Linking to these sites is an effort to make as much accurate information and resources available to users as possible. We have reviewed all sites before adding them to this list. However, we do not endorse all the information and content of these sites.

• Breeder Company Management Guides These companies offer excellent management information.

• Broiler Care Practices is one of a series of University of California publications addressing the issue of animal care relating to food production in California. This publication is a joint effort of the Poultry Workgroup, Cooperative Extension, and industry representatives.

• Management Requirements for Meat Bird Flocks By: Phillip J. Clauer, Poultry Extension Specialist, VA. Tech.

• Small Flock for Poultry Meat A well-planned and well-managed flock can be a good source of fresh poultry meat. Large scale commercial broiler production and merchandising techniques often result in market prices difficult to match with a backyard flock. Small flock owners should not plan to produce more birds than the family can use or market, either live or dressed, to friends and neighbors. By: Melvin L. Hamre, Department of Animal Science, University of Minnesota.

• The Home Broiler Flock (requires Acrobat Reader)By: Fred Thornberry, Poultry Extension Specialist, Texas A&M.

• Points to Ponder Before Starting A Poultry Operation By: Francine A. Bradley Extension Poultry Specialist University of California, Avian Sciences Department, Davis.

• Raising Fowl And Small Animals in Urban Areas The following are some guidelines for owners of birds and small animals in urban areas. By following the guidelines you can avoid a good deal of conflict with others in your community and avoid the development of ordinances banning the raising of certain animals in your community. By: Phillip J. Clauer, Poultry Extension Specialist, VA. Tech.

• Small Poultry Flocks (requires Acrobat Reader)Very Good older U.S.D.A. Publication. Covers all aspects of small scale poultry production.

• Starting and Managing Small Poultry Units By: Ralph A. Ernst Extension Poultry Specialist University of California, Davis.

• Home Processing of Poultry Meat. Poultry can be processed at home with little or no special equipment. If you are processing only a few birds you can improvise facilities for the job quite easily. However, if you are processing many birds you might want to consider more adequate facilities and equipment to make the job easier or even have the birds custom processed if there is a custom poultry processing facility nearby. Federal and state laws regulate inspection of meat and poultry products. Producers may process birds they raise for their own household consumption and up to 1,000 chickens, turkeys, ducks, or geese for sale to other consumers within the state without inspection. Uninspected poultry is not allowed in interstate commerce.

• Texas A&M Extension Publications on poultry product preparation. (requires Acrobat Reader)
  • Processing Poultry at Home
  • Broiler Chicken Deboning
  • Boneless Breast of Chicken
  • Chicken Cutup: Family Style
  • Chicken Cutup: Commercial Style
  • Carving the Family Turkey
  • Curing and Smoking Poultry
  • Freezing Poultry for Home Use
  • Cost and Yield Comparisons of Ready-to Cook Chicken Products
  • Irradiation of Raw Poultry
  • Minimizing Pesticide Residues on Homegrown Produce

• Cannibalism: Prevention and Treatment Since there are numerous reasons for outbreaks of cannibalism, it is important that cannibalism control be a part of your management program. By: Phillip J. Clauer, Virginia Cooperative Extension.

• Leg and Foot Disorders in Domestic Fowl Most leg and foot disorders in fowl can be prevented through proper nutrition and management. However, some problems can be genetic. In today's large meat chickens and turkeys the problems become very complex since the birds put on weight faster than they build their bone structure to support the weight. By: Phillip J. Clauer, Virginia Cooperative Extension.

• Composting Dead Poultry An acceptable system of disposal for dead birds is essential to any well run poultry farm operation. Moreover, Virginia law requires that poultry producers have an approved means for disposing of dead birds. There are generally two categories of disposal problems: (1) Normal mortality, which is typically about 0.1 percent per day, but fluctuations up to 0.25 percent per day are not uncommon, and (2) Whole flock disposal. Author: Eldridge R. Collins, Jr., Extension Agricultural Engineer, VA Tech.

• Composting Poultry Carcasses Current methods for the disposal of poultry carcasses include hauling to a rendering plant, incineration, burial, or composting. Rendering plants are rapidly decreasing in number and of those that remain, many do not want to process poultry mortality. Unless proper equipment is used, incineration may cause air pollution. The fuel requirement for incineration is expensive also. Disposing of carcasses in the ground can result in water pollution. Composting therefore, appears to be the logical solution for many poultry operations. By: Dick Adams, Purdue University; Cal Flegal, Michigan State University; Sally Noll, University of Minnesota.

• Dead Poultry Disposal By: John Carey and Fred Thornberry, Texas A&M.

• Storing and Handling Broiler and Turkey Litter Application of livestock and poultry manure on land has been a time-honored, convenient disposal method that benefits the soil system. Overall, Virginia agriculture uses more than a million tons of chemical fertilizer nitrogen (N) annually. Manure can provide about 45% of this amount, or about 28% after allowing for storage and handling losses. The amount of loss depends on the method of handling and management involved. In recent years, large concentrations of poultry on small parcels of land have made the manure disposal problem more critical. When nutrients from manure, or commercial fertilizers, exceed the ability of crops to utilize them, surface runoff and groundwater pollution problems develop. This leaflet will outline management steps to take advantage of the fertilizer value of your manure and litter while minimizing potential damage to Virginia's water resources. Author: Eldridge R. Collins, Jr., Extension Agricultural Engineer, VA Tech.