Reflecting on the Broiler Grow-Out Project

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Since we began the commercial poultry production class, we have been preparing for the broiler grow-out project, which was a 6-week broiler grow-out project where we reared chickens that would be processed. Now that the project is completed, it is important to reflect back on the process. This project was terrifying to me in the beginning. I knew nothing about raising chickens. I did not know about chick placement, brooding requirements, or feed. I did not know how many weeks it took to grow a six-pound chicken, what it took to process a chicken, or what went into deboning a chicken. In addition to the live side of the broiler grow-out project, I also had not used Excel since high school, which was four years ago. So when it came to incorporating our data from the broiler grow-out project and entering it into Excel to compare the information, I did not know where to begin. But whether I was prepared or not, we had a semester long project to begin.

The first hands-on experience I had with rearing broiler chickens was the first day of this grow-out project when the day old chicks were placed. During this time before the chicks were delivered, I was able to visually observe the clean litter that chickens should be placed on, checked the water nipples and water line height, checked that the feed was distributed the way it should be, and made sure the heat was at proper temperature. This experience was the first time I had ever seen the proper environment for placing day old chickens that would be reared into meat broilers. The first 14 days of a chick’s life is referred to as the brooding period and it is vital because the chicks cannot regulate their own body temperature during this time period and if they do not eat or drink properly during this period they will not thrive. For me it was really important to actually see these essential concepts of chick placement and brooding and not just read them off of lecture material. Although we had learned all the ideal temperatures, relative humidity, feed, and water placement in lecture, this project gave us hands-on experience

In addition to the visual part of the project, we were expected to record important data from the grow-out project such as body weights, feed intake, added feed placed, mortalities, carcass weights, and breast weights. With these numbers, we were expected to create an Excel document and compare averages, and analyzing data. We used excel to compare the three different treatments: sex, lighting, and stocking density. Excel is a program that will be used often once we graduate. We will often be given data and be expected to generate graphs and useful information, so that people who may not know what all the data means can easily interpret all the material.

When we graduate and are out in the poultry science field, we will be expected to be familiar with programs such as Excel, so I am appreciative of the Excel aspect of this project. Now if I am given data in the field, I will know what to do with it and I will not have to ask my boss what he expects me to do. I am capable of creating an informative and useful spreadsheet with data, because I had the opportunity to learn those skills during the broiler grow-out project. Not only can I create a useful document comparing and contrasting data given to me once I graduate, but I can do it effectively and professionally.

Throughout this project I learned vital hands-on skills such as what is required for chicks to thrive during the brooding period, proper water line heights, proper feeder heights, and how to hold chickens. I also learned important career skills such as data entry, conversions, how to catch chickens, and even how to properly hold chickens. I also learned that I can get overwhelmed with large projects so it is extremely important to never let data just pile up. If you enter data as you get it, then it will be a lot easier to organize it effectively. I value this project so much because it helped better prepare me for my future in the Poultry Science industry by giving me hands-on experience with broiler grow-outs. I will be able to proudly say I can create an excellent Excel spreadsheet comparing data for my future boss because of this assignment. I acquired Excel skills throughout this project, but the most valuable skills I learned throughout this project was the hands-on time with the chickens and preparing their pens properly because I have never had experience with chickens. Dealing with the chickens was the largest challenge for me because I was honestly scared to even mess with them prior to this, but thanks to this project and Dr. Starkey I am now comfortable dealing with chickens, their feed, water, and proper temperature requirements. If I could do anything differently about this project I would go and observe the chickens more than just the two times that were required, because there was such a huge difference between the two visits that were required for the class and there was so much change during the time period. I am most proud of the way I was able to interpret the data from the broiler grow-out project using Excel. It was interesting to me how I was able to make graphs that anyone, even people outside of this class, could understand and interpret.