As Canada’s climate is so variable and frequently harsh, indoor housing is necessary if hens are to be properly cared for. Barns and the housing systems within them provide a safe, healthy environment for hens by maintaining appropriate group size as well as ensuring biosecurity measures. These measures include keeping the hens protected from contracting diseases from wild birds and from predators, such as foxes, wolves, hawks, and weasels. The housing systems also support the hens’ natural instinct to cluster together for security and social interaction. Hens have ready access to the feed troughs and water systems which are monitored by computers. Barn temperature and humidity are computer-regulated to ensure they create the ideal environment for the hens.
The housing systems help keep the eggs safe from the bacteria that can be found in chicken manure. They are designed to allow manure to fall away from the hens and from the eggs. The eggs roll from the cages onto a conveyor belt leading to a temperature-controlled central packing area. To maintain freshness, eggs are gathered two or three times each day. Eggs are placed, large end up, on sanitized plastic trays called flats which each hold 2.5 dozen eggs. Eggs are cooled after collection in large refrigerated rooms to keep them fresh and prevent the growth of bacteria. Eggs are picked up from the farms in refrigerated trucks once a week and are taken to be graded and packaged.
In Canada, laying hens live in barns. Each barn is outfitted with one of five different types housing systems.
Read below for an explanation of each type of housing system and then take a video tour of each type of barn:
- Enriched or Furnished: Hens live in smaller-sized groups with curtained off nest boxes, scratch pads, and perches that allow them to exhibit natural behaviour. This method will be the industry standard in Canada by 2036.
- Aviary: Hens live in larger groups with several levels for perching, eating, and drinking. They lay their eggs in curtained nest boxes and can go down to the barn floor to scratch.
- Free-run: Hens live in larger groups and can move around freely on the entire barn floor, but don’t go outside. They have scratch pads and lay their eggs in nesting boxes.
- Free-range: Hens live in larger groups and are raised in barns similar to free-run, but they can also go outside when the weather is suitable. They are able to scratch and lay their eggs in nesting boxes.
- Conventional: Hens live in small groups with equal access to fresh food and water. Mesh floors allow the hens’ waste to fall away, keeping the birds and eggs clean. Canadian egg farmers began eliminating this type of barn in 2014, and any new barns that are being built or existing barns that are being renovated must follow the new housing standards.
Each system provides a clean environment, access to fresh food and water and protection from natural predators. No matter the system of housing, the focus is always on flock health. Research is ongoing in Canada and around the world to develop the best housing solutions for birds, farmers and consumers.
Enriched Barn
Take a video tour of an enriched barn on Megan’s egg farm in Southwestern Ontario, Canada. You’ll learn about biosecurity, egg collection, how hens are cared for and much more. Enjoy your tour!
Enriched or Furnished: Hens live in smaller, more natural sized groups with curtained off nest boxes, scratch pads, and perches that allow them to exhibit natural behaviour. This method will be the industry standard in Canada by 2036.
Did you know? In Canada, a total of 26 million hens produce more than 600 million dozen eggs per year
or about 7.2 billion eggs.
Aviary Barn
Take a video tour of an aviary barn with Clinton Monchuk, an egg farmer from Saskatchewan. You’ll learn about biosecurity, egg collection, how hens are cared for and much more. Enjoy your tour!
Aviary Barn: Hens live in larger groups with several levels for perching, eating, and drinking. They lay their eggs in curtained nest boxes and can go down to the barn floor to scratch.
Did you know? On average Canadians eat about 19.4 dozen (or 233) eggs per year.
Free-Run Barn
Take a video tour of a free-run barn that is powered by solar energy. In this 360° tour, you’ll learn what makes eggs “Free Run”, what the hens eat, and how hens are cared for. To learn more about how solar power is generated to meet this farm’s needs, watch this video.
Free-run Barn: Hens live in larger groups and can move around freely on the entire barn floor, but don’t go outside. They have scratch pads and lay their eggs in nesting boxes.
Did you know? The average hen lays about 320 eggs (26.6 dozen) per year.
Free-Range Barn
Take a video tour of a free-range barn that is also organic. Organic eggs come from hens raised by producers who adhere to Canada’s Organic Products Regulations. Hens are fed only organically-produced feed from organically-produced crops. You’ll learn about how the free-range hens live, what they eat, biosecurity, egg collection, how hens are cared for and much more. Enjoy your visit!
Free-range Barn: Hens live in larger groups and are raised in barns similar to free run, but they can also go outside when the weather is suitable. They are able to scratch and lay their eggs in nesting boxes.
Did you know? The colour of an egg depends on the colour of the chicken it came from. White eggs come from white chickens and brown eggs from brown chickens. Brown and white eggs have the same nutritional value.