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- #101
Here in Arkansas we are allowed 199 hens after the 200 th comes along then it is considered a business.
That is laying hens only not roosters and baby chicks.
Well, here in Ontario if you have more than 100 layers, you must buy market quota. Quota costs ~C$200-$250 per bird (for egg production only). Quota applies to meat birds too (not sure what the fee is) but we are allowed 300 per year without quota. Needless to say its been a hot topic for many years, as it dramatically affects heritage bird owners. If I have to buy quota, clearly I will want as many eggs as possible, or the highest meat to food conversion. Both expectations require the hybrid birds, and naturally dissuade heritage birds.
As such, our markets don't have any variety in eggs or chicken. Heck, I'm not even allowed to sell my eggs/meat at a farmer's market without quota. Further, I cannot deliver product without quota, so restaurants are pretty much out too. Finally, all meat birds must be processed at provincially approved and inspected processors, even those I sell at my farm gate.
All-in-all its a pretty frustrating set of constraints, so it means no small farmer can think of chickens as their sole source of income.