In this episode of Bred Perfection, Kenny Troiano, alongside his wife Nancy and guest Peter Brown, discusses the significance of vitamins and minerals for raising healthy poultry. They share insights on the importance of proper vitamin supplementation for chickens, comparing it to prenatal vitamins for humans. The conversation highlights various vitamins, their roles, and potential deficiencies in poultry. Peter emphasizes the importance of balanced supplementation, gut health, and the potential pitfalls of over-supplementation. They also touch on the importance of using fresh feed and share anecdotes and experiences related to poultry health and nutrition. The episode concludes with a Q&A session addressing the use of vitamins, supplements, and natural remedies.
Ep304 – Isolation and the Consequences of Gene Flow
Kenny Troiano and Nancy host an episode of “Bred to Perfection”. The main topic is Isolation and the Consequences of Gene Flow in breeding chickens and gamefowl: outside genetic inputs (outcrossing, crossbreeding, infusion, random breeding) increase variability, reduce gene frequency, disrupt uniformity, and can introduce defects and disease, making progress unpredictable. Hybrid Vigor is described as temporary and not inherited. They explain Salvage Breeding and “Gene Shopping” as ways to recover or rebuild a family, sometimes requiring outside blood, but with major risks. Kenny emphasizes that selective breeding drives improvement, while isolation preserves genetic integrity, biosecurity, and long-term predictability, citing decades of improvement without adding outside blood.
Ep303 – Writing the Champion Row Series: Jeff Duguay on Books, Breeding, and Legacy
On the Maximus Troy Publications Network’s “Bred for Perfection,” host Kenny Troiano, with Nancy and guest Jeff Duguay, discusses Duguay’s background (raised with chickens in Maine, later earning a PhD in ornithology, teaching wildlife management, and working for Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries) and his poultry writing. Duguay has written 11 self-published books, including a poultry diseases, parasites, and disorders book (being translated into Spanish) and breed-focused guides that simplify the Standard of Perfection with plain language, photos, defects/disqualifications, judge input, and show-prep advice; he collaborates with experienced breeders and judges. He markets mainly via Facebook, sells through cluckerbooks.com and Amazon, and notes self-publishing costs and marketing challenges. They also cover avian influenza monitoring in Louisiana, his current APA yearbook chair role, upcoming breed books, and advice for aspiring authors and new exhibitors.
Ep302 – The Mindset of a True Breeder: How Open-Mindedness Builds Better Bloodlines
In this episode of ‘Bred to Perfection’, Kenny Troiano, founder of the Breeders Academy, and his wife Nancy discuss several challenges faced by both novice and veteran breeders. Kenny shares his observations from a social media post questioning why veteran breeders are not teaching the younger generation. He addresses potential reasons, including the reluctance of both sides to learn from each other and the presence of poor educators. Nancy and Kenny debate these ideas, emphasizing the importance of finding good mentors and maintaining an open mind. They cover best practices for animal husbandry, the drawbacks of relying on faulty advice from social media groups, and the importance of a well-rounded education in genetics, health, and nutrition for improving poultry strains. The episode also touches on the prevalence of misinformation in the community and the role of ‘information peddlers’, concluding with practical advice for selecting healthy breeding stock and identifying qualified experts.
Ep301 – Building Stronger Bloodlines from the Inside Out
In this episode of ‘Bred to Perfection,’ host Kenny Troiano, founder of the Breeders Academy, and his wife Nancy, chat with Peter Brown about advanced techniques in poultry wound care and breeding practices. The conversation includes a revolutionary healing bandage with micro-batteries that accelerates wound healing and reduces infection risks. They also discuss the critical role of gut health in breeding stronger bloodlines, the effects of diet, water quality, and environmental factors on poultry health, and solutions for common poultry diseases. The episode offers practical insights and recommendations for poultry breeders aiming to improve the resilience and overall health of their strains.