Farmworker (animal Caretaker)

Job description

(Primary) Pullet Rearing - Count baby chicks into cages upon arrival. Split up baby chicks to different tiers within barn. Vaccinate pullets at twelve weeks of age. Load pullets into carts to be transported to laying hen houses at the end of the rearing period. Workers will perform dry and wet cleaning and maintenance duties to prepare laying houses for pullets at the end of the rearing period and to clean empty pullet houses after pullets are moved out. Remove mortality as needed. The dry-cleaning duties include using backpack blowers to blow down henhouses, sweep floors, clean lights and other miscellaneous cleaning and light repair duties. Wet cleaning includes pressure washing and spraying wet disinfectant to thoroughly clean henhouses. This job includes holding a pressure washing nozzle outstretched from your body for a number of hours in a very humid environment. Due to enhanced biosecurity protocol, workers will only be allowed to enter and work in areas approved by their supervisor.

Installation & Disassembly of Agricultural Equipment – Disassemble equipment that is no longer in use. Install agricultural equipment in farm. This includes uncrating and sorting building material, assembling sections of equipment and joining sections together. Construct feeding and drinking systems, as well as manure removal equipment. Install lighting and ventilation systems, and other light construction work in and around the farm site. This does not include preventative maintenance.

Maintenance & Packing – Packing/palletizing eggs, loading/unloading trucks, and cleaning packing room. Pick up refuse, clean and perform maintenance and in and around the exterior of the farm.

Biosecurity Requirements - Any persons coming on to our farms and into our barns must not own birds, unless they are not located within a commutable distance from any of our farm locations.

This is mandated by the following:

•United Egg Producers – Animal Welfare Certification
•United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) – National Poultry Improvement Program – Biosecurity Indemnification Requirement
•Eggland’s Best Standard Operating Procedures – Biosecurity Standard
•Food & Drug Administration (FDA) – 21 CFR, Parts 16 and 118 – Prevention of Salmonella Enteritidis in Shell Eggs
Hours are: 7am to 3:00pm (Mon-Saturday), but vary due to weather and pullet schedule. Actual hours worked can vary throughout the season

Special Requirements

Workers must be physically able to lift up to 75 lbs with assistance. Employer will furnish to workers, without cost, all tools and equipment required to perform duties assigned. Field temperatures range from 10 to 100 degrees (F) with possible wet morning conditions.