Pullets and Laying Hens

CODE UNDER AMENDMENT

The Code of Practice for the Care and Handling of Pullets and Laying Hens was released in 2017. The 5-year review of this Code was completed in 2022 with a recommendation to initiate an amendment to keep the Code relevant and up-to-date.  Major challenges identified that warrant Code amendments were: 

• Round feeder space for pullets and laying hens (sections 1.1.3 & 2.3)
• Minimum space allowance for pullets in multi-tier systems (section 1.1.4)
• Maximum number of tiers allowed in laying and rearing facilities (sections 1.1.5 & 2.6) 

Code amendment timeline:

• Start: December 2023
• Public comment period: March 27 – May 26, 2025 
• Projected completion: Summer 2025

Timeline for all Codes of Practice being amended or updated.

Code amendment resources:

• Scientific Panel report – Review of scientific research on amendment topics (February 2025)
• Progress updates

Current Code of Practice (2017) and related resources are below.

Committees

Code Amendment Committee members

The Code Amendment Committee is populated in accordance with Step 1 of NFACC’s Code development process. 

Scientific Panel members

There are various ways to view the Code:

• HTML version (or select from the Table of Contents below)
• PDF version (1.9 MB)

There are a limited number of hard copies of this Code. NFACC encourages use of the electronic version and does not store hard copies. If hard copies are required, please contact Egg Farmers of Canada. 

Please note that content in the transportation section of this Code, along with additional transportation-related content (e.g., glossary terms) that had referenced or reflected the outdated version of Part XII (Transport of Animals) in the Health of Animal Regulations (HAR), or the now archived Compromised Animals Policy, has been updated to align with the amended regulations, which took effect on February 20, 2020. Hard copies of the Codes that were printed prior to this alignment will not include these updates. For clarity, Codes that have been updated will include a statement on the front cover that reads “Alignment with Part XII (Transport of Animals) of the Health of Animals Regulations: 2021”.

This update process was strictly aimed at revising existing text that no longer aligned with the amended HAR. Every effort was made to respect the original priorities and decisions of the Code Development Committee (e.g., text from the HAR was not added if it was not covered in the original Code). In case of a discrepancy between the hard copy and online version of a Code, the online version shall take precedence.

Other resources:

• Scientific Committee report - Review of scientific research on priority issues - December 2013
• NFACC Code development process
• Animal Welfare Research Needs
• Canadian Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA)
• Housing Systems for Laying Hens - Position Statement
• Induced Moulting of Poultry – Position Statement

Table of Contents

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