Chicken, Goose & Guinea Banking Program

Community Initiative

Chicken, Goose & Guinea Banking
Program

The Chicken Banking Program places free-range flocks with community families who raise them for fresh eggs, quality meat, and supplemental income. Built on the same pay-it-forward principle as our other banking initiatives, participants return a share of hatched chicks to keep the cycle alive for the next family.

Small-scale poultry keeping has been central to African household farming for generations. This program honours that tradition while creating a structured, supported pathway to food security and income generation for Black and marginalised families across Alberta.

Starter flock provided at no upfront cost to approved participants
Coop setup guidance and biosecurity support from Adesco
Access to Adesco's local egg and poultry distribution network

Eggs & Meat

Daily fresh eggs and pasture-raised chicken from antibiotic-free, free-range flocks.

Flock Equity

Participants build long-term value through a growing share in the community flock.

55+

Families Enrolled

600+

Birds Placed

1,800

Eggs Produced Weekly

Flock Cycles Completed

The Process

How Chicken, Goose & Guinea Banking Works

A four-step cycle that turns a starter flock into lasting household food security and income.

Step 01

Apply & Attend Orientation

Prospective participants submit an application and attend a free orientation covering flock care, coop requirements, feeding schedules, and biosecurity basics before receiving any birds.

Step 02

Receive Your Flock

Approved participants receive a starter flock of laying hens or dual-purpose birds, along with feed, health records, and a coop setup guide to get production underway quickly.

Step 03

Raise, Collect & Sell

Participants collect fresh eggs daily and raise birds for meat. Surplus eggs and processed chicken can be sold locally, at farmers' markets, or directly to Adesco's distribution network.

Step 04

Return & Renew the Flock

When hens hatch chicks, a portion is returned to the community pool. This renews the program for the next family and keeps the cycle of shared agricultural wealth going.

What We Raise

Flock Types

Adesco selects breeds suited to Alberta's climate, the participant's goals, and the program's commitment to free-range, humane poultry keeping.

Laying Hens

ISA Brown & Rhode Island Red

High-productivity laying breeds that reliably produce 250–300 eggs per hen annually. Calm, adaptable, and well-suited to Alberta's climate with proper winter coop insulation.

250–300 eggs/year per hen

Dual-Purpose Birds

Buff Orpington & Barred Rock

Heritage breeds valued for both egg production and quality meat. Slower-growing but richer in flavour, these birds are the foundation of traditional poultry farming.

Eggs + premium table bird

Broiler Flock

Freedom Ranger

A pasture-raised meat breed raised to harvest weight in 9–11 weeks. Slower than commercial broilers, Freedom Rangers develop superior flavour on open range with minimal feed inputs.

4–6 kg live weight at harvest

Program Benefits

What Participants Gain

From daily egg collection to long-term flock equity, the Chicken, Goose & Guinea Banking Program creates tangible, immediate value for every enrolled family.

Daily Fresh Eggs

Free-range hens produce nutritious, antibiotic-free eggs daily — reducing household grocery costs and providing a consistent source of high-quality protein.

Pasture-Raised Chicken

Heritage and dual-purpose breeds raised on open range produce clean, flavourful meat — sold locally or processed for household use without additives or hormones.

Supplemental Income

Egg and meat sales provide a steady supplemental income stream, especially valuable for rural and peri-urban families building economic resilience through small-scale farming.

Community Flock Growth

Returned chicks expand the community pool each cycle, enabling more families to participate and amplifying the program's collective impact season after season.

Poultry Skills Training

Participants gain hands-on skills in flock management, egg grading, biosecurity, and processing — credentials that open doors to broader agricultural employment.

Garden & Soil Benefits

Free-range chickens naturally fertilise pasture, control pests, and improve soil biology — integrating seamlessly into Adesco's regenerative land management approach.

Who Can Apply

Eligibility Criteria

The Chicken, Goose & Guinea Banking Program is open to Alberta residents who have the space, commitment, and willingness to raise free-range poultry responsibly. Here is what we look for:

Alberta residents with outdoor space for a secure, predator-proof coop
Commitment to free-range, humane flock management standards
Completion of Adesco's poultry orientation and biosecurity training
Willingness to return a portion of chicks hatched to the community pool
Agreement to Adesco's Chicken, Goose & Guinea Banking participation and reporting terms

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Our Heritage

The Village Flock, Reimagined

In African villages, the household chicken flock was among the most democratic of all assets — accessible to families of every income level, requiring minimal land, and producing daily nutrition. Adesco's Chicken Banking Program brings that tradition to the Canadian prairies: modernised, structured, and supported, but rooted in the same principle that access to food-producing animals is a fundamental community right.

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