United States Department of Agriculture

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

Program Aid No. 1921 

Small-Enterprise 

Chicken Study 2007

A “First Look” at 

Small-Enterprise Chicken 

Operations in the United States

Data Collection

USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics 

Service (NASS) will randomly select 

a sample of small-enterprise chicken 

operations (1,000 to 19,999 chickens). If 

your operation is selected to participate, 

NASS will send you a letter during summer 

2007 explaining the study. Shortly thereafter, 

a study questionnaire will be mailed to 

you. If the questionnaire is not returned, a 

NASS representative will contact you via 

telephone and offer you the opportunity to 

complete the questionnaire at that time. 

Participation in the study is absolutely 

voluntary and strictly confidential. Because 

of the limited information that currently exists 

on this segment of the chicken industry, your 

participation in the study is very important.

Confidentiality

Because NAHMS studies rely on voluntary 

participation, APHIS protects the privacy of 

every participant. Only those collecting the 

data will know the identity of the respondent. 

No name or address is ever recorded in any 

APHIS database. No data will be reported on 

any individual or in a manner that would allow 

the identification of an individual.

NAHMS Studies

NAHMS has developed national estimates on 

disease prevalence and other factors related 

to the health of U.S. dairy cattle, swine, beef 

cattle, equine, poultry, catfish, and sheep. 

The science-based results produced by 

NAHMS have proven to be of considerable 

value to the U.S. livestock, poultry, and 

aquaculture industries. NAHMS studies are

National in scope,

Voluntary and confidential,

Statistically valid, 

Scientific, and 

Collaborative in nature.

For more information about the 

Small-Enterprise Chicken Study 2007, 

please contact

USDA–APHIS

Veterinary Services, Attention: NAHMS 

NRRC Building B, Mailstop 2E7

2150 Centre Avenue

Fort Collins, CO 80526–8117

Phone: (970) 494–7000

E-mail: NAHMS@aphis.usda.gov

Or visit NAHMS on the Web at 

<http://nahms.aphis.usda.gov>.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits 

discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis 

of race, color, national origin, age, disability, and where 

applicable, sex, marital status, familial status, parental status, 

religion, sexual orientation, genetic information, political 

beliefs, reprisal, or because all or part of an individual’s 

income is derived from any public assistance program. (Not 

all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with 

disabilities who require alternative means for communication 

of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) 

should contact USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720–2600 

(voice and TDD). To file a complaint of discrimination, write 

to USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence 

Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250–9410, or call (800) 

795–3272 (voice) or (202) 720–6382 (TDD). USDA is an 

equal opportunity provider and employer.

Cover photo by Keith Weller for the USDA–Agricultural 

Research Service (ARS).

Issued February 2007

“Data collected by this survey will help identify the 

research and information needs of an emerging 

segment of the poultry industry.” 

—Donna Carver, D.V.M., Ph.D.,

 Diplomate, American College of Poultry Veterinarians

Associate Professor and Extension Veterinarian

North Carolina State University

Photo by NAHMS project coordinator Judy Rodriguez.
In July and August 2007, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health 

Inspection Service’s (APHIS) Center for Animal Disease Information and Analysis and National 

Animal Health Monitoring System (NAHMS) will conduct the Small-Enterprise Chicken Study 2007, 

the first APHIS national study of operations with 1,000 to 19,999 chickens.

Small-Enterprise Chicken Study 2007 Study Focus

The Small-Enterprise Chicken Study 2007 

is designed to provide individual participants 

and stakeholders with valuable information 

on this important segment of the Nation’s 

poultry industry. The information will help 

researchers analyze the potential spread 

of poultry diseases and possible response 

measures to the diseases. The SmallEnterprise Chicken Study 2007 will

■ Describe characteristics of smallenterprise operations, including bird 

species on hand, seasonal inventory, 

and marketing of free-range chickens or 

eggs and organic or other niche-market 

products;

■ Describe movements of animals, people, 

waste products, vehicles, and equipment 

on and off operations, and estimate 

the distances associated with these 

movements; and

■ Examine biosecurity practices, including 

bird access to the outdoors.

How You Can Help 

By participating in the Small-Enterprise 

Chicken Study 2007, you will help the industry 

and your own operation by contributing to 

the development of reliable and valuable 

information that will be used to

■ Help develop disease-simulation models 

that may be used for emergency preparedness and to compare disease 

control strategies and estimate resources 

needed in the event of a disease outbreak;

■ Assist university researchers, extension 

agents, producer groups, and others to 

identify and focus educational efforts on 

vital issues related to poultry health and 

productivity; and

■ Assist animal-health officials, 

policymakers, and industry in making 

informed decisions.

“Better information always helps in making 

better decisions. Surveys like this help us all to 

understand where the real needs are in poultry 

production and keep us focused on finding the 

solutions to those issues.” 

—Carol Cardona, D.V.M., Ph.D.,

Diplomate, American College of Poultry Veterinarians

Associate Veterinarian/Extension Specialist

Veterinary Medicine Extension

University of California, Davis

USDA photo by Joe Valbuena.

ARS photo by Stephen Ausmus.