Poultry

INDUSTRY 
Poultry is defined as birds raised to provide meat and eggs for human consumption. Chickens, ducks and turkeys are the most common kinds of poultry.

Each person in the United States eats, on average, about 64 pounds of poultry each year. Of those 64 pounds, about 83% is chicken. The other 17% is turkey.

It’s thought the chickens common in the U.S. today were brought by Spanish explorers around the 1550s. On Columbus’ second voyage, he brought hens to supply the crew with meat and eggs on their journey, and many English settlers brought chickens with them to the New World. All were added to American flocks, and by the early 1600s, many settlers had flocks of chickens to feed their families. 

Over the past 100 years, poultry production has grown from backyard flocks and small, local businesses into highly efficient family farms.

PRODUCTION 
Poultry production consists of two parts: egg production and broiler production. Broiler production makes up most of the poultry industry in Louisiana and is the largest animal agricultural industry in the state.

Egg Production: Female chickens raised to produce eggs are called laying hens. They begin laying when they are about 20-22 weeks old and can produce between 260-300 eggs per year.

Eggs are gathered either by hand or machine and are used in a variety of products including ice cream, cakes, cookies and candy.

Broiler Production: Chickens raised solely for their meat are called broilers or fryers.

Broilers reach a harvest weight—approximately 4½ pounds—in about 42 days. The rapid growth of pullets, chickens that are less than a year old, is due to a controlled diet, good housing and quality stewardship by farmers.

Broilers are raised in long, low houses approximately 43 X 500 feet or larger, usually equipped with heaters, cooling misters and other amenities to keep the birds comfortable year-round. It is possible for one poultry house to hold 100,000 birds at a time.

One of the greatest values for the poultry industry is the fast food business. 

NUTRITION 
Chicken is an excellent source of complete protein and contains no carbohydrates. Chicken liver is a good source of vitamin A and B vitamins.

Chicken is a short-fibered meat and highly digestible. Compared to other meats, lean chicken has a lower fat content.

Eggs are an excellent source of protein and supply the body with a wide array of vitamins and minerals.

FROM FARM TO TABLE

  1. Primary Breeders—Develop strains of poultry for best meat and efficient feed conversion.

  2. Feed Mills—Create food for different stages of growth in poultry.

  3. Breeders—Raise chicks to adults and produce fertile hatching eggs.

  4. Hatchery—Hatches eggs in incubators that maintain temperature and humidity.

  5. Grow Out Ranches—Raise newly hatched chicks to market weight. 

  6. Processing Plants—Harvest birds (USDA inspected).

  7. Further Processing—Further processes whole chicken by breading, marinating or cooking.

  8. Transportation & Marketing—Transports products in refrigerated trucks to stores and restaurants.

LIFE CYCLE

TERMS TO KNOW

  • Air Cell - the pocket of air formed at the large end of the egg between the shell membranes that increases in size with age; caused by the contraction of the contents as the egg cools after laying

  • Albumen - translucent content of the egg that provides the major source of riboflavin and protein; provides protein to the growing embryo and cushions the embryo during its development; protects against microbes

  • Beard - the black lock of hair found on a male turkey’s chest 

  • Blastodisc - location in which an embryo will develop if the egg is fertilized; called a blastoderm once fertilized

  • Broiler / Fryer - a chicken bred for meat

  • Caruncle / Comb - the red-pink, fleshy growth on the head and upper neck of turkeys and chickens

  • Chalaza - cord-like, twisted strand in the albumen that anchors the yolk in the center of the egg

  • Chick - a baby chicken

  • Flock - a number of animals of one kind that keep or feed together or are herded together 

  • Gizzard - the part of a bird’s stomach that contains tiny stones, which help them grind up food for digestion

  • Hen - female chicken 

  • Incubator - a box which maintains a constant temperature; used to hatch eggs 

  • Poult - a young turkey 

  • Pullet - a chicken less than a year old 

  • Rooster - a male chicken 

  • Shell - outer covering of the egg, composed largely of calcium carbonate, that provides protection to the rest of the egg

  • Shell Membrane - two paper-like membranes that are protective barriers against bacteria

  • Snood - the long, red fleshy growth from the base of the beak that hangs down over the beak of a turkey 

  • Tom - male turkey

  • Wattle - a bright red appendage at the neck of a turkey 

  • Yolk - the yellow portion of an egg; contains the major source of vitamins and minerals in an egg; contains almost half of an egg’s protein

RECIPE
Chicken Fricasse with Dumplings
Serves 6-8

Ingredients:

  • 1/3 cup vegetable oil

  • ½ cup all-purpose flour

  • 1 medium onion, chopped

  • 1 green pepper, chopped (optional)

  • 2 stalks celery, chopped (optional)

  • 1 ¼ quarts water

  • 2 to 3-pound broiler-fryer, cut up

  • 10-ounce can biscuits 

  • salt and pepper to taste 

  • hot cooked rice (optional)


Directions:

  1. In a thick cast aluminum or heavy iron pot, heat oil; add flour and stir constantly until flour-oil mixture is slightly darker than a brown grocery bag.

  2. Remove from heat; stir in chopped onion, pepper and celery, stirring until transparent.

  3. Return to heat and add water.

  4. Heat to boiling; add chicken pieces, salt and pepper. Simmer for about 1 hour.

  5. Cut canned biscuits in half; place on top of meat.

  6. Cook, covered, for another 25 minutes. Serve over rice.


Foods à la Louisiane—a cookbook by the Louisiana Farm Bureau Women
Submitted by Marie Bordelon of Avoyelles Parish

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