Raising Chickens Poultry Farming Story
Did you know the poultry is the nations third largest agricultural crop? A 3 billion dollar business? Yes chickens are raised in every county of the united states mostly for egg production. Breeders have achived great results in boosting the egg output of the average hen. Today's hen average is about 154 eggs per year and some birds produce 300 annually but with this emphasis on egg production poultry meat has been more or less of bi product of industry. Relatively few poultry men took steps to develop better meat type chickens. During world war 2 the industry refugains with the shortage of red meat. Drawers were pressed to supply the demand for tough quality chickens suitable for roasting out in our frying pan. Well that make me hungry. At the end of the war poultry leaders were convinced that the industry would have difficulty in maintaining its war time gains. As one solution, the A and P food stores the nations largest poutry retailers offered the sponsors a contest for the development of superior meat type chickens. A national committe all over the program the chicken of tommorrow. A braod brested bird with bigger drum sticks humper size and layers of white meat like. The committee made plans for a series of state and regional chicken of tommorrow contest. To end with the national contest in June 1948. A and P offered $10000 dollars in cash prizes, $5000 dollars for national champion. State committe were organized by H.O shradder of the U.S department of agriculture and farmers and breeders all over the United States were invited to participate in state contest. Two score cards each with the value of 100 points were adopted by the committee. One score card was designed for dress chickens in which major emphasis was displaced on confirmation including factors affecting edible meal meal. The other score card was for live chicken with special emphasis on the economy of production. Hundreds of poultry raisers competed in 31 state contest held in 1946 and still more took part in 1947 contest held in 39 states. Following the state contest in 1947 5 regional chicken of tomorrow contest were conducted. 25 regional winners and others who ranked high in state contest qualified for the national contest. After considering offers from several state chicken of tommorrow committees the national committess selected delaware agricultural experiments station in George Town delaware for the raising size. Late in February 1948 40 finalist and 4 alternates each sets 720 hatching eggs to bradly's hatchery in eastern meriline 40 miles from george town. Unlike state and regional contests all entries in the finals were hatched and raised under identical conditions and common supervision. The Fragile cargo was shift in 25 different states by every no means of transportation. Some west coast breeders ship by air, others by air and some others brought their eggs eastern by private car. The press agencies made special arrangements to handle the contest eggs and company agents gave each contestants specific routine instruction of the 31680 eggs only 61 were cracked in transport. On February 28 the eggs were trade and readied for 21 days of incubation. They were given the regular commercial hatchery treatment including humigation and strict sanitation. The trace were labled with the number replacing the breeders name. In this way the hatchery operators those who later bruted and raised the chicks the dressers and even the judges identified the various entries without knowing the names of the flock owners. Once inside the incubators the tray is automatically turned every 3 or 4 hours the usual precautions to prevent the embryo from at hearing to the shell.
The temperature was presthatically controlled and checked constantly through out the incubation period by plant personnal.
18 days later the eggs were removed from incubators and transfered to larger hatching trays. These were placed in hatchers for the finlal 3 days of incubation.
What goes on inside an egg during incubation well after a week the eyes shows up clearly in the embryo the first external organ to develop. Just station is much further advanced at 10 days the chicks out flying is more pronounced and other organs begin to form. At 14 days you can see the shape of the egg the contents of the egg provides nourishment during incubation period.
After 18 days the chicken is almost ready to emerge from it's shell. On the 21st day it's sharp beak poaks through to day light to seek it's freedom. It's not an easy task. The strugeling chick must rest from time to time to strengthen from exhausting efforts.
Finally with the parch of the shell held together on the shreds of the lining the chick makes one more super effort and breaks into a new world.
The chicks in the chicken of tommorrow contest hatched on march 21st of the 12 different breeds and croses new hampshers and white plimus rocks pre dominated each of the two breed were represented by a dozen flaw. A minimum hatch of 400 strong healthy chicks was required from each entry. Poultry leaders traced the hatching result. A new hampsher flock ended by the shanon commercial hatchery town virginia let all other entries with the hatch of over 87%. White rock flocks average 74% and one flack of dark cornish hatched over 73%. Crossed breed flocks had 72%. Pretty chicks, yes sir. A like us 2 piece in a park. Wind banding looks like a anormous task but government poultry specialist by H.L Shredder and colledge poultry scientist George clapped the metal tags in the 16000 birds in the record time. Each chick received a band with the sign of flock number and each bird carried the same number for identification purposes through out the entire contest. The chicks were placed in boxes for shipment to the experiment station in George town.
