Poultry Production in Nova Scotia Terms to Know

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 2000 s, 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 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.