Help Wanted at Purely Poultry for 2012 Chick Season!

[MeghanB]

Tyler:

I sent you my resume for consideration (email [email protected]). A brief summary of my poultry experience/knowledge is as follows:

I have been breeding, collecting eggs, incubating and hatching of the eggs, and brooding chicks, pouts, peachicks, keets, and quail for the last 6 years. In addition, I have built coops and runs/habitats for a variety of birds. I am very familiar with many different breeds, including heritage breeds. I understand bantam/standard sizes, brooding periods, care for the brooded chick and beyond. I understand different types of feeds, litter, winter management, summer management, daylight hours, moulting, etc. I have splinted legs and administered medications as needed.In addition, I support self-sustainability and making my own food. I raise birds for meat and clean them myself. I also have advised/consulted many people on the art of poultry keeping.

I have an excellent background in customer service as well. Please see my resume for further details.

Thank you for your consideration!!

Meghan Brawdy

 

[sothernpride92]

My name is Sosha Bozeman and I will send my resume from [email protected]

I have been around poultry my entire life. My grandmother got me started on it. Not to bash anyone but poultry just like most animals will respond based on how much they are handled. I have raised Barred Rocks, Rhode Island Reds, Black Copper Marans, Aracaunas and Americaunas, Bantams, Speckled Sussex and every one of them has been as gentle as the next. I had one bantam when I was younger that followed me around like a dog. I had 2 Barred Rocks that would perch on my arms like hawks. I had Rhode Island Reds that loved being held. I had turkeys that would stand there and let you pet them, one of them would even chase my dog out of the pen and come right back to my side. Interaction is the key. I have raised and hatched many animals. I am familiar with incubation temperatures, humidity, construction, and incubation time frames. I have even built incubators. I have raised ducks, geese, turkeys, quails, and chickens. I have a lot of knowledge to offer when it comes to poultry, too much to write down. I know that hens are the ones that determine the sex of the chicks. I know that chickens if confined will kill each other to survive. Chickens, turkeys, and ducks normally cannot be in a pen together. Chickens will peck at the beaks of ducks and cause the nasal cavities to cave in causing the duck to suffocate. Turkeys often think that because they are bigger than chickens that the chicken does not belong. Chickens will flock together and gang up on single turkeys. Every situation is different, this does not mean you can never put them together, it is just the experience that I have encountered. I know the best materials for building chicken coops. The best feeds for the cheapest price. I have shown chickens in Youth Fair and State Fair. I even done poultry judging and won 1st place in state and high individual. I am sure we all know the basics in raising poultry and that we may all know something that the other does not so good luck on determining who is qualified for this job. I do have a high school diploma, sufficient knowledge of poultry, time for the job, fast internet, knowledge of computers, good people skills, and good with instructions. I would be extremely happy to have this job.

 

[milligan farmer girl]

Hello,
I would love the opportunity to become part of your customer service team. I currently do transcripts from my computer now.
I grew up on a working farm, we had over 200 chickens. I am a vet tech and have my own small farm. I have RIR layers, peking and muscovy ducks as well as turkeys, japs and polish chickens. I raise over 100 chicks from my incubator as well as ducklings. I have a business selling chicks and eggs.
I am always reading about poultry. I have 15 years customer service and 8 years as a vet tech. I feel I would be an asset to serving and helping customers
Thanks

 

[aramisfarms]

Hello Tyler
I posted a resume and cover letter from [email protected] . A bit about my experience with poultry breeding and showing:

I started out as a teenager showing large breeds of chickens at local and county fairs. I then progressed to specializing in breeding champion Cochin Bantams. I won many awards with my Cochins at local, state and national poultry shows. Along with the Cochins, I have bred many varieties of ducks and geese (domestic and wild), peafowl, turkeys, phesants and quail. I also judge poultry classes at local and county fairs as well as doing poultry seminars for 4H exhibitors. I have 42 years experience with poultry and feel like I can be a real asset to your company.

I have knowledge of computers as well as high speed internet to complete the job. I have done my own website building as well as set up a website for Ohio Valley Irish Red and White Setter Club.

I am 54 years old and retired and spend most days at home.

I look forward to being considered for the position.

Michael Lamp

 

[spiritdance]

Name:
Linda Stanley

Location:
Northeast Texas

Poultry experience:
15 plus years hatching, raising, and selling chickens, guineas, ducks, turkeys, and geese.

Computer skills:
Excellent computer skills. I teach College English online part-time, have designed and instructed courses in a number of different LMS protocols, am familiar with Google docs and Skype, plus quite comfortable with various spreadsheet/database programs. My communications skills, both spoken and written, are superb.

Work experience:
Prior to beginning my college teaching career, I owned and operated with my husband a historical home refurbishing business. I dealt on a daily basis with all aspects of business management, including inventory, job site supervision, scheduling, and most importantly, customer service.

