Chicken Farmers of Saskatchewan

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About

Chicken Farmers of Saskatchewan represents 70 certified producers who raise broiler chickens in our province. These farmers operate within a quota system and follow a government- recognized On-Farm Food Safety Program and auditable Animal Care Program to meet national established standards.

Chickens that are raised for their meat are called “broilers” (while chickens that lay eggs are called ‘layers’). There are more 2,800 broiler chicken farms across Canada.

Canadians love to eat Chicken! Chicken is the number one consumed protein in Canada. On average, each Canadian consumes about 35 kilograms of chicken in a year.

Did you know?

• A group of chickens is called a flock.
• A young female chicken is called a pullet. A young male chicken is called a cockerel.
• All Canadian chicken is grain-fed, because all chicken farms in Canada provide their birds with a feed that consists of over 85% grain. Chickens eat a mixture of grains, oilseeds and protein such as canola or soybean meal blended together with vitamins and minerals.
• Broiler chickens do not live in cages. They walk freely throughout their barns, which protect them from the weather, predators and disease outside.
• No chicken in Canada has added hormones or steroids because they have been banned in this country since the 1960s.
• Chicken farmers in Canada are required to follow regulations and guidelines for the care and handling of their birds. That’s why farmers can only allow certain people into their barns—to keep germs out!

Dr. Tyra Dickson from the University of Saskatchewan Poultry extension answers your questions about antibiotics and chicken:

Dr. Tyra Dickson from the University of Saskatchewan Poultry extension answers your questions “Are hormones and steroids used by farmers in chicken production?