Cobb Laying house Caretaker Job Group:  08  

FLSA Status: Nonexempt Position reports to: Supv Farm 

Disc vs Non Disc: N  

Location: Eagle Grove Farm, Hartwell, GA  

Schedule:  Four days on and two days off, including holidays and weekends 

Hours: 8:00 a.m. until 4:30 p.m.  Typically, these positions generally average 40 hours a week.   

Work schedule is subject to change based upon production needs.  

Position Summary: 

• Attends to and cares for hens by insuring the flock has adequate feed, water, and ventilation.  Inspects eggs to ascertain quality and fitness for incubation by performing the below duties; and maintains biosecurity and animal welfare for the assigned house. Other duties may be assigned. 

Essential Duties and Responsibilities: 

• Weighs feed, handless birds, and weighs birds according to schedules (20%) 

• Cleans and disinfects waterers, changes and cleans nest pads, dusts nests, cleans walls and ceilings, maintains egg room in a clean state and performs other routine housekeeping duties; add/change litter (20%) 

• Records information according to instructions such as egg numbers, bird weight, medications, feed intake, mortality, production percentage (10%) 

• Collects and handles eggs by observing/grades/cleans and records egg quality; distributes or disposes according to Cobb standard (20%)    

• Collect eggs from egg table, pick up eggs from floor, and record number of eggs laid by each hen (20%) 

• Inspects poultry for diseases and removes weak, ill, and dead poultry from flock; records number of floor eggs and works to eliminate these by training hens to use nests; monitors feed, water, and ventilation systems (5%) 

• Properly euthanize weak/ill birds in accordance with company policy; drive company farm vehicle; spray for various pests inside poultry houses; collects weekly swabs for testing; performs minor maintenance; keeps poultry houses supplied with proper materials (5%) 

Biosecurity/Animal Welfare: 

• The jobsite is a biosecure environment which requires showering, changing clothing and footwear before entering the facility.  Appropriate clothing and footwear is provided by the Company.  No jewelry may be worn on the jobsite except for medical ID jewelry and body piercings covered by appropriate clothing. Must be willing to sign an agreement to avoid any avian species (chickens, ducks, birds, etc.). Must be willing to sign and abide by the Company Biosecurity and Company Animal Welfare Guidelines.   

Physical Demands and Work Environment: 

The successful candidate(s) must be willing and able to perform the physical requirements of the job with or without reasonable accommodation. 

• Physical: Must use safe lifting techniques.  Must regularly stoop/bend over to floor level to collect eggs up to 300 times per shift. Must regularly lift and/or move, up to 58 pounds to move items such as feed buckets, tools, bagged corn, and trash can. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand and walk majority of shift (concrete floor); sit; use hands to handle or feel objects and controls; reach with hands and arms; balance; climbing/ladder usage; talk or hear; drive a vehicle within the farm complex.  Specific vision abilities required by the job include close vision; distance vision; color vision; peripheral vision; depth perception; and the ability to adjust focus. 

• Environment:  Required to work on wet, slippery surfaces and work in hot, dry, dusty, wet, icy, snowy and cold environments. 

• Personal Protective Equipment Required:  Safety glasses, safety goggles, face shield, chemical gloves, waterproof apron, and rubber boots are required.  Ear plugs will be used as required.   NIOSH approved N95 particulate respirators will be worn as needed.   

• Chemicals Commonly Used:  Disinfectants such as Synergize, Lysol, bleach, Glutex, etc. 

• Safety: Team Member is expected to follow all applicable safety policies and procedures.  These include but are not limited to Hazard Communication, Respiratory Protection, Lock out Tag out, and Personal Protective equipment.  Team Member is expected to identify, address, and mitigate safety related risks.