Their to begin a 12 week growing period under the supervision of officials of delaware agricultural experiment stations.
At George Town the flocks were signed special pens and were housed in 2 parallel buildings. 4 boxes a hundred birds in each went into each of the 40 hens measuring 15 by 20 feet. Peenut shells were used for liter and in each hen a cold burning bruters store provided the necessary warm.
The day old chicks soon saw the mysteries of feeding crops and water jugs. The first 2 weeks each hen had 4 chick feeders 3 feet long and one gallon water jugs. Later these were replaced by five large peeters with adjustible supports and the jugs removed in favor of automatic fountains. Had to put waters, warm, ample food and water that's what the chicks strive on and these chicks were at best care in sanitation.
On warm days the chicks need plenty of ventilation. Professor carl superiintendent of the experimental station
inspected the contest hens and kept daily records of vital statistics.
At 6 weeks the flocks showed rapid growth coackrows sprouted coams and featherings at well at glance. The feed was a special mash formula prepared by the American Feed Manufacturers association. It confirmed to usual commercial standards containing a minimum of 20% protien, 3and a half % fat and a maximum of 7% fiber. No old grain or pallets were used. Feed was kept before the birds at all times. It was waved and records kept on each flocks consumption this ranges from a high of 4479 pounds in one hen to a low 3775 pounds.
There was no laps in the attention given to the birds and at the close of the growing period of 12 weeks and 2 days the chicks were ready for shipment to the processing plan.
Mortality for the entire period was under 7%. Remarkable considering epidemic of poultry diseases that struck through the 40 flocks. New castle coack city owses an infectious bronchitus took the greatest toll. Professor seger estimated the new castle alone set the birds back 2 weeks. Shenon commercial hatchery who is new hampsheres had the best hatchery record also had the least mortality losing only 1 and 1 half % of the flock. The coops were waited George town and this live weight figured used to calculate for pounds of feed per pound of gain. 2 flocks averaged 3.17 pounds of feed for pound of gain.
To be Continued...
Did you know the poultry is the nations third largest agricultural crop? A 3 billion dollar business? Yes chickens are raised in every county of the united states mostly for egg production. Breeders have achived great results in boosting the egg output of the average hen. Today's hen average is about 154 eggs per year and some birds produce 300 annually but with this emphasis on egg production poultry meat has been more or less of bi product of industry. Relatively few poultry men took steps to develop better meat type chickens. During world war 2 the industry refugains with the shortage of red meat. Drawers were pressed to supply the demand for tough quality chickens suitable for roasting out in our frying pan. Well that make me hungry. At the end of the war poultry leaders were convinced that the industry would have difficulty in maintaining its war time gains. As one solution, the A and P food stores the nations largest poutry retailers offered the sponsors a contest for the development of superior meat type chickens. A national committe all over the program the chicken of tommorrow. A braod brested bird with bigger drum sticks humper size and layers of white meat like. The committee made plans for a series of state and regional chicken of tommorrow contest. To end with the national contest in June 1948. A and P offered $10000 dollars in cash prizes, $5000 dollars for national champion. State committe were organized by H.O shradder of the U.S department of agriculture and farmers and breeders all over the United States were invited to participate in state contest. Two score cards each with the value of 100 points were adopted by the committee. One score card was designed for dress chickens in which major emphasis was displaced on confirmation including factors affecting edible meal meal. The other score card was for live chicken with special emphasis on the economy of production. Hundreds of poultry raisers competed in 31 state contest held in 1946 and still more took part in 1947 contest held in 39 states. Following the state contest in 1947 5 regional chicken of tomorrow contest were conducted. 25 regional winners and others who ranked high in state contest qualified for the national contest. After considering offers from several state chicken of tommorrow committees the national committess selected delaware agricultural experiments station in George Town delaware for the raising size. Late in February 1948 40 finalist and 4 alternates each sets 720 hatching eggs to bradly's hatchery in eastern meriline 40 miles from george town. Unlike state and regional contests all entries in the finals were hatched and raised under identical conditions and common supervision. The Fragile cargo was shift in 25 different states by every no means of transportation. Some west coast breeders ship by air, others by air and some others brought their eggs eastern by private car. The press agencies made special arrangements to handle the contest eggs and company agents gave each contestants specific routine instruction of the 31680 eggs only 61 were cracked in transport. On February 28 the eggs were trade and readied for 21 days of incubation. They were given the regular commercial hatchery treatment including humigation and strict sanitation. The trace were labled with the number replacing the breeders name. In this way the hatchery operators those who later bruted and raised the chicks the dressers and even the judges identified the various entries without knowing the names of the flock owners. Once inside the incubators the tray is automatically turned every 3 or 4 hours the usual precautions to prevent the embryo from at hearing to the shell.
