Broilers An Overview of Broiler Production in Georgia

1. BroilersAn Overview of Broiler Production in Georgia Georgia Agricultural Education Curriculum Office Dr. Frank Flanders and Taylor Ginn April 2006

2. Objectives Students will be able to: • Describe the life cycle of broilers. • Describe the history of the broiler industry. • Explain the importance of broiler production in Georgia. • Name the top three broiler producing counties. • Rank Georgia with other states in broiler production.

3. What is a broiler? • Broiler chickens are grown for their meat. These chickens are the ones we purchase at the grocery stores and eat for dinner.

4. History of Broilers • Early 1900s, chickens were raised for eggs • Women began to sell eggs and chickens • 1924, Georgia chickens were sold out of state by rail • 1929, stock market crash • 1930s, Jesse Jewell of Gainesville • Sold North Georgia farmers baby chicks and feed on credit • Bought back adult chickens and farmers made a profit • Eventually opened a processing plant and hatchery • Post World War II, consumer interest in fully processed birds and frozen birds • 1970s and 1980s, Americans began eating more and more poultry

5. Life Cycle • Fertile eggs take 21 days to hatch • Chicks hatch, are vaccinated, and incubated • Taken to chicken houses where the flocks live together • Flock is a large group of birds • Over 20,000 chicks may live together in the houses • Chickens are kept until they are 6 weeks old • Chickens are picked up and taken to the processor to be prepared for sale in stores

6. Chicken Houses • Floor is covered with dry pine shavings • Feed and water are available for the chicks to enjoy • Houses are heated because the chicks do not have enough feathers to stay warm, when they get older the temperature is lowered • Houses have fans to circulate the air and to bring in fresh air

7. Chicken Houses in GA In 2004, there were 11,804 broiler houses in Georgia Top production counties: Franklin $275,259,359 780 houses Hall $241,734,969 685 houses Habersham $211,737,969 600 houses

8. Poultry Products in GA • Poultry earns more than any other Georgia Agriculture commodity • $13.5 billion annually to Georgia’s economy • Georgia is 1st in the nation in broiler production • ¾ of Georgia counties commercially produce chicken

9. Poultry Processors Major Processors Based in Georgia: Gold Kist Fieldale Farms Claxton Poultry Mar-Jac Cagle’s Companies provide raw materials, distribution, and processing for their growers

10. Quick Facts On an average day, Georgia produces 24.6 million pounds of chicken. Currently, chicken is the most frequently eaten meat in the United States. More than 47,000 Georgians are directly employed by the poultry industry. More than 77,000 Georgians are indirectly employed in the poultry industry.

11. Assessment • True or False: Broilers are chickens grown for their meat. • Who began commercial broiler production in Georgia? • How many days does it take for a fertile egg to hatch? a. 11 b. 16 c. 21 d. 26 • What is a flock? • How many weeks are broilers kept by growers? a. 3 b. 6 c. 12 d. 24 • List the top three broiler producing counties in Georgia. • True or False: Georgia ranks fifth in the nation in broiler production. • Name two major poultry processors based in Georgia. • What do the poultry companies provide for their growers? • How many Georgians are directly employed by the poultry industry? a. 3,000 b. 12,000 c. 36,000 d. 47,000

12. Answers • True • Jesse Jewell • C. 21 • A large group of chickens. • B. 6 • Franklin, Hall, and Habersham • False. Georgia ranks first. • Mar-Jac, Goldkist, Cagle’s, Claxton, and Fieldale Farms • Raw materials, distribution, and processing • D. 47,000

13. References http://www.georgiastats.uga.edu/ http://www.gfb.org/agfacts/facts.htm http://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/nge/Article.jsp?id=h-1811 http://www.uga.edu/lam/kids/poultry/plifecycle.html http://www.uga.edu/lam/kids/poultry/pindustry.html http://department.caes.uga.edu/poultry/faculty/compton/ps2020/housingequip/housingequip.htm