique project for lovers of arcane chicken lore.. Have you ever wondered if people did things differently when raising chickens 150 years ago?  Heres your chance to find out!  Listen to the show for all the details! Remember some time ago we mentioned that A French artist had closed himself up in a giant display case in an art museum where he was trying to brood a clutch of chicks?  Well, despite prognostications of doom from the "experts"; success!  What in the ever-lovin' what?!  We'll catch you up on this guys crazy experiment! And of course, not content to be merely on the cutting edge of all things medical and experimental  of a chicken nature, we also have you covered with obscure, chicken entertainment as well!  We found a highly entertaining music video and song we think really captures what the show is all about;  stay through to the end for Linus Lemon's glorious ode to his chickens! Where are you going to learn about ascites, watch a French artist try to hatch chicks with his body heat, and add to your ever-expanding collection of Odes to the Chicken?  -Twin Beaks Chicken Podcast -Of course!

What do you do in a chicken emergency?  No I don't mean you need to get to the store and buy more chickens, a real first aid emergency?  Are you ready for a medical situation?  Birds are adept at hiding injury and illness and by the time you've noticed theres something wrong, you might have to act fast!  Its important to have everything you might need at hand and ready to go! Do you know what sorts of things you might need in a chicken first aid emergency?  Amber and Shannon have many years of collective experience dealing with avian emergency care, and some of their answers might surprise you.  With a little preparation, at virtually no expense, you can be well prepared to deal with most of the emergencies you're likely to face. So gather around your earbuds, pull down a chair and join Amber and Shannon for a quick look at how to stock a good emergency response kit for your coop, chicken news, oddities, and more- all on the Twin Beaks Chicken Podcast- "We make the chicken tractors run on time."

Are your chickens living up to their full potential?  Do you have the kind of relationship you want to have with your chickens?  Don't be content with a flock of unmanageable fowl, start training your chickens now! We promise no chickens were harmed in the production of this episode; we called it the hunger games because thats what training chickens is all about.  YES LADIES AND GENTLEMEN!! using our proprietary, trademarked, occult chicken training techniques, you too can start training your chickens- for the cost of chicken feed!  Its true! It might surprise you, the kinds of things you can train a chicken to do.. Run obstacle courses, play tic tac toe, solve puzzles, pull a wagon... and so many more things.  I don't know about you, but I figure if I feed em and clothe em, they might as well be entertaining!  Amuse your friends, confuse your enemies, start training your chickens today!  They're smarter than you think! Also in the podcast, we'll talk about our recent flock jailbreak, one small, often overlooked aspect to the coop that might save you a lot of trouble, and of course we'll break down the controversy of whether humans make good brooders... Wait... What? Thats right?  Think you can lay an egg?  Well a French artist is trying to hatch a brood using his own body heat in a live artist installation where he has vowed to sit on his chicken eggs for three weeks...until they hatch.  Is this guy crazy?  Is it a little Eggstreme?  Or will he be the first human to brood his own chicks himself... You gotta hear about all the details on this one!  Where are you going to go for  your French artists trying to sit on eggs to hatch them while spending weeks on display in a plastic box fix?!?  The TWIN BEAKS CHICKEN PODCAST of course!!

This week we take the show to Guatemala for a very special look at chickens Mayan Style!  We spent a month in the Lake Atitlan area of Guatemala, exploring through the Mayan tribal villages in search of chicken secrets and ancient chicken wisdom!  Amber and I were lucky enough to stay for a week with our friend Alex, his wife Juana, and their wonderful family.  Alex's mother in law, (also named Juana) is a local elder and village shamaness who was gracious enough to sit down with us for an interview about chickens- from the Mayan perspective. You won't want to miss this one-  How does a Mayan shamaness treat a chicken?  Like a cake! A chicken bus; Mayans know the proper place for a chicken and give them the balcony seats! We'll also talk about how chickens are raised in the villages.  This might be of particular interest to you homesteader/prepper/permaculture and budget chicken raising types.  No fancy plastic gravity feeders and miniature victorian chicken coops in Guatemala!   No "Pet Chickens"either; the Mayan chicken works for a living!  How do people raise chickens on a subsistence budget?  How do they raise chicks?  Why don't people steal all the loose chickens running amok?  Why don't the feral dogs kill them?  Tune in and find out! Finally, we got back from our trip to discover that our chickens are just too big, and eat too much.  Time to sell some on Craigslist.. Did we make or lose money raising the birds?  Was it worth it?   We'll go over the considerations of when to sell birds, and how to make the most money. We're proud to celebrate our 10th episode of the podcast!  Whether its the bliss of Takeo Ischi's German Chicken Yodeling, Mayan Shamans on how to raise chickens, or brilliant interviews with hot, freshly hatched chicks; we strive to bring you unique and interesting perspectives, art, insights, and cultural oddities from throughout space and time!  We love all things chicken, and we hope you do to! This ain't your grandmas chicken podcast, Its Your Mayan Grandma's Chicken Podcast!