One of our most popular resources for Small Farm Canada readers is our annual Hatchery Guide featured in our January/February issue.
If you have the time and inclination, purchasing an incubator and fertilized hatching eggs can be another option that can also save you money in the long run.
If you’d like to keep things local this year or are looking for just a few chicks and won’t meet the minimums required by some hatcheries you can reach out to your local agricultural society or feed store for some referrals. You may be surprised to hear about the small farmers operating in your area who sell chicks.
The list below is not exhaustive (please forgive any omissions, if you would like to be included on the list, please send us an email) but should be a good representation of where to find chicks straight from a hatchery in each province. Chicks are also almost always available at feed stores (upon pre-order).
This list should omit any hatcheries that don’t cater to small farms. An internet search may turn up additional locations that don’t have a website (and there are many across Canada).
ALBERTA
Duckopolis
Located west of Edmonton
780-892-3099, info@duckopolis.com
Shipping day-old poultry across Canada by air and courier/bus. Noteno hatching eggs are sold. Various breeds of ducks, chickens, geese, peafowl, guinea fowl, and turkeys. When ordering day-olds to be shipped, the following minimum order numbers apply: bantam and polish chicks (8), other chicks (6), ducklings (4), goslings (4), keets (8), poults (8).
Miller Hatcheries
PO Box 5669, Westlock, AB T7P 2P6
877-344-2442
millerhatcheries.com
Breeds broilers, layers, dual purpose breeds, and turkeys. Ships only to Western Canada. Minimum order restrictions apply.
Prairie Gardens
56311 Lily Lake Rd, Bon Accord (25km north of Edmonton, AB)
780-921-2272, info@prairiegardens.org
prairiegardens.org
A working, sustainable family farm. Over 15 heritage breeds are available. Pre-orders are available for pick-up on-farm between April and June.
Rochester Hatchery
9420 109 St, Westlock, AB T7P 2R4
888-698-3965
rochesterhatchery.com
Ships day old chicks. Breeds broilers, dual purpose, turkeys, hybrid layers, pheasant and heritage breeds. Some poultry breeds are not available online. Ships to Alberta and parts of BC, Saskatchewan and Manitoba. Minimum order restrictions apply.
Spring Valley Poultry
Leaman, AB
780-850-9300, springvalleypoultry@gmail.com
springvalleypoultry.ca
Breeders of heritage, rare and hard to find breeds. Some restrictions. When making contact by phone, please be sure to leave your name, and a phone number along with a detailed message.
Sunexotics Heritage Breed Conservancy
RR 1 Carstairs, AB T0M 0N0
laura@sunexotics.com
sunexotics.com
Small, family-run closed facility. Chicks must be picked up locally (no shipping available); hatching eggs are shipped by air across Canada from May to September.
University of Alberta Heritage Chicks
heritagechickens.ualberta.ca
Pre-orders for spring 2022 open in January or February. This program is run by the University of Alberta’s Poultry Research Center. Pre-ordered heritage chicks can be picked up at participating Peavey Marts across the province. Breeds available: Brown Leghorn, White Leghorn, New Hampshire, Light Sussex, Plymouth Rock, Random Bred 1978, Rhode Island Red. Visit the website for full program details and to order.
BRITISH COLUMBIA
Grade Eh Farms
Delta, BC
gradeehfarms.ca
Breeders of extremely rare breeds of poultry. Will ship chicks or meet for delivery (locally).
Greendale Heritage Farm
Greendale area of Chilliwack, BC
greendaleheritagefarm.com
Greendale breed and raise rare heritage breed poultry, custom hatch chicks and ship fertile hatching eggs anywhere in Canada.
June Creek Farm
Lela: 604-809-0594, lela@junecreekfarm.com; Shane: 604-809-0532
junecreekfarm.com
Offering heritage breeds and hybrid breeds of layer chicks. All orders are farm pick-up only, by appointment.
Newsat Farms
18706 Langston Rd, Vanderhoof, BC V0J 3A1
newsatfarms.ca
Will provide day-old broiler chicks, turkey poults and ready to lay hens to select regions of central BC. Also, a licensed poultry abattoir in central BC.
True North Farm
4780 Sleepy Hollow Rd, Armstrong, BC V0E 1B4
250-546-0106
truenorthfarm.ca
Breeds heritage layers, dual-purpose breeds, pasture meat breed (Mistral Gris), mini-turkeys, and Peking ducks. Chicks can be sexed or straight run. Will ship day old chicks and hatching eggs across Canada (minimum quantities). Pick up on farm also available.
Western Hatchery
505 Hamm Rd, Abbotsford, BC V2T 6B6
604-859-7168
westernhatchery.ca
Sells broiler and breeder chicks. Hatchery services to government registered poultry farmers in BC. Offers pre-orders and pick-up for small farms and small orders.
Wild Acres
4686 North Grandview Flats Rd, Armstrong, BC V0E 1B5
250-546-6561
wildacres.ca
Small family-owned breeder farm. Heritage and rare chickens, Indian Runner ducks. Small pre-orders of unsexed chicks and ducklings are picked up at our farm gate by appointment. Ships hatching eggs to BC, YT, AB, SK, MB and ON. Hatching eggs, minimum order is one dozen eggs. Orders via website online store only.
