Ask an Egg Farmer

There are so many variables that influence the cost of starting a new farm and building a new barn, which makes it hard to estimate a single egg farmer’s costs or profitability.  One suggestion would be to discuss your business plans with a banker who has experience in agriculture and working with other egg farmers.  The entire Canadian industry is in the process of transitioning to alternative hen housing (ie: enriched, free-run, free-range), and conventional housing has not been allowed to be installed on Alberta egg farms since 2014.

Take a look at the video below for your answer from a local egg producer!

Egg yolk colour can vary due to many factors, but feed makes the biggest impact. For example, light yellow yolks are from hens fed a wheat-based diet, and darker yolks are a result a corn-based diet. Some of the bright orange yolks are caused by certain vitamins the hens are fed. I have never heard of pink yolks before. A lot of our resources indicate that a pink yolk can be an indication of bacteria and spoilage, but I’m thinking in your case it might be related to the hen eating something – perhaps beetroot however I’ve never heard about this before with any other farmers.

When you buy eggs, the colour of the yolk depends on what food the hen eats. If you are from out east, the feed is corn-based, whereas in Alberta it is wheat based because that is what is more readily available. Hens then are free-range or free-run will have a darker yolk because they are foraging the environment around them. Lighter yolks typically come from hens in a housing unit who are on a controlled diet.

Any eggs that come from hens that were fed a diet high in flaxseed could smell ‘fishy’, as a result of the plant-based omega-3 fatty acid that flaxseed naturally contains. Increasing the flaxseed component in hen feed is one of the most common ways for hens to produce Omega-3 eggs; the ‘fishy’ smell actually comes from the omega-3 fatty acid, even in fish.

There is currently no such program to adopt end-of-lay hens in Alberta.

When a farmer finds an individual hen that is sick or injured, to the point that is must be euthanized, the most common method is cervical dislocation. When it comes to end of lay, Egg Farmers of Alberta has been leading the way in terms of pioneering the development of two new technologies for more humane euthanasia. The first is a Modified Atmospheric Chamber, which uses CO2 gas, and the second is Low Atmospheric Pressure Stunning. EFA works closely with Alberta egg farmers to ensure that they are always meeting or exceeding American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) standards.

Male chicks are humanely euthanized at the hatchery, before the day-old chicks are sent to a pullet grower. Those hens are sent to egg farmers when they reach 19 weeks of age and start laying eggs. All registered Alberta egg farmers use an approved and humane method of euthanasia, whether at end of lay, or when a bird is sick or injured. The more than 17o egg farmers in the province sell their eggs to a grading station, who inspect and package the eggs before selling them to retailers and restaurants, so the eggs cannot be traced back to a specific farm.

EFA represents the farmers, who sell their eggs to the grading station, where they are cleaned, graded, and packaged for retail. In Alberta, Burnbrae Farms and Sparks Egg Farms are the two main graders, so you would have to contact them if you’re interested in purchasing egg cartons.

Egg farmers use a variety of white and brown breeds in all types of housing. Common brown chicken breeds tend to be more calm, which is a benefit for managing birds in a loose housing system.

Whenever a chicken is euthanized, whether it’s a sick/injured hen on a layer farm or a male chick at the hatchery, they are humanely euthanized by trained personnel. There are also a number of international research initiatives underway with the goal of developing an alternative to, and eliminating the need to, euthanize male chicks.

That question is hard to answer, since no two egg farms are the same. Most Alberta egg farmers operate their layer barn as part of a larger farm, with a variety of animal agriculture and crops, which together form their business. It really depends on the size and makeup of the entire farm, and the egg barn may only be a piece of a much broader puzzle.

Canada’s egg industry operates under the supply management system, where the price farmers get paid per dozen eggs is based on the national average cost of production. Farmers producing specialty eggs tend to receive a higher price, since the cost to produce specialty eggs is typically higher. For the free-range organic eggs you buy, the cost of organic feed is higher, birds running around (in and outside the barn) require more feed and water since they burn more energy, the barn has a larger footprint that requires more electricity to heat, etc… As an FYI, supply management only sets the price that farmers receive from the graders. The graders then negotiate the price they get from retailers (ie: grocery stores and restaurants), and the retailers are free to set the price that consumers pay for their eggs.

The incidence of blood spots does vary between strains of birds, but typically about 2-4% of eggs laid will contain some blood. An increased frequency of blood spots could be caused by various problems with the feed, lighting issues, or unexpected disturbances in the barn. A farmer often consults with their poultry veterinarian and/or feed nutritionist, in order to help identify and resolve the cause.

Egg farming, and agriculture in general, is integral to being able to provide safe, fresh, high-quality, nutritious, locally grown/raised food for all Canadians. In 2015, Canadians consumed more than 600-million dozen eggs (well over 7 billion eggs!), marking the 9th straight year that national demand for fresh, local eggs has increased. There are more than 1,000 registered egg farming families across the country, who are happy to feed their fellow Canadians!

If you want to purchase eggs laid by chickens that were fed a purely plant-based diet, then look for Vegetarian eggs at your local grocery store.

Alberta egg farmers are committed to providing the highest quality care possible to their birds, regardless of the type of hen housing system they utilize, and they must all follow the mandatory national Animal Care Program. When shopping for eggs, both free-range and organic eggs come from hens raised in free-range housing.

When preparing raw or lightly cooked eggs, you must use proper food handling methods. Grade-A eggs must have clean, uncracked shells. Wash you hands in hot, soapy water before and after handling the eggs. Eat the dish immediately after preparation or immediately refrigerate the product until served, keep it cold during serving and consume it the same day it is prepared. Discard any leftovers.

