Sanderson Farms : Jan 7, 2021 - HOOTON’S PULLET FARMS - The Hooton Family

HOOTON'S PULLET FARMS - The Hooton Family

'With farming, you get to be a part of the start to finish of an agricultural product. It is rewarding to see the birds grow from when they are first hatched through all the stages until they leave the farm.'

- Joey Hooton, Tyler Production Pullet Grower -

Coming from a family of poultry and cattle farmers, Joey Hooton and his wife, Lori, decided it was time for them to own a poultry farm of their own when Sanderson Farms expanded to the Tyler, Texas area. Both Hooton's father-in-law and father are poultry and cattle farmers, and he decided it was time for him to join the family business by building a three-house pullet farm in Alba, Texas.

Although he was raised on a dairy farm, Hooton's father, Jim, now also grows pullets for Sanderson Farms and helps Joey with his farm. When Hooton is not hard at work on the farm, he serves as the assistant chief for the Tyler Fire Department. He and his wife, Lori, who is an elementary school principal, have been married for 18 years. Joey and Lori have one son, Thomas, and one daughter, Allie.

'Farming has taught my children many things, but especially work ethic and time management,' said Hooton. 'Faming is a full-time job, it's around the clock. It doesn't matter what you've got going on in your life, everything stops when there's a problem to fix on the farm.'

Despite it's demands, Hooton wouldn't trade his farming life for anything in the world. 'With farming, you get to be a part of the start to finish of an agricultural product,' said Hooton. 'It is rewarding to see the birds grow from when they are first hatched through all the stages until they leave the farm.'

Hooton attests his newfound farming success to the quality of the company's staff and instruction. 'Sanderson Farms representatives have been very easy to work with,' said Hooton. 'The field representatives have been instrumental in teaching us the basics then getting us through the tough spots.'

It appears the feeling is mutual as management at Sanderson Farms' Tyler, Texas production division spoke highly of Hooton and the impact he has made with his farming operation in such a short period of time. 'Two years ago, the Hootons had never grown chickens before,' said Mike Peoples, breeder-hatchery manager for Tyler Production. 'Fast forward to today, and they manage their farm to produce healthy pullets for our company.'

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