Poultry Farm Interview Preparation Guide

They're much easier than dogs: no walking, no twice-daily feeding, no baths, no grooming. With the proper housing they're a very low-maintenance pet:

► Daily: a "checking on", egg collection, and closing the coop if you've let them out.
► As necessary: fill feed and water containers.
► Monthly: change bedding and remove that free fertilizer (poo) so it can be put to good use!
► Twice a year: a thorough cleaning and disinfecting of the coop.

Most recipes are written for large eggs. Because of that, better results will be obtained by using large eggs in baked products. If the end use of the eggs is scrambled, fried, poached, hard cooked or a method where volume is not critical, then the size with the least expensive cost per ounce might be the best choice.

If the chicken is fresh and is properly cooked (to an end point temperature of at least 165 degrees F.) there should be minimal danger. The bacteria that may be of concern is Salmonella. There is a possibility that Salmonella could be present on some raw chickens, but as stated earlier, proper cooking eliminates any potential problems. In addition to proper cooking, another safeguard that should be remembered when preparing all meat items is to carefully wash hands, utensils, and countertops after preparing the meat to avoid cross-contamination to other foods.

Commercial rations will usually produce the best results from all types of poultry. A ration designed specifically for a particular type of bird should always be used (ie. layer ration for layers, broiler ration for broilers, etc.). The commercial ration should not be supplemented with scratch, corn or table scraps because the birds will not be eating a balanced diet.

They just do! Different breeds lay different-colored eggs. Eggs come in many different colors - light brown, deep chocolate brown, white, off-white, pinkish and even green and blue! Some also lay speckled eggs.

A couple of key facts:
► An individual bird's eggs will remain basically the same color all the time.
► There can be variation in the shade of egg colors amongst individuals within a breed, but not the base color (brown, white, blue etc.).
► One way to tell what color egg a chicken will lay is to look at her earlobe! A hen with a white earlobe will always lay white eggs, whereas hens with red earlobes can lay brown, blue or green eggs.
► Araucana and Ameraucana breeds, also known as the "Easter Egg Chickens", famously lay varying shades of green and blue eggs

Designer eggs are those eggs produced by flocks of chickens which have been fed special diets in an attempt to modify the nutrition of the eggs they produce. Consumers should be well informed about the differences in these eggs and all other eggs when making purchasing decisions. Free range eggs are produced by flocks of chickens which are not confined in cages. The chickens may be raised on the floor of a poultry house or they may be allowed to roam around outside. Yolks of free range eggs may be darker because of the chicken's eating foods that contain more carotenoid pigments (green grass, yellow corn, etc.).

Baby chicks cost $1-$5 each, depending on a variety of factors including the sex (females are more expensive than males) and how rare the breed. Started pullets (young hens that have just started laying eggs) should cost $15-$25 each.

Eggs that are very fresh are usually more difficult to peal. As the egg ages the pH changes and the shell is more easily removed. To improve peelability, start with an egg that is a few days old, hard-cook the egg, then immerse the egg in cold water and peel immediately.

No, the color of the egg has no effect on how healthy it is. However, how chickens are kept DOES have an effect on how healthy the eggs are!

Eggs can be satisfactorily frozen after mixing the yolk and the albumen. It may be desirable to freeze the egg mixture in ice trays or muffin tins and then store the frozen eggs in plastic bags. The frozen eggs can be thawed in the refrigerator and used any where a whole egg is needed. Three tablespoons of liquid whole egg should be used in place of one large egg. Egg whites can be frozen satisfactorily and can also be frozen in ice trays or muffin tins. Yolks on the other hand become very gelatinous when frozen unless they are mixed with salt or sugar. To help retard the gelation, mix 1/8 teaspoon salt or 1 ½ teaspoons sugar or corn syrup per ¼ cup eggs yolks (4 large yolks). Freezing in ice trays or muffin tins may also be desirable. When the egg yolks are used, the recipe should be adjusted to the salt or sugar already in the egg yolks.