Hygiene and protecting flocks

Good hygiene is always practiced on farms to ensure we minimise the chance of introducing bacteria or pests into the chickens’ environment. 

This range of procedures and processes is known as biosecurity and includes:

• Putting barriers around sheds to prevent other wild birds and animals from getting near the flocks;
• Installing rodent traps and steps that staff members have to take including wearing special protective clothing; and
• Washing boots and disinfecting hands before they enter chicken sheds.

Other hygiene practices include cleaning out sheds once flocks have been removed for processing, before new flocks are bought in. This includes:

• Removal of bedding;
• Cleaning floors;
• Scrubbing feed pans;
• Checking rodent stations; and
• Hosing out the entire shed to ensure it is completely clean.

This is followed by disinfecting the shed with a spray which ensures all bacteria is removed.