The first field trip for Understanding Delaware Agriculture this Fall semester was to Georgie Cartanza’s organic chicken farm. Ms. Cartanza owns and operates four organic chicken houses raising 156,000 birds for Perdue Foods. Upon arriving at the farm, we put on Tyvek suits and plastic boot covers to maintain bio-security in the houses. As we entered the houses, we also had to step in chlorine powder to ensure there were no contaminants entering the houses. These bio-security measures were taken to prevent the chickens from being harmed by any outside pathogens. Each of Ms. Cartanza’s houses were up to date with automated feeders and waterers and tunnel ventilation, all controlled by control boxes located in each house. All 4 houses have alarm systems in them that directly alert Georgie when there is a malfunction with the climate control of the houses, or if there is any other immediate dangers. The temperature and climate inside the houses is regulated using tunnel ventilation and cooling pads. Tunnel ventilation is the process of pulling air through the house from one end to the other usinf large fans. Cooling pads are large corrugated pads that hang at one end of the house and circulate water through them. Using the tunnel ventilation, the air that is pulled through the pads is able to cool the entire chicken house by 20 degrees.

Being an organic grower means that Ms. Cartanza has to provide certain amenities to the chickens that are not required for conventional production. The houses must have windows and natural light as well as doors and access to the outside if the chickens choose to go out. Bully boxes are added to give chickens an escape if they are being attacked by other chickens and ramps for enrichment. These amenities plus the organic feed which comes from Argentina and Turkey are the main differences between organic and conventional chickens.