Industry Code: 01401
This industry covers a variety of segments within poultry production
including:
• Raising poultry including broiler chickens and turkeys for the meat processing industry
• Raising and maintaining laying hens for egg production
• Raising and maintaining hens to produce fertile or hatching eggs for commercial hatcheries
• Operating of commercial hatcheries
Operation Details:
Most broiler producers are aligned with a meat processing firm from which they purchase hatched chicks. The chicks are raised for a period of 35-39 days then the grown chickens are sold back to the processor. Also included within this type of production are any gathering, crating and transportation of chickens.
Independent broiler producers may market directly to restaurants, hotels or the general public. Any processing by these producers, provided it is restricted to chickens they have grown, is considered part of this industry.
Egg producers classified in this industry collect the eggs, grade, candle and sell to retail outlets or egg grading stations. Egg farmers may sell ungraded eggs to anyone who will be consuming the eggs themselves however eggs sold to those who will not consume the eggs directly (restaurants, grocery stores, etc.) must be graded by a licensed grader.
Feeding and watering in larger poultry operations may be automated and this along with cleaning and maintenance of equipment and facilities are major activities within this industry.
Commercial hatcheries are involved in the hatching of chicks, turkeys and other types of birds from eggs, for the sale to farmers or producers.
These hatcheries obtain fertile eggs from local breeder flocks and from eastern Canada or the US and maintain strictly controlled growing conditions.
The eggs go through an incubation period of roughly 21 days, where the eggs sit in a controlled temperature of 37 degrees Celsius. Three days before the eggs are due to hatch, they are transferred to a hatching machine where the eggs are turned once every hour automatically. Once hatched, the chicks are immunized and crated for delivery.
Some hatcheries produce up to 100,000 chicks at one hatching (a normal success rate is 75 to 80 percent of eggs that are fertile); they are usually hatched on a customer order basis since it becomes costly to feed and water chicks while waiting for purchasers.
Underwriting Considerations:
A number of smaller hatcheries in the province operate on a seasonal basis, supplying other producers with broiler chicks and specialty items such as geese, ducks, etc.
A large segment of the hatchery industry, for broiler production in Alberta, is coordinated by employers who also operate poultry processing plants. Poultry processors will have separate divisions to hatch the chicks and sell them to local farmers. Farmers will then raise the chicks to maturity and sell them back to the processing division. Due to the economies of the industry, this relationship is necessary for the most efficient coordination of large scale processing activities. In such cases, the hatcheries are classified separately from the processing plant.
Hatcheries hire individuals who check the sexes of the chicks (usually on a contract basis), as some purchasers require only a certain sex. These individuals are called "chicken sexers" and are classified in this industry when eligible for an account.
Premium Rate History:
Activities:
Poultry Farming
Egg Producer
Commercial Hatcheries
Rate Group History:
In 2016, new rate groups were established to better define the various types of farming operations being conducted in Alberta. The Small Animal Producers/Handlers rate group encompasses industries that pertain to the farming of smaller animals. Industry 02102 has been deleted and those operations are now described under Industry 01401 - Poultry/Egg Producers.
Effective January 31, 2020, farm and ranch employers with six or more waged non-family workers can choose to have their workplace insurance coverage under the Workers’ Compensation Act or through a private insurance provider. Employers are not required to have workplace insurance if they have five or fewer non-family workers, or hire workers for less than six consecutive months.
This industry covers a variety of segments within poultry production
including:
• Raising poultry including broiler chickens and turkeys for the meat processing industry
• Raising and maintaining laying hens for egg production
• Raising and maintaining hens to produce fertile or hatching eggs for commercial hatcheries
• Operating of commercial hatcheries
Premium Rate History:
Activities:
Poultry Farming
Egg Producer
Commercial Hatcheries
Operation Details:
Most broiler producers are aligned with a meat processing firm from which they purchase hatched chicks. The chicks are raised for a period of 35-39 days then the grown chickens are sold back to the processor. Also included within this type of production are any gathering, crating and transportation of chickens.
Independent broiler producers may market directly to restaurants, hotels or the general public. Any processing by these producers, provided it is restricted to chickens they have grown, is considered part of this industry.
Egg producers classified in this industry collect the eggs, grade, candle and sell to retail outlets or egg grading stations. Egg farmers may sell ungraded eggs to anyone who will be consuming the eggs themselves however eggs sold to those who will not consume the eggs directly (restaurants, grocery stores, etc.) must be graded by a licensed grader.
Feeding and watering in larger poultry operations may be automated and this along with cleaning and maintenance of equipment and facilities are major activities within this industry.
Commercial hatcheries are involved in the hatching of chicks, turkeys and other types of birds from eggs, for the sale to farmers or producers.
These hatcheries obtain fertile eggs from local breeder flocks and from eastern Canada or the US and maintain strictly controlled growing conditions.
The eggs go through an incubation period of roughly 21 days, where the eggs sit in a controlled temperature of 37 degrees Celsius. Three days before the eggs are due to hatch, they are transferred to a hatching machine where the eggs are turned once every hour automatically. Once hatched, the chicks are immunized and crated for delivery.
Some hatcheries produce up to 100,000 chicks at one hatching (a normal success rate is 75 to 80 percent of eggs that are fertile); they are usually hatched on a customer order basis since it becomes costly to feed and water chicks while waiting for purchasers.
Underwriting Considerations:
A number of smaller hatcheries in the province operate on a seasonal basis, supplying other producers with broiler chicks and specialty items such as geese, ducks, etc.
A large segment of the hatchery industry, for broiler production in Alberta, is coordinated by employers who also operate poultry processing plants. Poultry processors will have separate divisions to hatch the chicks and sell them to local farmers. Farmers will then raise the chicks to maturity and sell them back to the processing division. Due to the economies of the industry, this relationship is necessary for the most efficient coordination of large scale processing activities. In such cases, the hatcheries are classified separately from the processing plant.
Hatcheries hire individuals who check the sexes of the chicks (usually on a contract basis), as some purchasers require only a certain sex. These individuals are called "chicken sexers" and are classified in this industry when eligible for an account.
Rate Group History:
In 2016, new rate groups were established to better define the various types of farming operations being conducted in Alberta. The Small Animal Producers/Handlers rate group encompasses industries that pertain to the farming of smaller animals. Industry 02102 has been deleted and those operations are now described under Industry 01401 - Poultry/Egg Producers.
Effective January 31, 2020, farm and ranch employers with six or more waged non-family workers can choose to have their workplace insurance coverage under the Workers’ Compensation Act or through a private insurance provider. Employers are not required to have workplace insurance if they have five or fewer non-family workers, or hire workers for less than six consecutive months.