Within two to three years, the chickens at the University of Saskatchewan’s Poultry Centre will be ‘living it up’ inside a new state-of-the art chicken barn.  

USask’s lead poultry researcher Dr. Karen Schwean-Lardner says their current barn offers conventional chicken housing, which is being banned in Canada by 2036. 

“They (conventional cages) were brought in for some good reasons, but it’s a small space with no perches. Birds go up when they are afraid or when they’re stressed. They like to go to perches, and there’s none in there. The most important behavioral activity for birds is to be able to nest. They have no nest.”

The new 24,000 square foot barn, costing $15.6 million in total, will provide 24,000 square feet of enriched, free-run, and free-range housing for 6000 birds.

“We have enriching systems for laying hens, which is a small unit for small numbers of birds where they are able to have perches, nest boxes, and foraging centres.” She explains that were will also be ten individual ‘mini-barns’ with separate ventilation, heating, feeding, and lighting systems; as well as an area that provides chickens access to a free-range outdoor habitat.

She adds that the more expansive housing, while also improving animal welfare, will allow researchers to study the impacts of space, alternate feeding systems, temperature, and lighting.

“For example, in a free-run system, if a bird lays an egg onto the floor, that’s generally thrown out. But what can we do with lighting systems so that those don’t happen, so we can increase the number of eggs that actually get to market?”

The project is being made possible by a $6.2 million donation from the Canada Foundation for Innovation, $1 million from the College of Agriculture, and a $3 million gift from Saskatchewan Egg Producers.

Executive Director of the Saskatchewan Egg Producers Dion Martins says he is ‘pumped’ about the future facility, hence the multi-million-dollar investment.

“Our farmers have benefitted significantly from research into lighting nutrition, and behavioral aspects, the whole range, so we’re very excited about those possibilities in this new facility, as well.”

The barn will sport a unique glass-walled, bio-secure walkway for students, consumers, and partners to get a glimpse into the ‘behind the scenes’ of chicken and egg production. 

“There is nothing in North America right now that looks like this barn,” Schwean-Lardner explains. “We have scientists from Arkansas and Purdue (University) that are excited to come here…How cool is that?”