I Am in Awe of You: Paying Homage to Those Who Do the Jobs We Might Take for Granted
This post begins a new series in Perfectly Imperfect Life, where I bow in gratitude to awe-inspiring others who are good at the things I suck at, who do work every day that may be invisible to the eye at first glance.
In this world where we make gratitude lists for what we are grateful for, this is an attempt to shed light on the people we could be grateful to, once we pull back the curtain of anonymity and see how hard, and how specialized, their work is.
Just because the threads of human connection are sometimes invisible, doesn’t mean we can’t take a good hard look at how much we need each other.
On the agenda today: Poultry Farmers.
A few days ago, a poultry farm on Long Island, NY, discovered bird flu in their midst.
Imagine the responsibility. Imagine the noise level!
There was no choice: they had to euthanize their flocks - of over 100,000 ducks - and discard them.
One hundred thousand ducks. What does that even look like? What does that even sound like?
Yes, they were able to salvage eggs - a lot of eggs - so they can rebuild. But in the meantime, 48 workers had to be laid off.
It got me thinking - what does a poultry farmer’s work look like? What do they do all day, so that we can go to Stop and Shop, buy a plastic-wrapped tray of chicken breast, and pretend it just appeared out of nowhere - oh, really, this was a living animal once? Hmmm.
The slaughter process itself is another topic - and YouTube has many eye-opening videos about that. (This, by the way, is why I was a strict vegetarian for decades back in the day, until I got cravings for fish - and then poultry - with each pregnancy. I figured the baby needed the protein source I was craving. I dunno. Excuse? Anyway. I still don’t eat red meat - no third pregnancy, maybe.)
But I digress. The point is - hard working people do their jobs to raise the birds in the first place, for those of us who do choose to dine on poultry. This post is not meant to debate being vegan, vegetarian, or omnivorous. It’s merely an appreciation of the hard work that goes into raising poultry for those in the world who do make that dining choice - so that we can eat protein that we didn’t have to chase around the yard and kill.
So - what is it like to do that job?
The Round-the-Clock Hustle
Poultry farming is no 9-to-5 gig. Farmers rise before dawn to tend to thousands of birds, ensuring they’re well-fed and comfortable. Forget peaceful mornings; they’re greeted by a cacophony of squawks demanding breakfast.
On these farms, precision is key. Feed mixtures are carefully calibrated for nutrition, and housing conditions are monitored to maintain the perfect climate. Chickens, turkeys, and ducks alike need constant care—too much heat, and they stop thriving; too much cold, and productivity plummets.
And, according to my husband, who used to visit his uncle’s small-scale poultry farm in Missouri, you can’t startle the flocks too much - or they might huddle together in the corner of the indoor shed and suffocate each other.
Yikes. Who knew? Not me. All that happens behind the curtain - until we take a peek.
Beyond the Coop
It’s not just about keeping birds alive—it’s about maintaining health and efficiency. Farmers routinely inspect for signs of disease and stress, vaccinate flocks, and optimize growth cycles. Ducks, prized for their rich meat, require unique care compared to chickens or turkeys, adding complexity to the job.
“Just because the threads of human connection are sometimes invisible, doesn’t mean we can’t take a good hard look at how much we need each other.”
From Farm to Feast
Collecting eggs and processing meat is a meticulous operation. Eggs are cleaned, sorted, and shipped, while meat production follows strict food safety protocols. Large-scale poultry farms supply supermarkets, restaurants, and global markets—making them integral to our food system.
Sustainability Efforts
Many farmers recycle poultry manure into fertilizer for crops, reducing waste and supporting sustainable agriculture. Poultry’s smaller carbon footprint compared to other livestock makes it a more environmentally friendly protein source.
Why They Deserve Our Thanks
Large-scale poultry farming isn’t glamorous—it’s demanding, messy, and often underappreciated. But without these dedicated farmers, our meals would be a lot less delicious - and could be downright unhealthy.
And what about the noise each day?
One Duckling Named Peep…
When I was a little girl, we lived in an apartment in Jackson Heights, Queens, NYC. We wanted a dog, but - well - apartment life. So we had just about every other pet imaginable until we finally convinced our parents to get a cat we named KoKo.
Before KoKo, we had chicks. We had chameleons (which my brother named Camille and Leon). We had tropical fish. There were hamsters, I think. We even had a pet lobster, Libby, I kid you not.
One favorite was a duckling we named Peep - for obvious reasons. We kept Peep in a cage in the kitchen and let her walk around the house for exercise. We cuddled her when she let us.
We brought Peep to school for Show and Tell.
All was adorable until Peep began to not live up to her name. Before we could rename her Quack, Peep magically disappeared to a farm somewhere. I do not know what kind of farm - we didn't dare ask.
But when I imagine the duck farm workers in Long Island and elsewhere, I wonder: how in the heck did you manage with all the noise? And that is only the tip of the iceberg.
Poultry farmers, I am in awe of you. Thank you.