As a teacher, I have honed my communications and "people" skills to a high level, having worked with students ranging from dual enrollment high school students to "non traditional, working adult" students. All of this has built upon my previous business experience to make me confident, highly efficient, and highly organized.

I generally teach 2 to 3 online classes each semester, and am looking for additional part-time work to supplement that work. My heaviest semester is usually Fall (September to December), so this position would coordinate well with that schedule as well as engage my passion for poultry. Since I already work from home and have reliable high speed internet and a second business phone line, I could readily integrate my customer service duties into my current system.

I will send my resume' via your online application, and look forward to touching base with you on this matter.

 

[WildernessLofts]

Name: Tristan Claypool

Location: Manhattan, KS

I have extensive knowledge and experience with turkeys, chickens, guinea fowl, quail (coturnix, bob white, and button) peafowl, ducks (muscovy and mallard-based), geese, pheasants (many varieties), pigeons, ringneck doves, diamond doves, zebra finches, and many other farm/exotic related birds and animals. I have cared for flocks on my own for 17 years and was taught a lot of things in my younger years by my grandma that professionally raised/sold pheasants, peafowl, chickens, and turkeys.

I know a fair bit about illnesses and treatments.
I know an extensive amount of genetics for many different species.
I also have experience in designing my own cages, coops, and lofts.

I am currently enrolled at Kansas State University majoring in avian/exotic veterinary medicine with a focus in biological research and minors in both Chinese and East Asian studies.

I have extensive personal customer experience dealing with people through my own poultry sales as well as experience previous jobs. (Namely, I was the mail room manager for a local newspaper and had to deal directly with customers on a nightly basis.)

I'm currently starting the process of transferring to a college in Texas and having a job like this would be an excellent extra income to give me a boost in the right direction. (I am currently unemployed, so something like this would be more than amazing.)

I will now e-mail a copy of my resume and a cover letter.

Thanks for taking the time to read this!

 

[bayoubowhunter]

I wish you the best I love the farm life.

 

[mamawolf544]

Hello My name is Terri Hamlett also known as mamawolf544

I have been raising poultry for more than 12 years now on our little farm.

I have everything from quail to peafowl.

I am at home full time with plenty of time on my hands.

I am sending my resume.

Thank you.

 

[kwaterworth]

Heya, Tyler! I'm also interested in the customer service position you have posted at Purely Poultry.

My husband and I used to run a heritage chicken breeding facility, but due to divorce, we liquidated. I raised many difficult to find birds, such as Dorkings, Faverolles, Barred Hollands and D'uccles. We also raised guineas, peacocks and turkeys just for fun (and eating). I managed every level of their care, from hatching, choosing feeds and bedding, providing housing and carefully selecting breeding pairs. I did the slaughter and butchery of culls as well.

In a former life, I was a Real Estate agent. For nine years, I answered customer inquiries around the clock, researched homes and provided clients with as much information as possible to help make their buying decisions. My phone manner is excellent, I was often teased by other agents, saying that they'd rather call me on the phone than lean over the cubicle wall to ask me questions.

Today, I am a freelance writer, but I am always looking for extra opportunities. Writing is difficult to do 40 hours a week without suffering burn-out. If hired, I'd be willing to provide an article a week for your blog, free of charge. I have written many short pieces about chicken care and how to choose a breed out of the many available. Overall, I recommend the Barred Holland... ha ha.

Thank you for your consideration, I am looking forward to working for Purely Poultry.

~Kristi Waterworth

 

[Cavendish Chickens]

Hi Tylar! My name is Khara Cavendish. I'm not 100% sure what poultry knowledge you are wanting us to share, but here's what I can tell you:

You must have a hen and a rooster together to produce fertile eggs. Fertilization happens 24 hours before the egg is laid. The fertile eggs do not develop an embryo until incubation has begun. The chick begins developing within the first 24 hours of incubation. On average, it takes a total of 21 days for the baby chicks to hatch. During incubation, the eggs should be kept around 100 degrees. Eggs should be turned three times per day for days 1-18, unless an automatic egg turner is being used. In both cases, eggs should be set into lock down on day 19, and no longer be turned. This allows the chick to situate itself for hatching on day 21.

When the chicks hatch, they should be kept with a broody hen or in a brooder. The hen will keep the chicks warm, and teach them everything they need to know. In a brooder, there should be an ample supply of fresh chick feed and water, clean bedding, a heat lamp, and a thermometer to help keep track of the brooder temperature. The temperature in the brooder should be around 95 degrees F. for the first week, then dropped 5 degrees each week until the lamp is no longer needed and the chicks are fully feathered and ready to be placed outside in their permanent home.

