Poultry Production in Nova Scotia

Terms to Know

• Breaking Stock: Shelled eggs designated for breaking to produce egg products.

• Broiler/Fryer Chickens: Chickens that are under 12 weeks old. Sold as ready to cook.

• Capon: A neutered male chicken often raised for specialty and holiday meat markets.

• Stewing Hen: Mature hen over 10 months old. Tougher meat ideal for slow cooking methods.

• Cornish Game Hen: A young chicken around 4-6 weeks of age who are weigh no more than 2 pounds when processed.

Terms to Know

• Hen: A female in all poultry species except a goose (simply called goose).

• Rooster: A male chicken kept for breeding.• Layer Hens: Hens usually over 20 weeks old

who are responsible for producing new chicks.• Molting: The process when hens stop laying

eggs and loose feathers. Happens every 12 months.

• Pullet: A female chicken that has yet to start laying eggs.

Terms to Know

• Rendering: Sending bird carcasses for processing into products not designed for human consumption such as dog food.

• Roaster Chicken: A chicken 3-5 months old that weigh up to 5 pounds.

• Spent Hen: A breeder or laying hen that no longer produces or is too old for further use.

Poultry in Nova Scotia

• In Nova Scotia, poultry farms primarily consist of chicken, turkey, and egg production.

• Poultry farm cash receipts represent 33% of Nova Scotia’s total livestock output making approximately $85 million per year.

• Fresh egg production is the largest segment of the poultry sector, followed by chicken, and then turkey.

The Barns

• Poultry barns are usually constructed using open concept construction.

• These barns must have extensive ventilation systems for air circulation.

• This ventilation helps keep air borne diseases and respiratory issues in the birds at a minimum.

• In most large scale poultry operations, the birds are allowed to roam in large open rooms where they feed and sleep.

The Barns (continued)

• Since the Avian Bird Flu outbreak in the early 2000s, most poultry farms stick to very strict biosecurity regulations.

• Because disease is easily spread in poultry, outside human interaction and entrance into these facilities is often forbidden.

• If entrance is permitted, boot washes and other sanitizing steps are taken to avoid the spread of disease to the flocks.

The Process

• Chicks or baby chickens are born covered in a thick fuzz called down. This keeps them warm.

• Chicks are divided by sex, vaccinated, and have their beaks clipped to prevent cannibalism.

• The chicks are then placed in a broiler house where they will remain until they are old enough to be processed for food.

Process

• Inside the broiler house, chickens are divided by age and weight.

• These barns are equip with heaters for warmth and sawdust or shavings for bedding.

• Daily chores involve feeding, watering, cleaning the bedding, and removing sick or dead birds.

The Process

• As chickens reach certain weights and age, they are shipped to processing plants where they are slaughtered and processed.

• Most meat chickens in Nova Scotia are divided into six main groups: Cornish Hen, Broiler/Fryer, Roasting Chicken, and Stewing Hen, Capon, and Rooster.

The Chickens

• Cornish Game Hen: Under two pounds. Usually served whole to one person. Very tender meat.

• Broiler/Fryer: A young chicken with very tender meat. Good for any cooking method.

• Roasting Chicken: 3-5 months old. Often roasted as the name implies but can also be grilled or fried.

• Capon: Castrated male. Known for abundance of meat and good flavor.

• Stewing Hen: Older hen over 10 months of age. Meat is tougher and needs to be cooked slower.

• Rooster: Adult male over 10 months. Often has tough and darker meat than hens. Best cooked slowly.

The Chickens

Meat Production

• When chickens are butchered, they are often beheaded, scalded (to make feather removal easier), and plucked of feathers.

• The chickens are then inspected for injury or illness and graded for quality and size.

• The quality and size will determine how the chickens will be processed and what their meat will be used for.

Meat Production

• Once the chickens have been eviscerated (gutted), they are thoroughly cleaned, inspected, cooled, and packaged for shipping.

• In Nova Scotia, there are approximately 82 registered chicken producers who sell their chickens on the regulated market.

End of Section Questions

• 1) What effect did the Avian Flu have on chicken farm security in Canada?

• 2) What are the six main categories of chickens in Nova Scotia? Briefly describe each.

• 3) Explain the process of slaughtering and processing chickens.