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A company in Manitoba opened the largest egg barn in Canada in September. The barn, which is eight stories high and 162 metres long, will house 150,000 hens owned by a dozen producers. The eggs will be used for liquid and dried products for the fast-food markets. In referring to the hens, one of the owners of the mega-barn said, “If they're happy, they sing.”
In Ontario, the 19 largest-volume egg producers have more than 50,000 hens each; the 39 smaller-volume producers have less than 2,000 each. The Ontario Egg Producers Marketing Board has finished a trial with two flocks that were moulted and put back into production for another 40 weeks.
Forced moulting of laying hens is practised in the US, but has been uncommon in Canada. When hens near the end of their laying cycle, producers stop feeding them to produce weight loss and force moulting. US feed company guidelines state that hens should be fasted for 12 days to achieve a body weight reduction of about 30 per cent. After moulting the hens begin egg production again.
CFHS is gravely concerned about such farming practices.
Sources: The Western Producer, September 3, 1998 and Ontario Farmer, September 1, 1998.