A coop, or barn, is necessary to house your birds. It should be kept clean and dry, and have plenty of food, water, roosts, and nest boxes. It should be large enough to adequately support the size flock you are keeping. Roosts are used for the birds to sleep and perch on to help cut down the amount of fecal matter in the nest boxes. You can't always guarantee the birds will not sleep in the nest boxes, and should always keep them cleaned. If the birds are sleeping in the nest boxes, they can sometimes be taught to sleep on the perches by moving them to a perch each night when they are more dormant.

Fenced runs are not necessary to have. Many people like to allow their birds to free roam (range) the entire yard/farm. Others prefer to have a fenced run so to keep the birds in a specific area, while helping cut down the amount of predators that can get in. When using a fenced run, it should be large enough to give each bird it's space from others. When the birds are kept together in too close of quarters, they can get annoyed with each other and begin picking and fighting.

In the case of injuries resulting in open wounds, the owner should carefully clean and disinfect the wound(s), and cover with blue kote. The blue kote helps avoid the wound(s) being picked at not only by the injured bird itself, but by the others in the flock. In some circumstances, it can be a good idea to bring the injured bird inside, or into another separate enclosure, to avoid further injury.

During the hot summers, it is a great idea to keep many waterers available in different areas so that the birds have a constant supply of water so that they do not over heat or become dehydrated. As for cooling the coops, different people have different methods. Some people run fans in the coop windows, while others may simply place ice packs in different areas of the coop to help bring the temperature down. Also, it is important that the birds can get to areas of dirt or sand. They will "bathe" in this to help cool their bodies down. Some people also like to hose the birds down when it gets extremely hot out. It helps to cool them down, and though they may run away at first, they will come to love the cool water coming from the hose.

In the cold winter months, many people like to keep their birds comfortable and warm. Some people use space heaters in their coops, but this is not always the best idea in that the heaters could spark a fire. Another method some people like to use are heat lamps. The only down fall for this is that if the bulbs should burn out, then birds could die from sudden unexpected exposure to the cold after their bodies have been used to the warmth. A method I prefer to use is to place a few heating pads around the coop, underneath the bedding. This allows the coop to be somewhat warmer than the outside, and gives the birds the choice to sleep in a warmer spot. Not everyone goes to any measure to warm their coops. There are others who just allow the birds to warm each other with their body heat as they nestle together. This is perfectly fine with many breeds, though there are some highly tropical breeds that could die in the lower temperatures. These breeds should be kept in an area with a temperature no colder than 35-40 degrees F. Unless the birds are kept strictly inside, it is NOT a good idea to bathe the birds during these months. This could cause them to catch pneumonia, or other ailment, and die.

To protect the birds from frost bite during the winter months, owners should make sure the birds have a dry place to sleep and roost. Clean, dry, bedding (pine shavings) is the best option. Feces should be cleaned out to help cut down the amount of moisture in the air. Vaseline can be rubbed onto combs and wattles to help protect against frost bite and/or drying out. The birds should also have places to roost and perch off of the ground to help protect their feet. These roosts and perches should be wide enough that the birds body covers their feet as they sleep. This not only is another way to help prevent frost bite, but also helps them to keep their feet warm. They do not need to stay inside their coop/barn the whole winter. They could develop "cabin fever" if they are. They should be allowed the choice to go in and out of their "house" as they please.

There are many diseases that poultry can pick up. Many times it is hard to truly know what the bird is ailing from, but if left untreated they could die. Owners should always keep a medicine "cabinet" full of antibiotics, ointments, creams, bandaging, etc. handy. The one disease that many owners tend to mostly diagnose their young birds/chicks with is Marek's disease. There are many other ailments that have similar symptoms to Marek's. Before diagnosing, owner's should closely check every detail to determine they are making the right diagnosis. If unsure, they should consult a livestock, or exotic pets, veterinarian. The vet can run further tests to make sure the diagnosis is correct, and that the proper treatment is given.

Culling birds is somewhat of a lifestyle when raising poultry. When you have weak, or diseased birds that aren't going to make it, it is usually best to put the animal down. Some owners can easily cull by breaking the birds neck or cutting the birds head off. But this is not easy for everyone to do. Many people have soft hearts, or soft stomachs, and prefer other means of culling. Euthanasia by a veterinarian is a good method, but not everyone can afford this. There is a gas chamber method that can be used at home, and is approved of by the American Veterinary Medical Association. You can find the instructions by visiting this site: http://www.alysion.org/euthanasia/

Culling is also used on meat birds. Birds being culled for food should not be put down by euthanasia. These birds should be culled by breaking the neck, cutting the head off, or being shot.


Tylar... this is only part of what I know. There are many other things such as collecting eggs, breaking a broody, birds kept as house pets, poultry shows..... I don't want to take up your whole page rambling on about every little thing. It would be best written into a book. lol I hope you are willing to give me a chance as your customer care advocate. I have sent you an email containing my resume` and cover letter. I look forward to hearing back from you. Thank you so much for your time!