1. Chicken Industry
February 8, 2017

2. Main Categories Broiler Production Egg Production Replacement Pullets
Broiler Breeder

3. Commercial Chicken Houses
These buildings offer automated heating, ventilation, water, and feeding systems.

4. Commercial Chicken Houses
Most houses have an earth floor and is covered by 2-4 inches of Litter.

5. Commercial Chicken Houses
Litter – is an absorbent material that serves as bedding for the chickens.

6. Replacing Litter

7. Chicken Litter

8. Preventing Disease
Monoculture - the cultivation of a single crop in a given area.

9. Diseases

10. Broiler Production
Chickens to
Nuggets

11. Broiler Production

12. Broiler Production
Producing meat is the main focus of broiler production.
Producers enter into a company contract, receive birds from a hatchery, and grow chickens to market weight in about six weeks.

13. Chicks to market size in just 6 weeks!
Broiler Process
Chicks to market size in just 6 weeks!

14. Egg Production Laying hens are housed in specifically designed cages.
Producers (farmers) aim to get one egg per hen each day.
The eggs roll into a shelf where they are picked up, washed, and graded.
Hens in laying cages

15. Egg Environment
The amount of light dictates when the birds start laying eggs.
The ideal temperature range for laying houses is 57 to 79 degrees.

16. Egg Production

17. Molting
Molting – a period of time when chickens will shed and then renew their feathers.
Some growers will induce molting in laying houses so all chickens will molt at the same time.

18. Molting
Fully Feathered
Molting

19. Egg Collection Systems
In-line systems
Off-line systems
Allows for laying, collection, and grading of eggs to take place at one facility.
Transports the eggs out of the laying house directly to an egg cooling room and then transported to an egg processing facility.

20. Replacement Pullets Replacement pullets are raised for egg production.
These chickens will replace the hens in current egg production.
These birds are raised from freshly hatched hens until they reach about 20 weeks.

21. Replacement Pullets
Once a pullet has reached 20 weeks they are transferred to a laying farm for egg production.
Pullets are usually mature enough for egg production at 24 weeks of age.

22. Broiler Breeders
Broiler breeders are chickens that are used to produce fertile eggs that will be hatched to become broilers.
These chickens are selected on genetic background and their “meat potential”.

23. Broiler Breeders
Once eggs are laid in a broiler breeder house they will be transported to an egg collectoin room on a conveyor belt.
The eggs are then boxed and sent to a hatchery where they chicks will be hatched before they are sent to a broiler production house.