 The '40s was a decade of growth for John Tyson's fledgling business. In 1943, he purchased the first company-owned broiler farm, located in Springdale, Arkansas.
Two years later, he made another leap with the purchase of New Hampshire Red Christy chickens, birds that were bred for meat yield. Tyson went against the industry trend and began cross-breeding birds. As it turned out, Tyson's birds performed better than the pedigrees. In 1947, Tyson Feed and Hatchery was incorporated. Tyson's company now provided three essential services: the sale of baby chicks, the sale of feed, and the transportation of chickens to market.
By the end of the decade, giants such as Swift and Swanson were basing slaughter operations in Northwest Arkansas so they could be close to the supply of birds. Refrigerated trailers were beginning to be used to transport ice-packed chicken. Despite the advances in technology, the industry was still at the mercy of the market.
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