Chicken and Egg Production Process

Breeder hens, when exposed to roosters, produce fertilized eggs.

• Hatchery

• Grow Out House

• Boiler Breeder Farm

Hatching eggs are kept warm. They are hatched into birds raised for meat.

• Grocery Store

• Hatchery

• Processing Plant

Chicks and poults are moved to barns where they freely roam, eat and drink.

• Grow Out House

• Home

• Processing Plant

Poultry is processed humanely before being washed, cleaned, chilled, packaged, and inspected.

• Processing Plant

• Grocery Store

• Home

Poultry is often taken to stores in trucks with refrigerators. Poultry needs to be kept cold so it won't spoil.

• Grocery store

• Processing Plant

• Home

Families enjoy poultry products prepared in many ways, but always cooked thoroughly (at least 165 degrees)

• Grow Out House

• Grocery Store

• Home

Egg Laying House is where

• eggs are cleaned and washed.

• temperature, humidity, and light are controlled.

• eggs are inspected for defects, sorted according to size, and placed in cartons.

Eggs are washed, sanitized, and dried to prevent spoilage.

• Grocery store

• Egg Collection

• Egg Cleaning

Inspecting and Packing

• Eggs are inspected for defects, sorted according to size, and placed in cartons.

• Eggs are washed, sanitized, and dried to prevent spoilage.

• Eggs are shipped to the grocery stores.

On some farms, eggs are still collected by hand, but on many farms, the process is automated by conveyor belts.

• Egg Collection

• Grow Out House

• Home