Organic Egg farm increases Hen's production by 40% using Six Sigma

Watch out Hens.. here comes the Six Sigma tools to get you into shape.

Recently, as I was browsing different websites regarding Six Sigma, I came across an article that intrigued me. It was posted by an individual who calls himself rocket (sled) man. The article began, “I believe that Six Sigma can be used effectively in the resolution of any problem anywhere (which has) variance at its core.”

As a user of and an instructor in Six Sigma, I agree completely because I have seen it used in ways and projects that I would never have thought about before. Almost everyone with Six Sigma experience has seen it used in a manufacturing environment to significantly reduce or eliminate defects on the shop floor. But, Six Sigma is applicable for every day projects in small businesses, service environments and yes, even at home.
One of my former students is an Engineer who happens to own a small family farm. On his farm, they raise free-range chickens and sell organic (no hormones or chemicals to enhance egg production) eggs. He found himself in a situation with a problem that he needed to solve. He needed to increase egg production but he could not wait the length of time it would have taken to raise more chickens. He needed more production from the chickens he had! So, he used the Six Sigma methodology to analyze the problem and to develop improved processes on his farm which led to a 40% increase in egg production with the same number of hens!

He used the tools of Six Sigma to develop a process map, identify X (input variable) to Y (output variable) relationships, performed root cause analysis, FMEA and designed some experiments to improve output. He used hypothesis testing to identify true process improvements more quickly and with fewer samples. Within six weeks from the start of his project, he had developed and documented improved processes which led to the increase in production by the hens.

Lessons learned: This is just one of several examples I have seen which prove the theory of rocket (sled) man. There is indeed applicability of the Six Sigma methodology to any process in any business or industry anywhere. At least three of the tools used in the project I highlighted above have proven useful – even essential – in every Six Sigma project. These are process FMEA, process mapping and identifying the Y to X relationships in the process.

All companies have limited resources – it is just that the limits are different. So, for all of their processes, projects and products, they really need to understand those factors that drive success in their organization as well as those factors which drive failure. The process will be more robust, the product more reliable and the customer much happier if these factors are identified, understood and controlled through the data and tools of Six Sigma. Even egg production on a farm can be improved through the use of these tools!

Doug Parham
Instructor/Consultant
International Society for Six Sigma Certifications