Broiler Chickens in Rainy Indiana Corral

Puddles on the packed earth reflect the gray late afternoon sky, casting cool, rippling light across the enclosure. Several broiler chickens huddle near the curved metal of feed augers and the low wooden bars of brooder guards. Along the weathered wooden wall, clipped flock charts hang in neat rows, their paper edges slightly curled by the damp air. Cold breath hovers visibly in the chill air around the metal rails and gate hinges, misting against the dark wood. The wet ground glistens under the scattered light, and a few droplets rest on the wire mesh of the corral. The scene rests on the quiet rhythm of a rainy evening operation. One drop slides down the vertical post.