Maki farm: eggs in all colours and sizes

By Irene van der Kloet

Who doesn’t like farm-fresh eggs for breakfast? The go-to place in the area is Maki Farms, just east of Waskatenau. Petri and Liza Maki were living in Ontario when Petri’s position in the armed forces brought them to Alberta. After Petri left the army, the couple decided to stay in Alberta and purchase a farm near Waskatenau, which is now home to them, their daughter Adyson, a large number of chickens, three dogs, a few goats, a sheep, a miniature horse and – shortly – bees. All animals, farm animals and pets alike, are loved in this friendly atmosphere. The couple tries to make their farm as environmentally friendly as they can by reusing items found in garage sales or the landfill and finding a new destination for things that can’t be used for their original purpose. Some items were left on the farm when they bought it, such as a 72-year-old Ford tractor that starts quicker than their vehicles. It looks immaculate and vintage, but it is an excellent addition to their farm and is still in use. Their chickens come in all shapes, sizes and colours, as do their eggs. They have 125 chickens, White Leghorns, Americana, black-and-white Barnevelders, English game hens, Bantam, Chantecler, Cochin, too many to mention. Their most special chickens are naked neck Silky’s. “Even though their necks are naked, they feel warm,” Petri notes proudly of his favourite chicken. Different colours chickens call for different colours of eggs. “Some people are thrilled, blue eggs,” Petri says. “But they are all the same on the inside,” Liz adds, “and some eggs have double yolks.”  The chickens lay around 40 eggs daily that are sold to regular clients, but they also welcome new clients. Anyone buying eggs here can expect an egg carton with a variety of colours and sizes of eggs. They have a second coop with younger chickens. Usually, chickens start laying eggs at 20-24 weeks. Liz and Petri are still in the process of improving their vast chicken coop. “We are going to lower the roof and insulate the building; then, with a few heat lamps, the chickens should be ok,” Liz explains. Apart from an inside coop, the chickens also have an outside run. By how Liz and Petri handle their chickens, a person can tell they love them. Their dream is to turn the farm into a self-sustainable enterprise eventually, but that may be a while away. “We moved here in 2020, so we are just beginning. Originally it was a dairy farm”, Liz says. Anyone interested in buying eggs at Maki Farm can contact them on their Facebook page or at 780-264-6551.