MANITOBA
Breezy Bird Farms
Morris, MB
204-918-3892
breezybirdfarms.com
Breeders of rare heritage poultry, ducks, geese, quail and guinea fowl. Ships hatching eggs and day-old chicks in Canada via Canada Post and Air. Bulk orders and flat rate shipping available. Pick up available on-site by appointment only.
Berg’s Hatchery
PO Box 547, Russell, MB R0J 1W0
204-773-2562
bergshatchery.com
Breeds meat breeds, egg-layers, turkeys, waterfowl, guineas and specialty breeds. Will ship day-olds. Chicks can be picked up at retailers in Ontario, Alberta, Manitoba and Saskatchewan.
NEW BRUNSWICK
Grant’s Breeder Farm
2914 Route 124, Kars, NB E5T 2Y1
506-485-2930
grantsbreederfarm.com
Sells hatching eggs, day-old meat and layer breeds and ready-to-lay pullets. Pullets delivered to Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and PEI locations. Order by email or calling.
NOVA SCOTIA
ActiveLife Farm
Londonderry, NS
contact@activelifefarm.ca
activelifefarm.ca
Heritage Breed chicks are available from the farm from March to September each year.
Hazel Grove Farm
30 Purdy Rd, Deep Brook, NS B0S 1J0
902-482-0543, info@hazel-grove.ca
hazel-grove.ca
ONTARIO
BB Loft
3199 Gendron Rd, PO Box 132, Hammond, ON
613-487-2649, bbloft@videotron.ca
berniebedard.com
Racing pigeon breeder.
Bonnie’s Chick Hatchery Ltd.
18 Arthur St N, Elmira, ON N3B 1Z7
519-669-2561
Hatches broilers, layers, and dual-purpose chicks as well as turkeys and ducks. Available within Ontario, please call for more information.
Feathered Acres
7070 Jones Baseline, Fergus, ON N1M 2W4
519-574-9937, info@featheredacres.com
Offering ready-to-lay ducks, goslings (March to June), guinea keets (March to October). Eight different breeds of ducks, four breeds of geese and pearl guinea fowl.
Fox Fire Heritage Farm
1175 Memorial Park Dr, Powassan, ON P0H 1Z0
705-978-1895, foxfireheritagefarm@gmail.com
Canadian Chantecler and Partridge Chantecler. Offering chicks, hens, and fertile eggs. Contact to order chicks, order and arrange pick up or delivery of fertile eggs, or get on the wait-list for hens and pullets.
Frey’s Hatchery
80 Northside Dr, St. Jacobs, ON N0B 2N0
519-664-2291
freyshatchery.com
Breeds chickens, turkeys, ducks, pheasants and ready-to-lay pullets. Will ship to farm or you can pick up at their location. Orders also available for pick-up at select feed stores across Ontario.
Mill Pond Hatchery
555 Pipeline Rd, Grafton, ON K0K 2G0
905-349-3958
millpondhatchery.ca
Hatches chickens, ducklings, turkeys, pheasants and goslings. No shipping option available. Pick up on-farm or through feed mills in Eastern and Central Ontario.
Northern Feather Farm
Nipissing First Nation, North Bay, ON
705-562-8235
@northernfeatherfarm
Dedicated poultry hatchery specializing in heritage breeds like silkies, Polish, Ameraucana, olive eggers and moss eggers. Dual breeds like Canadian bresse and black copper maran and Beltsville turkeys. Ask about our vaccine program. We ship hatching eggs across Canada. Pick up of day-old chicks available by appointment.
Performance Poultry
RR 1, Carrying Place, ON K0K 1L0
613-968-2508, info@performancepoultry.com
performancepoultry.com
Provides many varieties of day-old fancy and production poultry. Also suppliers of poultry equipment, incubators and books. Please check performancepoultry.com for information on ordering, and availability.
Royal Game Birds Inc
Mailing Address: 786896 Township Rd 6, Drumbo, ON N0J 1G0
Farm Address: 855594 Gobles Rd, Drumbo, ON N0J 1G0
226-802-1480
All orders are filled on a first come, first booked basis. Orders must be placed prior to hatching as we do not hatch extra birds for last minute orders. To ensure that we can fulfill your needs, contact early spring. Eggs – only available in spring. Day olds – only available in spring.
Uplands Pheasantry
6282 Fleming Rd, Camlachie, ON N0N 1E0
519-542-4173
uplands-pheasantry.ca/contact
Pricing depends on the amount and type of eggs for the custom pheasant hatching program.
Webfoot Hatchery
6340 Wellington Rd. 7, Elora, ON N0B 1S0
519-846-9885
webfoothatchery.ca
Breeder of Muscovy ducks, sells day-old ducklings all year long. Will ship across Canada (practical minimums apply).
SASKATCHEWAN
Anstey Hatchery
2717 Cleveland Ave, Saskatoon, SK S7K 3R2
306-242-1033
ansteyhatchery.ca
Sells day-old chicks for meat birds, egg layers, turkeys, Pekin ducks, and Embden goslings. Chicks can be shipped to farm or also can be picked up at select retailers.