Alberta agriculture has a wide variety of resources available for small-scale, unregistered egg farmers, which can be found on their website. You can also call them at 310-FARM (3276). Just be sure to confirm that raising chickens is legal in your area.

All chemicals used to clean eggs at the grading station are food-grade chemicals that are approved by both federal and provincial regulations, which are verified to not contain any priority allergens (corn is not a priority allergen in Canada, so CFIA would not be specifically looking for it). Also, the egg’s natural coating is removed during the cleaning process. You should always follow recommendations for storage and handling of eggs.

During the formation of an egg, a blood vessel can occasionally rupture in the hen, causing a blood spot to form. Blood spots typically occur in less than 1% of all eggs laid. Eggs with blood spots are usually removed during grading, but occasionally a very small spot is missed. Although an egg with a blood spot is not harmful to eat, the spot can easily be removed with the tip of a knife before cooking.

For egg farmers, it really depends on how many hens they have, how many grade-A eggs the hens lay, what type of eggs they lay (ie: regular white, omega-3, free-run, organic, etc…), and what other livestock and/or crops they raise on their farm.  If you’re talking about employees at an egg farm, then it’s whatever wage is negotiated between the employee and the farmer.

If stored in their original carton in the middle of your fridge, eggs should be good for about a week beyond the expiry date.  However, one way to test for freshness is to drop an egg into a glass of water – if it sinks it is fresh, if it floats it isn’t!

The egg, obviously!  Of course, the Alberta Chicken Producers probably have a different opinion!

Susan Schafers already shared one of her favorite recipes on her blog – classic cream puffs! Check out the recipe for yourself on her blog.

Most small and pee-wee eggs get eaten at home by the farmer’s family, or else they are sent to the egg processor.

Though not uncommon, especially with very young or very old birds, double-yolk eggs still only account for less than 1% of our daily egg collection.

I love to see my hens cooing and clucking and following me around the barn!

Most eggs are available in grocery stores about a week after they were laid, meaning you always have access to fresh, high quality, locally produced eggs!

Alberta egg farmers care for a variety of breeds. The choice is largely dependent on the type of hen housing system the farmer has, as well as their individual experience and comfort level raising a particular breed.

The Canadian egg industry follows practices outlined in the national Animal Care Program, which is based on the Recommended Code of Practice for the Care and Handling of Pullets, Layers and Spent Fowl. The Animal Care Program is mandatory for Alberta egg farmers, as a requirement for being licensed to produce eggs. The Animal Care Program ensures that hens have a safe, healthy and comfortable living environment, providing guidelines for space, water, feed, lighting, air circulation, hen handling and more.

Hen housing density requirements are included in our mandatory provincial Animal Care Policy.  In a free-run aviary housing system, birds must be provided a minimum of 144 (white birds) / 172.8 (brown birds) square inches per bird, when sufficient perch space is provided.  The total number of birds is dependent on the size of the barn.

There is definitely a lot more involved with raising hens than most people realize.  Egg farmers have to maximize animal care and hen health, manage their barn to ensure that Canada’s world-class food quality & safety standards are maintained, and worry about minimizing their environmental footprint.  Albertans living in rural areas are allowed to raise up to 300 hens and we do have resources available!  Check our website for more information about our Youth Development Program and New Entrant Program!

On average, a hen lays about 300 eggs per year.

All eggs sold at retail are washed and sanitized at grading stations that have been certified by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA). Eggs also have a protective layer that your washing could remove. Since you’ll likely be cracking the eggs or boiling them in the shell, washing them seems unnecessary, but it’s certainly not wrong to do so. Click here to find out more about grading stations.

Alberta egg farmers are free to raise their hens in a variety of hen housing systems, which includes conventional housing, furnished housing, free-run housing and free-range housing.  In 2013, EFA adopted a policy which states that “no new conventional or enrichable cage systems will be allowed to be installed in Alberta after December 31, 2014”.  About 85% of Alberta eggs currently come from hens raised in conventional housing, a number that continues to decline.

At the hatchery, day-old chicks receive infrared beak treatment, in accordance with the Canadian egg industry’s recommended Code of Practice and national Animal Care Program.

The hen housing system does not affect the flavor, quality or nutritional value of the eggs.  Purchasing eggs based on the type of hen housing system the hens who laid them were raised in, is entirely a personal choice, and Alberta egg farmers are happy to provide Albertans with a wide variety of eggs to choose from.

Just like humans, both a rooster and hen are required to create a baby chick.  That’s why egg farmers only raise hens (female chickens), to eliminate the risk of fertilization.

Alberta egg farmers work with nutrition specialists to make sure their hens receive a balanced diet, which is vital for maintaining the hens’ health.  All Canadian egg farmers follow feed regulations set by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), which have never included arsenic.

There is no nutritional difference between white eggs and brown eggs.  Quite simply, white eggs are laid by white hens and brown eggs are laid by brown hens.

The yolk color does not affect the flavor, quality or nutritional value of the eggs.  Yolk color is entirely dependent on the type of feed the hens eat; wheat-based feed tends to produce lighter yolks and corn-based feed tends to produce darker yolks.

Take a look at the video below to find your answer!

The colour of an egg’s yolk depends on what the hens eat.  In western Canada, most hens eat a wheat-based diet, which results in lighter yellow yolks.  In eastern Canada, most hens eat a corn-based diet, which results in darker colour yolks.  If hens have outdoor access where they can eat grass, bugs and anything else they can get their beaks on, the yolks tend to be darker.  Farmers can modify the composition of the hens’ feed to help those hens produce eggs with a particular colour yolk.  Egg yolk colours are measured and some restaurants will only purchase eggs that have a certain colour range, to ensure the eggs they serve are consistent in colour, year round.