POULTRY PRODUCTION

Poultry production comprises two major categories, meat production and egg production. Most poultry produced in North America is grown under close control on highly specialized farms. The evolution from small flocks to large commercial units after World War II was facilitated by rapid advances in the knowledge of nutrition, breeding, housing, disease control, and processing of poultry and eggs, and by improvements in transportation and refrigeration which made possible distant marketing of fresh products. Incubation Artificial incubation was a major advance in poultry production because it became possible to hatch large numbers of chicks of the same age for farmers to raise for meat or egg production. Modern incubators are constructed of materials that can be effectively cleaned and disinfected and that provide good insulation of the chamber. Eggs are set in specially designed plastic flats which fit into channels in egg racks that move on wheels. The egg racks are equipped with mechanical systems to tilt the eggs 45; turning is usually done hourly. Eggs are transferred from the setting trays into hatching trays 3 days before expected hatch. After the hatch is completed, the chicks are transferred to a conveyer belt for processing or directly into plastic boxes with absorbent paper pads or into disposable paper boxes with wood fiber pads. Chick servicing often involves sexing, vaccination, and beak trimming. Usually, chicks are held at the hatchery prior to shipment to farms, starting early on the day after hatching. Specially designed delivery trucks or buses are used to provide adequate ventilation for chicks during shipment.