Updated Specialty Chicken Classes

Summary#

The final regulations SOR/2023-215, titled Regulations Amending the Canadian Chicken Licensing Regulations, update the official list of "specialty chicken" types in Schedule 4. The change adds a set list of breeds and says most of those birds must be sold with their head and feet still attached.

What it does#

• Replaces Schedule 4 of the Canadian Chicken Licensing Regulations with a new list of 12 classes of specialty chicken.
• The new list includes:
  • Silkie Chicken
  • Hong Kong TC
  • Loong Kong TC
  • Bradner Long Cycle TC
  • Bradner Special Duals (Short Cycle TC)
  • VSB
  • Mt. Lehman
  • Blue Leg Taiwanese
  • Shondon TC
  • Frey’s Special Dual Purpose
  • Alberta Filipino Special Dual
  • ISA Brown (female birds 19 to 21 weeks of age)
• Specialty chicken in classes 2 to 12 must be marketed with the head and feet attached.
• The regulations came into force on the day they were registered: October 11, 2023.

Who's affected#

• Chicken Farmers of Canada (the organization that made these changes under its authority) and the marketing system it manages.
• Producers who raise the listed specialty breeds.
• Slaughterhouses, processors and retailers that handle, package or sell these specialty birds — they may need to leave head and feet on for classes 2 to 12.
• Consumers who buy specialty chickens, especially communities that prefer certain breeds or traditional presentations of poultry.

Why it matters#

• It sets which chicken types count as "specialty" for marketing and sales rules, so producers and sellers must follow that official list.
• The requirement to sell most of these birds with head and feet attached affects how processors and retailers prepare and display them, and how consumers purchase and prepare them at home.
• For niche markets and cultural food traditions, this clarifies which birds are recognized and how they must be marketed.