TWIN BUTTE, Alta. — There’s a wooden bench beside a small stream and tiny pond in Donna Cromarty’s chicken run. Some folks might be inclined to sit there and admire the green foothills and imposing blue Rocky Mountains a scant distance away from that perch. Cromarty sits there to watch her chickens. And sometimes the […] Read more
Tag Archives poultry
Lights out for better bird health
Changes to lighting requirements in chicken and turkey barns are among the most significant updates to the Code of Practice for the Care and Handling of Hatching Eggs, Breeders, Chickens and Turkeys, says a chicken farmer who helped update the code. Vernon Froese of Manitoba was chair of the code development committee, which posted the […] Read more
Retailers commit to cage-free eggs by 2025
The era of keeping hens in cages may be coming to an end. Major players in Canadian retail, including Walmart, Loblaws and Sobeys, today committed to purchase cage-free eggs by the end of 2025. The Retail Council of Canada’s grocery members have considered adopting a cage-free policy for a while. “There have been significant discussions […] Read more
Cranberries seen to boost immunity in chickens
DRESDEN, Ont. — Most people know cranberries go with Christmas dinner. Now, an Agriculture Canada researcher has found that the tart fruit boosts immunity when fed to young birds. Mortality was decreased 50 percent when Moussa S. Diarra and his research team fed small amounts of cranberry extract to broiler chickens during their first 10 […] Read more
Company runs ‘afowl’ of egg producers group
Alberta firm specializes in collecting eggs from small producers, but Egg Farmers of Alberta says rules not followed
NOBLEFORD, Alta. — Eggs supplied by 26 farmers move efficiently through the washing and grading process at Galimax Trading Inc. From there, the company distributes them on the producers’ behalf to restaurants in the Calgary area. How much longer that will occur is open to question because of an ongoing clash between Galimax and Egg […] Read more
Scientists ponder what will replace animal antibiotics
Prebiotics, probiotics, organic acid and essential oils are not perfect substitutes for antibiotics now being used
A combination of products may be needed to replace the antibiotics that are used to treat livestock. Research into essential oils, probiotics, prebiotics, enzymes and short chain fatty acids shows these compounds might work to some degree, but none are likely as effective as a good antibiotic, said a group of scientists during an international […] Read more
Backyard flocks spur interest in heritage breeds
University initiative preserves old genetics and distributes rare birds to small flock owners throughout Alberta
EDMONTON — Who knew people cared so much about chickens. Workers recently loaded 5,500 day-old chicks from five rare, heritage breeds into a truck and sent them to their new homes across Alberta. They will be raised for meat and laying eggs and help preserve the genetics of the rare birds. The idea of raising […] Read more
Canadian industry on guard as avian flu spreads in U.S.
With avian influenza in two bordering jurisdictions, Manitoba turkey producers are on high alert. “We are very concerned because the outbreaks are just south of the Manitoba border, the bulk of them in Minnesota,” said Bill Uruski, chair of the Manitoba Turkey Producers. “We’ve tried to alert producers and so far everybody seems to be […] Read more
Movable shelters help producers manage birds
Pasturing poultry Ontario-based manufacturer says units have been sold to western Canadian producers
ARTHUR, Ont. — Most farmers pasturing poultry have cobbled together their own movable shelters. Now there’s a commercial option, thanks to a business launched by a farm family in Ontario. David and Ellen Weber displayed their smaller shelter unit at a recent event sponsored by Practical Farmers of Ontario. As far as the couple knows, […] Read more
Sask. egg producers tell stories through videos
Inside agriculture | Producer group hopes to engage customers with series of YouTube videos
Saskatchewan egg producers want consumers to know more about how they operate. Several of the province’s 67 registered producers have participated in videos that take viewers inside barns and grading facilities. Shawn Harman, a third generation producer at Section 7 Farms near Humboldt, said not many people have the chance to see inside a barn […] Read more
