Chicks are transported from hatcheries to broiler farms, usually in ventilated chick boxes in specially designed, air-conditioned trucks. Although the remains of the yolk sac taken into their abdomen upon hatching contain nutrients and moisture to sustain the chick for up to 72 hours, it is important that the chicks receive Keep warm, feed and water within a reasonable time of hatching.

Broiler chickens are raised in large, enclosed poultry houses, usually referred to as “coops,” “houses,” or barns, but sometimes “units.” Barn sizes vary, but the new model barn is 120 meters long and 12 meters wide and houses around 25,000 adult chickens. Large barns can hold up to 30,000 broiler chickens. There are often ten barns on one farm. Many chicken coops on East Coast farms have “tunnel ventilation.” Tunnel ventilation coops have fans at one end of the coop that pull air into the coop through cooling pads in the walls, over the chickens and out of a fan outside the coop at high speed. Three or three temperature sensors in the poultry house allow the fan, heating and cooling settings to be adjusted every five minutes. Feed lines (feed trays) run the length of the barn and are automatically supplied by silos on the outside. Water lines run the length of the barn, with water regulators at regular intervals. Water and feed are placed so that the chickens are no more than two meters from the food and water.

Spread a thick layer of clean litter, such as sawdust. Barn heating.

In the first two days of the flock’s life, the temperature of the barn is maintained at 31-32 degrees Celsius, which is the optimal temperature for the comfort, health and survival of the young chicks. As the chickens grow, they need less heat to keep them warm, so the coop temperature is gradually lowered by about 0.5°C each day after the first two days, until it reaches 21 – 23°C in 21 days. The grower aims to maintain barn temperatures within this range, although for larger barns toward the end of growth, the temperature may drop. Variable temperature and humidity can be controlled by changing ventilation and using agitating fans and water mist. Air quality is also managed through varying ventilation of the barn Depending on the surrounding conditions, the brooders are removed sometime between 4 and 14 days. As the chickens grow, they have more space to run freely across the coop floor.

A percentage of chickens from most flocks are harvested in several stages. Harvesting, also known as “partial relocation,” “thinning,” or “multi-relocation,” depending on the need for light or heavy birds. Thinning the coop allows more space for the remaining birds and reduces the natural temperatures in the coop. The first harvest may occur at 28 days of age and the last at 30-32 days. Chickens are often harvested at night when it is cooler and the birds are more sedentary. They are generally chosen by contracted “transport” crews in low light conditions as they are quiet and easy to handle. They are usually hand held and placed in plastic boxes designed for good ventilation and safety from bruising during transportation. These boxes are handled by specialized forklift equipment and loaded onto trucks for transport to slaughterhouses for slaughter and processing.

When all the birds are removed from the coop (after about 33 days), they are cleaned and prepared for the next batch of chickens. The new flock generally arrives within five days to two weeks, giving time to clean out the barn and prepare for the next batch. Fracturing also reduces the risk of transmission of common diseases between cycles as many pathogens die All workers and supervisors do a complete cleaning after each batch. This includes removing litter, sweeping floors, cleaning feeding dishes, cleaning water lines, all tools and other equipment, and checking rodent traps. High pressure hoses clean the entire coop. Due to the fact that the barn floors are smooth cement, it facilitates and saves the amount of water used.