The temperature was presthatically controlled and checked constantly through out the incubation period by plant personnal.
18 days later the eggs were removed from incubators and transfered to larger hatching trays. These were placed in hatchers for the finlal 3 days of incubation.
What goes on inside an egg during incubation well after a week the eyes shows up clearly in the embryo the first external organ to develop. Just station is much further advanced at 10 days the chicks out flying is more pronounced and other organs begin to form. At 14 days you can see the shape of the egg the contents of the egg provides nourishment during incubation period.
After 18 days the chicken is almost ready to emerge from it's shell. On the 21st day it's sharp beak poaks through to day light to seek it's freedom. It's not an easy task. The strugeling chick must rest from time to time to strengthen from exhausting efforts.
Finally with the parch of the shell held together on the shreds of the lining the chick makes one more super effort and breaks into a new world.
The chicks in the chicken of tommorrow contest hatched on march 21st of the 12 different breeds and croses new hampshers and white plimus rocks pre dominated each of the two breed were represented by a dozen flaw. A minimum hatch of 400 strong healthy chicks was required from each entry. Poultry leaders traced the hatching result. A new hampsher flock ended by the shanon commercial hatchery town virginia let all other entries with the hatch of over 87%. White rock flocks average 74% and one flack of dark cornish hatched over 73%. Crossed breed flocks had 72%. Pretty chicks, yes sir. A like us 2 piece in a park. Wind banding looks like a anormous task but government poultry specialist by H.L Shredder and colledge poultry scientist George clapped the metal tags in the 16000 birds in the record time. Each chick received a band with the sign of flock number and each bird carried the same number for identification purposes through out the entire contest. The chicks were placed in boxes for shipment to the experiment station in George town.
Their to begin a 12 week growing period under the supervision of officials of delaware agricultural experiment stations.
At George Town the flocks were signed special pens and were housed in 2 parallel buildings. 4 boxes a hundred birds in each went into each of the 40 hens measuring 15 by 20 feet. Peenut shells were used for liter and in each hen a cold burning bruters store provided the necessary warm.
The day old chicks soon saw the mysteries of feeding crops and water jugs. The first 2 weeks each hen had 4 chick feeders 3 feet long and one gallon water jugs. Later these were replaced by five large peeters with adjustible supports and the jugs removed in favor of automatic fountains. Had to put waters, warm, ample food and water that's what the chicks strive on and these chicks were at best care in sanitation.
On warm days the chicks need plenty of ventilation. Professor carl superiintendent of the experimental station
inspected the contest hens and kept daily records of vital statistics.
At 6 weeks the flocks showed rapid growth coackrows sprouted coams and featherings at well at glance. The feed was a special mash formula prepared by the American Feed Manufacturers association. It confirmed to usual commercial standards containing a minimum of 20% protien, 3and a half % fat and a maximum of 7% fiber. No old grain or pallets were used. Feed was kept before the birds at all times. It was waved and records kept on each flocks consumption this ranges from a high of 4479 pounds in one hen to a low 3775 pounds.
There was no laps in the attention given to the birds and at the close of the growing period of 12 weeks and 2 days the chicks were ready for shipment to the processing plan.
Mortality for the entire period was under 7%. Remarkable considering epidemic of poultry diseases that struck through the 40 flocks. New castle coack city owses an infectious bronchitus took the greatest toll. Professor seger estimated the new castle alone set the birds back 2 weeks. Shenon commercial hatchery who is new hampsheres had the best hatchery record also had the least mortality losing only 1 and 1 half % of the flock. The coops were waited George town and this live weight figured used to calculate for pounds of feed per pound of gain. 2 flocks averaged 3.17 pounds of feed for pound of gain.
To be Continued...
