Why is Georgia #1 in broiler chickens?
Ever heard of a town called the “poultry capital of the world”? That name goes to Gainesville, Georgia. In USDA's numbers for 2024, Georgia raised more broiler chickens (chickens raised for their meat) than any other state. The story runs from a feed salesman's deal in hard times to chicken houses with fans and wet pads that help keep the birds cool through a hot Southern summer.
In USDA's numbers for 2024, Georgia is at the top of the list for broilers: chickens raised for their meat, not for eggs. Check the ranking in the quiz below. On this site Georgia is also #1 for peanuts and pecans, each with its own source on its quiz page and its own note. This note follows the chickens.
Basis: USDA NASS Quick Stats, broiler chickens production in head, 2024, by state (published estimates only). The numbers, the full ranking and the source are on the quiz page.
How did it start? The New Georgia Encyclopedia says that in the early 1900s, chickens in Georgia were raised mostly for their eggs. Farm women slowly began selling eggs and chickens on a bigger scale, and by 1924 north Georgia chickens were being sold to other states by rail. The 1920s were a disaster for most Georgia farmers. Then, in the 1930s, a feed salesman in Gainesville named Jesse Jewell offered north Georgia farmers a deal: he would sell them baby chicks and feed on credit (pay later). When the chicks were grown, his company would buy the chickens back at a price that covered his costs and guaranteed the farmers a profit. During World War II, the War Food Administration reserved all the processed chicken in north Georgia, so the companies had a guaranteed buyer. After the war, it seemed that everyone in north Georgia was getting into the chicken business. In 1998 Georgia became the top broiler-producing state in the country. Later, chicken farming also moved more and more into south Georgia, where land is cheaper and more plentiful, as cooling technology improved to cope with its hot summers.
Who says so: New Georgia Encyclopedia (Georgia Humanities with the University of Georgia Press) (opens in a new tab)
The Encyclopedia's article on Jesse Jewell says he is widely credited with making Gainesville the “poultry capital of the world.” He pioneered vertical integration in Georgia's poultry business: one company doing every step itself, from raw materials to processing to distribution. He added the pieces one by one: his own hatchery (where eggs hatch into chicks) in 1940, a processing plant in 1941, and his own feed mill and rendering plant by 1954. His company set the standard for poultry processors everywhere, and so did his trademark frozen chicken.
Who says so: New Georgia Encyclopedia (Georgia Humanities with the University of Georgia Press) (opens in a new tab)
Why do chickens need help in the heat? A poultry specialist with Texas A&M AgriLife Extension explains that chickens are like dogs: they don't sweat, so they must pant to control their body temperature. Panting (fast breathing with the mouth open) is the first sign of heat stress. Next, the birds stand with their wings held out from their body, trying to get air moving across it to lose heat. His three things that help chickens keep cool: shade from the sun, cool water, and plenty of moving air, from a natural breeze or from fans.
Who says so: Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service (AgriLife Today, 2017) (opens in a new tab)
So how does a broiler house stay cool? A University of Georgia Extension guide explains tunnel ventilation, used in hot weather. The house has fans at one end and large air openings at the other. The fans pull air down the whole length of the house. That carries heat out fast and makes a wind chill (moving air that cools the birds more). When that is not enough, the evaporative cooling system turns on. In the recirculating system the guide describes as the main one being installed, water runs down through cooling pads, and the outside air is pulled through them. Turning water into vapor takes energy in the form of heat, so the air gets cooler: depending on the temperature and humidity, by 10°F or more. Almost all modern broiler houses also have an electronic controller that watches the temperature and turns the fans, heaters and cooling on and off as needed.
What may change? NOAA's State Climate Summary for Georgia says the state has long, hot, humid summers, and that its warmest five years in a row on record were 2016 to 2020. Looking ahead, in a future where greenhouse gas emissions keep rising, it projects historically unprecedented warming this century, with heat waves that could get more intense. Less warming is expected if emissions grow more slowly. Higher temperatures would also dry out soil faster during dry spells, which could lead to more intense droughts and more competition for the state's water.
Who says so: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (State Climate Summaries 2022, with CISESS) (opens in a new tab)
Note: a “theory”, “folklore” or “outlook” is not settled fact. Always check who is saying it.
📊 Sources for the rankings mentioned in this note (links to the original data and retrieval dates) are on each quiz page below.