The video opens with a series of images: trays of eggs on a conveyor belt, chickens hanging in a facility.
The poultry industry is a large component of the US economy and contributes greatly to US food production.
This transitions to the slide titled “Poultry Industry,” featuring images of chickens and turkeys.
Chickens and turkeys are the primary birds raised commercially.
Chickens are caged in a production facility, while pullets and roosters are at a breeder farm.
A process called vertical integration is used with most poultry production. This means that every step of the production cycle, from birth to harvest is managed by one company, although independent farmers are usually contracted to raise the birds.
The beginning of the production cycle for chickens is similar for broilers, meat chickens, and layers, egg-laying chickens. It begins at a breeder farm, where pullets, female chickens under one year old, are bred with roosters.
Fertilized egg trays are shown, transitioning to newly hatched chicks sorted by sex.
The fertilized eggs are taken to hatcheries where they are processed, incubated, and hatched. Newly hatched chicks are then separated by sex… male or female… and vaccinated.
Young chickens and turkeys are observed in a large-capacity poultry house.
After the hatchery, the young chicks enter different housing systems. The majority of turkeys and broiler chickens are raised in intensive systems that use large-capacity poultry houses. Many turkeys are harvested between 16 and 20 weeks of age and broiler chickens are typically harvested between 7 and 9 weeks.
Broilers are visible in an intensive poultry farm, followed by scenes from a semi-intensive farm where chickens briefly roam outside. An open-range setting depicts chickens freely roaming outdoors.
Birds raised in intensive systems are kept indoors throughout their lives. Some poultry is raised in semi-intensive systems that allow time outdoors for fresh air and foraging. In free-range systems, poultry are allowed to roam and forage at will. Less than 1% of chickens in the United States are raised in free-range systems and the vast majority are raised in intensive systems where they can be monitored at all times.
Laying chickens are confined in cages equipped with feeding mechanisms and egg holders. Eggs laid by the chickens are visible in these holders.
Laying chickens, more commonly known as layers, are usually raised in systems in which each bird is kept in its own cage. These hens lay almost one egg per day and average 294 eggs per year. They are typically replaced after laying for two years.
Successive images of ducks, geese, and game birds are shown, transitioning to duck feathers. Subsequently, comforters are seen hanging in a store.
Other types of poultry produced in the United States include duck, goose, and game birds. These birds are raised for meat production, with ducks also being known for egg production on a small scale. Unlike chicken feathers, which can be composted but often end up in landfills, the down feathers of ducks and geese are sold as insulation material for outerwear and down comforters.
A slide displays various chicken and turkey meat products.
Chicken and turkey consumption has increased over the past several decades. Chicken meat is the number one animal protein source in the United States and turkey is number four. Poultry is a lean, flexible protein option for many people. Consumers can purchase whole birds or packages of individual parts.
This transitions to a scene of a chicken drinking water from a bowl in a backyard poultry farm.
If you are interested in raising poultry, check your local ordinances. Many of the largest U.S. cities allow backyard flocks—albeit without roosters!