Types of poultry

Chickens

Mass production of chicken meat and eggs began in the early 20th century, but by the middle of that century meat production had outstripped egg production as a specialized industry. The market for chicken meat has grown dramatically since then, with worldwide exports reaching nearly 12.5 million metric tons (about 13.8 million tons) by the early 21st century.

The breeds of chickens are generally classified as American, Mediterranean, English, and Asiatic. While there are hundreds of breeds in existence, commercial facilities rely on only a select few that meet the rigorous demands of industrial production. The single-comb White Leghorn, a Mediterranean breed widely used throughout the global egg industry, is a prolific layer that quickly reaches sexual maturity. The Cornish Cross, a hybrid of Cornish and White Rock, is one of the most-common breeds for industrial meat production and is esteemed for its compact size and rapid, efficient growth.

Small farms and backyard flocks utilize a much wider variety of breeds and hybrids. Common American breeds include the Plymouth Rock, the Wyandotte, the Rhode Island Red, and the New Hampshire, all of which are dual-purpose breeds that are good for both eggs and meat. The Asiatic Brahma, thought to have originated in the United States from birds imported from China, is popular for both its meat and its large brown eggs.

Turkeys

After World War II, turkey production became highly specialized, with larger flocks predominating. Turkeys are raised in great numbers in Canada where their ancestors still live wild, as well as in some parts of Europe, the United States, Mexico, and Brazil. A hybrid white turkey dominates commercial production, while the Broad Breasted Bronze, the Broad Breasted White, the White Holland, and the Beltsville Small White are common breeds for smaller farms. In breeding flocks, one tom is required per 8 or 10 hens, though the modern hybrid turkey is too large for natural breeding and must be artificially inseminated.

Modern turkey breeding and farming practices have significantly reduced both the amount of feed and the time required to produce a pound of turkey meat. In 12–14 weeks a hen turkey eats about 16 kg (35 pounds) of feed and reaches 6–9 kg (14–20 pounds). Toms require some 36 kg (80 pounds) of feed to reach a market weight of 16–19 kg (35–42 pounds) in 16–19 weeks. Smaller turkey broilers are marketed from 12 to 15 weeks of age. Turkeys can be raised on open land with automatic waterers, self-feeders, range shelters, heavy fencing, and rotated pastures; however, they are often “grown out” commercially in rearing houses under environmentally controlled conditions.

Ducks and geese

Duck raising is practiced on a limited scale in nearly all countries, usually as a small-farm enterprise, though some commercial plants do exist. Ducks are easily transported, can be raised in close confinement, and convert some waste products and scattered grain (e.g., by gleaning rice fields) to nutritious and very desirable eggs and meat. Khaki Campbell and Indian Runner ducks are prolific layers, each averaging 300 eggs per year. The Pekin duck, one of the most popular breeds in the United States, is used for both egg and meat production. Although the white-fleshed Aylesbury was once the favoured meat duck in England, disease and market competition from the yellow-fleshed Pekin duck have led to its decline.

Goose raising is often a minor farm enterprise, though some European countries have large-scale goose-production facilities. The two outstanding meat breeds are the Toulouse, predominantly gray in colour, and the Embden (or Emden), which is white. The birds are raised for meat and eggs as well as for their down feathers. Geese do not appear to have attracted the attention of geneticists on the same scale as the meat chicken and the turkey, and no change in the goose industry comparable to that in the others has occurred or seems to be in prospect. In some commercial plants, geese are fattened by a special process of force-feeding, resulting in a considerable enlargement of their livers, which are sold as the delicacy foie gras.

Guinea fowl and squabs

Guinea fowl are raised as a sideline on a few farms in many countries and are eaten as gourmet items. In Italy there is a fairly extensive industry. The birds are often raised in yards with open-fronted shelters, and a number of varieties and species are utilized throughout the world. Guinea fowl are marketed in England at 16–18 weeks of age and in the United States at about 10–12 weeks. The market weight is usually about 1–1.5 kg (2.5–3.5 pounds), but food conversion is poor.

Pigeons are raised not only as messengers and for sport but also for the meat of their squabs (nestlings). Squab production, carried on locally, is rare in most countries with established poultry industries, though the meat is often marketed as a gourmet item.