There are three classifications of egg farming in BC: Backyard Flock Producers, Small Lot Producers, and Registered Producers.
No quota or registration is required for Backyard Flock Producers as long as the number of hens does not exceed 99. Every municipality has different rules regarding backyard chickens, so be sure to check your local bylaws. For information on selling ungraded eggs, click here.
To become a Small Lot Producer, simply register through the Small Lot Program. Small Lot Producers do not require quota.
To become a registered producer, you must be issued quota from the BC Egg Marketing Board.
There are three ways to obtain quota and become a Registered Producer:
The Small Lot Program is a permit program for unregistered producers/farmers who keep between 100 and 399 laying hens that produce organic eggs, heritage breed eggs, free-range eggs or free-run eggs.
All producers/farms who have between 100 and 399 laying hens should register with BC Egg through the Small Lot Program. There is an annual permit fee of $250 which includes:
Please note you must be at least 19 years of age to apply for a Small Lot permit. This program is open to any number of participants.
To apply for a Small Lot permit, please fill out the application form and submit it with payment to Scott Miles, Operations Assistant at BC Egg.
To renew your existing Small Lot permit, please fill out the renewal form and submit with payment to Scott Miles, Operations Assistant.
Just as with larger farms, Small Lot farmers are required to maintain specific standards of food safety and biosecurity. This is especially critical during peak migratory season when wild birds mix with domestic flocks, or during periods of high risk of disease spread.
The following biosecurity and food safety guides are additional resources designed specifically for small lot production.
Unless a farmer sends his/her eggs to a grading station, the eggs produced on small lot farms are considered “ungraded” and BC has strict rules and laws surrounding the sale of ungraded eggs. Please see our Selling Ungraded Eggs page for more information.
Appendix III in the following document provides guidelines for the sale of eggs at farmers’ markets:
For more information on the Small Lot Program, please contact Scott Miles, Operations Assistant, at the BC Egg office.
Avian Influenza (AI) is a respiratory disease that affects all types of birds. Wild birds are most often the carriers of the disease and while they can get sick or die from it, they usually carry it asymptomatically. Domesticated birds, including farm birds and pets, get very ill from AI. There is no treatment and most domesticated birds die from AI within 48 hours of catching it.
If you suspect AI, have an unexplained increase in mortality or onset of clinical signs of disease in your poultry flock, here is a general guideline to assist you.
If a wild bird is found dead on or near a poultry operation, call the Wild Bird Mortality Investigation Program hotline, 1-866-431-2473. If the report is assessed to require further investigation a biologist may retrieve the carcass for further testing.
For a brief overview of Avian Influenza and why it’s a concern, visit our article “Avian Influenza: A Primer.“
The “Sunny Side Up” is our newsletter dedicated to Small Lot Permit holders and the unique challenges and farming issues they face. BC Egg sends out the “Sunny Side Up” periodically to all Small Lot Permit holders to provide policy updates and to share information useful to them as Small Lot egg producers in BC.
The fall migration of wild birds has started and BC is again facing an increased risk of High Path Avian Influenza (HPAI) as a result.
On September 17 commercial poultry farmers received a General Order from the Chief Veterinary Officer (CVO) requiring them to keep their birds inside. This order will remain in effect until the CVO rescinds it, once they feel the threat of Avian Influenza has passed. While small lot permit holders are not bound by this Order, we strongly encourage you to keep your birds inside if at all possible.
If it’s not possible to keep your birds inside, here are a few tips to reduce the chances of your birds interacting with wild birds and limit your risk of HPAI infection:
Please note that hens should be restricted to a fenced-in area on your property and should not be permitted to wander onto neighboring properties or out into the street.
You can find more information about AI — including symptoms to watch for – on our website.
Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) is moving quickly across North America. Generally, the path of HPAI has followed wild bird migratory patterns who are known carriers of the HPAI pathogen. The first flocks impacted by HPAI were located on the east coast and since that time the virus has been found throughout poultry flocks making its way to the west. Two days ago we received notice of three confirmed HPAI cases in flocks located in Olds, Alberta. This disease is highly contagious among poultry and results in extremely high mortality rates. The risk of your flock contracting the virus can be lessened through careful implementation of strict biosecurity protocols.
Due to the rapid spread of HPAI the BC Poultry Association is recommending an immediate move to Red Biosecurity Status. This is the most rigorous level of biosecurity standards and is necessary to help slow the spread of HPAI. Please review Enhanced Biosecurity Guidelines for Small Lot Producers – Red to learn what this move means to your farm. This document and additional biosecurity resources are available on our Small Lot Farms webpage.
Our actions today can help prevent HPAI taking hold in BC. Be sure to follow all the biosecurity recommendations and always err on the side of caution. When the risk has lessened and the Biosecurity status is changed a follow up message will be sent.
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