MSU Poultry Unit by: Kinley

On day 6 of our tour we visited MSU, or Mississippi State University. We got to learn about plants and dairy, but what stuck out the most to me was the poultry unit. We learned how poultry was processed and essentially where our food comes from. The state of Mississippi has been recognized as the world's largest broiler producer, and egg producer. Poultry is also the #1 agricultural commodity in the United States! 

Our chicken nuggets and buffalo wings first start in an incubator where the eggs are slowly rotated to keep the yolk centered and to prevent the embryo from being squashed between the yolk and the shell. It also prevents the sticking to the membrane. Commercialized farms have been reported to produce at least 1 million eggs per week. The eggs incubate from 20-21 days or three weeks before being moved into a brooder to prepare for hatching. The brooder is kept at  a solid 95 degrees to keep the hatching pullets and cockerels at a consistent temperature. This simulates the warmth of a hen.

Some chicks are vaccinated by a spray which turns them green or pink in color, to identify which chicks have already been vaccinated. Multiple vaccinations can cause possible sickness. There is also another method for vaccinating chicks, before they hatch. A tiny hole is made into the top of the egg. The vaccination is then inserted into the embryo. 

The birds are feather sexed before being put in with other broilers. These birds never reach sexual maturity so there’s not a problem with them being together. The growth rate for broiler chickens is 5-8 weeks. They grow a lot faster than other chickens and they also gain weight faster. 

Once fully grown, they are taken to be processed. They are first stunned with electricity to make sure they are unconscious and cannot feel anything. The birds are bled out and then hung up to be de-feathered. They are placed into a scalder which stays between 130-170 degrees Fahrenheit. This loosens up the feather follicles to allow de-feathering to become an easier process. They are then put into a rotating machine with rubber arms that pull the feathers completely out. By then, the birds are ready to have their feet removed and go off to get processed for consumer requests. 

The process of learning how this works was very interesting. MSU uses the processor mostly for educational purposes. I think it’s very important to know where our food comes from and hopefully you will too!