'poultry-producing' is a modern English compound formed from the noun 'poultry' and the present participle 'producing' (from the verb 'produce'). 'poultry' ultimately derives from Old French/Middle English words for domestic fowl (from Latin 'pullus' meaning 'young animal'), and 'produce' comes from Latin 'producere', where 'pro-' meant 'forward' and 'ducere' meant 'to lead'.

'poultry' changed from Middle English 'poultrie' (from Old French 'poulet'/'poutrie') to the modern English 'poultry', and 'produce' developed from Latin 'producere' via Old French and Middle English into modern 'produce'; these elements were later compounded in modern English to form 'poultry-producing'.

Individually, 'poultry' originally referred to young fowl and domestic birds and 'produce' meant 'bring forth' or 'create'; combined as 'poultry-producing' the compound specifically denotes the activity or capacity of raising poultry (i.e., producing birds or poultry products).