American farmers are devoted to elevating the healthiest chickens. Retaining flocks freed from concern, ache, stress and struggling is, plain and easy, the precise factor to do. And it’s a indisputable fact that when chickens are handled proper, they develop higher, too.
That’s why the U.S. hen business developed the Hen Ensures, a set of welfare requirements that function a benchmark for the broiler hen (hen raised for meat) business. Broiler chickens are raised by farmers educated in animal welfare and underneath the care of licensed veterinarians. Learn on to learn how chickens develop large and robust (spoiler: it’s not hormones or steroids!), the place chickens stay on the farm and the way hen producers look after the birds.
Retaining Chickens Secure on the Farm
Farmers play one of many largest roles in meals security by defending chickens from ailments, predators and pests. On a farm, all guests are required to put on biosecure fits and private protecting tools to make it possible for no micro organism or different international supplies enter the hen home.
Farmers additionally conduct a well being and security measure often called “windrowing”. Meaning earlier than a brand new flock arrives, hen farmers warmth up the poultry litter to kill any micro organism.
Elevating Chickens in Growout Homes
Feeding Hen Tailor-made, Nutritious Diets
You may be stunned to study that there are not any hormones utilized in U.S. hen manufacturing. The truth is, the U.S. authorities has banned the usage of hormones and steroids in poultry because the Nineteen Fifties. Meaning no hormones, no steroids—none added ever.
So, if hormones aren’t the trigger, why are chickens so plump? Chickens are bigger at this time for a number of causes. A kind of causes is perfect diet—a tailor-made food regimen for each stage of the hen’s life. Broilers eat a base food regimen of corn and soybean meal. Nutritional vitamins, minerals and different vitamins are adjusted within the feed in accordance with the flock’s age and dietary necessities.
Right now’s birds are additionally given top-notch veterinary care and optimum residing circumstances. However maybe most significantly, the hen business has modernized the science of conventional hen breeding. Through the years, breeders have chosen chickens with the healthiest genetic traits, like leg energy, coronary heart well being, and so forth, to assist future generations get the perfect begin potential. Good breeding is the important thing to broiler chickens rising wholesome and robust.
At all times Caring for the Birds
Caring for chickens is what farmers and processors do. That’s why the Nationwide Hen Council developed our Broiler Welfare Tips and Audit Checklists, which give science-based suggestions for correct therapy at each part of a hen’s life. The Audit Checklists are licensed by the Skilled Animal Auditor Certification Group (PAACO). These pointers are reviewed each 2 years, so we’re all the time utilizing the most recent hen science and expertise to make sure that chickens nationwide are rising wholesome and robust.
Discover out extra about how a hen goes from Farm to Desk with this infographic.
