To help you get a better sense of what life is really like for a broiler chicken (a chicken raised for meat), this bite-sized video brings you inside a typical chicken farm to find out. Follow along as we explore the first day baby chicks arrive to the farm, to when they are transported to processing.
See how chickens are typically raised, the thought and research that goes into their housing, food,
breeding, and medical care, and how farmers, veterinarians, and nutritionists are always working to do better.
Chickens’ First Day on the Farm
Broiler chickens – chickens raised for meat – are hatched at a “hatchery,” and within hours they’ll arrive at the farm where they’ll be raised until they’re ready to leave the farm and go to market. The average broiler chicken spends about seven weeks on the farm. Providing a great start in those first days are crucial to ensure they have the best finish when they reach your grocery store shelves and kitchen tables. Learn about all that goes into bringing 25,000 day-old chicks into a house…from transportation to heating to safety and feeding.
Chicken Feed Tailored to Each Stage of Life
Just like any other animal, chickens’ dietary needs change as they grow. Working with expert poultry nutritionists, we specially blend feed that changes with the chickens as they grow, ensuring they’re getting the proper mix of nutrients for each stage of their life. Learn how farmers and poultry nutritionists feed the chickens that feed us.
Biosecurity and Health Management
Farmers keep chickens safe from predators and the elements, but they also work to keep them safe from introduction to disease through advanced biosecurity measures. Especially during the first few weeks of life, chickens need extra care and attention to stay healthy and grow well. See how farmers manage the health of chickens – how they’re fed, how temperatures are controlled, and what measures are taken to ensure biosecurity in the houses.
Monitoring and Maintaining the Health of the Flock
What’s a chicken farmer’s number one priority? Maintaining the health of their chicken flock. Chicken farmers regularly inspect the birds to make sure they’re thriving. Find out how the health of chicken flocks is monitored and maintained on a daily basis.
Housing and Ventilation Systems on the Farm
Broiler chickens aren’t raised in cages – they’re raised in large, open barns called “growout houses.” These houses provide precise climate control for each stage of a chicken’s life –warmer when they’re smaller and less able to regulate their body temperature, and cooler as they grow bigger and “feather out.” Ventilation and temperature control is key when raising chickens – see how chicken farmers manage both to keep chickens healthy and comfortable.
Transporting to Processing and Getting Ready for the Next Flock
Broiler chickens take about seven weeks to reach market weight. Once they’ve reached the proper size and weight, trained workers arrive to catch – by hand – all 25,000 chickens, which will then head off to the processing plant. See how this process works and learn what farmers do to reset the houses for the next flock of chickens.
Get answers to the most frequently asked questions about American chicken production and nutrition.
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