Agricultural Careers Poultry Producer

1. Agricultural Careers Poultry Producer By: Dr. Frank Flanders and Anna Burgess Georgia Agricultural Education Curriculum Office Georgia Department of Education June 2005 START

2. Job Duties & Responsibilities • Supervise the feeding and care of poultry. • Check birds for signs of any problems. • Check equipment, such as auto-feeders and the • ventilation system, to be sure they are working properly. • Ensure the shed is clean, including removing manure. • Remove sick or dead birds. • Keep up with financial and farming records. • May market poultry products.

3. Qualities and Skills Individuals planning to pursue a career as a poultry farmer should be self-motivated and willing to work hard. Because poultry producers’ profit comes from the production of quality birds, they must care about the health and welfare of those birds. An individual who is practical and responsible is needed to handle the duties of being a poultry farmer.

4. Salary Salaries vary for poultry farmers. Most egg producers are self-employed, and how much money they make depends on the price of eggs each year and how many eggs they can sell. Most broiler chicken growers are contracted to grow birds for major chicken processors, and they are paid a set amount per bird. On average, poultry farmers make between $25,000 to $35,000 a year. However, this number can fluctuate greatly depending on how many chicken houses one has, the number of birds and the kind of operation.

5. Work Environment • Work is done both outdoors and indoors • Some travel may be involved such as visiting customers who buy eggs or meat • Use tools and farming equipment regularly • Vehicles and office equipment such as computers may also be used • Conditions on a poultry farm may be noisy and dusty at times • Must work in all weather conditions and be able to maintain hygienic conditions on the farm

6. Becoming a Poultry Producer There are no specific qualifications needed to become a poultry farmer. Courses in agriculture, particularly animal husbandry, can be useful. However, farm management, administrative skills and organizational and decision-making ability are skills that are a must. In the future it is expected that people working on poultry farms will need to be more highly skilled as animal welfare and food production requirements change and the size of poultry farms increases. Training will become more important, particularly in animal breeding and management areas. It is important for poultry farmers to monitor the market in order to manage market demand.

7. Career Resources American Association of Avian Pathologists 953 College Station Road Athens, Georgia 30602-4875 Internet: http://www.aaap.info/ American Egg Board 1460 Renaissance Drive Park Ridge, Illinois 60068Internet: http://www.aeb.org/ U.S. Poultry & Egg Association 1530 Cooledge Road Tucker, GA 30084-7303 Internet: http://www.poultryegg.org/