alafarmnews

Franklin County Co-op in Russellville has expanded its product lines and services to meet the needs of a changing agricultural environment in northwest Alabama. Under the management of Karen Linker, a complete line of poultry house supplies has been added to the traditional lines of products and services.

A most important aspect relating to the line of products is availability of 24 hour service by veteran poultry house technician Greg Harville. Linker states, “Having a service man has given a big boost to our sales of chicken house supplies.”

Harville says, “The key to poultry house equipment repair is to know what to look for and where to look for it. For example, there may be a short in the electrical conduit in a 500 foot long chicken house. You have to know where to go to look for the short. Servicing chicken houses is nasty work. But when you solve the grower’s problem, you have the satisfaction of having helped someone out of a tight spot.”

Poultry house service technician Greg Harville tells Franklin County Co-op manager Karen Linker that he can repair most poultry house break-downs with a pair of needle nose pliers, a flat-head screwdriver and a one-quarter or five-sixteenth inch nut runner once the problem has been located.

Harville repairs computers which control the lights, heat, curtains, and feed distribution systems in the chicken houses. He services from five to twenty houses a week depending on how many break-downs occur. He explains, “More service is needed in the older houses. With a pair of needle nose pliers, a flat end screw driver, a quarter inch nut runner, or five-sixteenth inch nut runner, you can repair just about anything in a chicken house [except the computers] if you know what you are doing. Making the repair is usually simple. The difficult part is finding the problem. Sometimes you get lucky and find the source of the problem quickly. Sometimes it takes a long time.”

Rondel Trapp keeps a close accounting of the poultry house supplies inventory to make certain his customers will almost always find the items they need.

Rondel Trapp, who is a broiler grower with two chicken houses, is in charge of the broiler parts section on the Franklin County Co-op sales floor. With 750 Gold Kist broiler houses alone in the immediate vicinity, Trapp and Harville are kept busy.

Among the poultry house supplies which are in stock are the following: fan motors; bearings; feed bin boots; anchors; water filters; water filter housing; fogger pumps and tips; Lubing, Val, and Ziggity drinker parts; L.B. White brooders; Acme and Cool-Air fans; Reeves cooling systems, disposable feed lids; and PL T, Poultry Guard, and Chick paper. Rondel states, “If we don’t have what our chicken house customers need, we can get it in usually two or three days.”

Karen adds, “Our full-time poultry department staff is knowledgable, experienced, and on call 24 hours a day to meet our customers’ needs promptly and efficiently.”

In addition to the poultry supplies, feed for all livestock, seed, fertilizer, and several lines of farm supplies, including animal health products, are available as they have been in years past. Franklin County Co-op also has an auto care center equipped and staffed to mount and balance tires, and change oil, as well as do tune-ups and minor repairs.

Customers will usually find Roland Looney at the counter. They can be assured that he will be able to assist with their farm supply, horse, lawn, and garden purchases. Having 23 years experience in agriculturally related retail sales, he is qualified to provide them with the expertise needed.

Franklin County Co-op also has in stock tack, which has been added for horse owners. They now can get their Horizon and Co-op horse feed and tack at the same store.

When one calls the Franklin County Co-op, often the first voice heard is that of Dinah Palmer. Since she is the bookkeeper, she is usually the person closest to the phone.

Karen states, “Franklin County Co-op is the one-stop location for all who need agricultural supplies and services, auto care, as well as lawn and garden supplies and services.”

At Franklin County Co-op, it’s not all poultry house supplies. Karen, left, and bookkeeper Dinah Palmer provide horse enthusiasts with a complete line of tack.