Poultry

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Poultry Field Service Technician
Agricultural Careers By Dr. Frank Flanders and
Asha Wise Georgia Agricultural Education
Curriculum Office Georgia Department of
Education March 2006
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Duties Responsibilities

• Check equipment, such as auto-feeders and the
  ventilation system, to make sure it is working
  properly
• Keep records on farms they inspect
• Inspect facilities for sanitation and efficiency
• Conduct tests on diseased or dead chickens
• Report needed changes to the farmer

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Qualities and Skills

• Poultry field service technicians should be
  hardworking and self-motivated
• They should be practical and responsible with
  good organizational and decision-making skills
• Need to be able to handle animals with care and
  assurance, and they should have genuine concern
  for the health and welfare of the birds
• Marketing and computer skills are also helpful
  and mechanical skills can come in handy for
  fixing farm machinery

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Salary

• Most poultry field service technicians are
  employed by a poultry processing company, with a
  starting salary around 27,000
• There are some who are self-employed, and the
  amount of money they make depends on the price of
  poultry and the needs of the farmer
• Other poultry field technicians are employed by
  the USDA to help and maintain the poultry supply
  in the US and will receive a set monthly payment

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Work Environment

• Spend most of their time on their service route
  farms working outdoors and inside the chicken
  houses
• There is local travel involved such as visiting
  service route farms and reporting to the local
  company office
• Work irregular hours, as the birds may need
  attention at any time, and there may be evening,
  early morning, weekend and holiday work

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Education

• A bachelors degree in poultry science or a
  related agricultural discipline is not required,
  but is preferred for this position
• Training for this career is necessary and can be
  received in college or vocational schools
  however, some math and English skills are
  important
• Courses in agriculture, particularly in the
  animal science and/or poultry science areas, are
  useful

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Career Resources
American Egg Board 1460 Renaissance Drive Park
Ridge, Illinois 60068Internet
http//www.aeb.org/ U.S. Poultry and Egg
Association 1530 Cooledge Road Tucker, GA
30084 Internet http//www.poultryegg.org/ Poultr
y Science Association Internet
http//www.poultryscience.org/ National Chicken
CouncilInternet http//www.nationalchickencounci
l.com/ American Association of Avian
Pathologists Internet http//www.aaap.info/