Chickens raised for meat are not kept in cages and do not lay eggs.
Chickens are not given any hormones. In fact, hormones are not even available in Canada and their use is illegal.
All chickens are grain fed. Their feed consists of grain and a protein source (About 70% corn, wheat and occasionally, barley. About 30% is mainly protein, consisting of soybean meal and occasionally canola).
The birds are kept in climate-controlled barns to protect them against hot summers, cold winters, predators and disease.
Chickens are free to roam, but usually prefer to stay in one area. The birds have access to clean water and nutritious feed 24 hours a day.
Chickens take about six to eight weeks to grow (broilers). Farmers produce five or six flocks per year.
After each flock, Ontario chicken farmers thoroughly clean and disinfect their barns. This gives them the distinction of having one of the highest cleanliness standards in the world.
A clean bedding of soft straw or wood shavings is spread on the barn floor before the new, day-old chicks arrive.
Ontario produced about 325 million kilograms of chicken in 2005.
In recent years, the number of chicken farmers in Ontario has been reasonably stable:
Year |
Number of Ontario Chicken Farmers |
1995 |
1097 |
2000 |
1150 |
2005 |
1079 |
Chicken farmers are paid the ‘farm gate’ price which has increased only marginally in the last 15 years
The consumer demand for chicken has increased significantly over the past 15 years while demand for beef has declined and demand for pork and turkey has remained stable
In line with consumer demand, the annual production of chicken in Ontario has risen steadily in recent years
