Calling Meat Poultry Producers (Chicken, Turkey, Duck, Goose, ect.)

[Buster52]

I'm not a poultry producer I don't think, but I am of the opinion that some people make money by raising birds for the auction circuit. Turkeys can bring a good price at those, and specialty birds like some bantams, silkies, etc bring very good prices if the right people are in attendance.

In case you wanted another outlet for your birds.

 

[greyfields]

I produce myself. You can be profitable if you ignore labor, insurance, field shelters, brooder supplies, etc. or amoratize them over the first couple years.

The rules vary by EACH STATE. In Washington, we must use a licensed processor and self slaughter is not an option. That adds $4 per bird roughly speaking.

I would not use tractors as the labor will drive you mad after just the first week. Find a hybrid tractor/ranging system to you can lower your time tending the birds.

You can get certified "natural" through independent organizations. But, I wouldn't bother. The whole point of doing it youself is you will be doing your own marketing and retailing. Just getting to know your customers is enough certification they need from me.

My best crop I profited $2.75 per bird. My worst crops I probably lost that much. But, I've always viewed them as loss leaders for getting people into the lamb, beef & pork where there is more profit. I sell at $3.75/lb dressed.

As far as ducks and geese go I sell them for roughly $22 and $60 each. Processing is $8 and $15 of that respectively. I hatch my own which goes a long way saving costs; but it means your crops are not all equal ages which does make for some management issues.

I would just caution everyone to take Joe Salatin's advice with a grain of salt; then phone your County Extension Agent. People have been convicted and/or fined for the "do it yourself" or "dressing is a free service" approach.

 

[Buster52]

ILLINOIS

Poultry inspection in Illinois is the responsibility of the Bureau of Meat and Poultry Inspection of the Illinois Department of Agriculture. Producers may request an on-farm processing exemption. The request must be in writing. Exemptions are effective upon written notice from the Department and are effective for a period of two years. Producers are required to maintain adequate records to assure that no more than the number of exempted poultry are slaughtered or processed in one calendar year. Producers who receive the exemption must comply with the following requirements:

1. the producer slaughters or processes no more than 5,000 poultry during the calendar year,

2. they do not engage in buying or selling poultry products other than those produced from poultry raised on their own farm or premises,

3. the poultry products are slaughtered, otherwise prepared, sold or delivered to the consumer on or from the premises for which the exemption is given,

4. the slaughter or preparation is performed in a sanitary manner, and subject to periodic inspection to confirm that sanitary conditions exist on site.

Agency Contact. Producers seeking additional information concerning exemptions or sanitary requirements should contact:

Illinois Department of Agriculture
State Fairgrounds
P.O. Box 19281
Springfield, IL 62794
217-782-2172
217-785-4505 (fax)

HACCP

Illinois Department of Agriculture
State Fairgrounds
801 Sagamon Ave.
P.O. Box 19281
Springfield, IL 62794-9281
217-782-6684
217-782-7801 (fax)

Source: http://www.apppa.org/legalstates.pdf

 

[OSUman]

Quote:
Thank you VERY VERY much...

 

[Brunty_Farms]

When it's all said and done I think we will have done 1500 broilers this year. Every single bird is sold through a contract like others have stated. However I have a contract in writing with each individual customers signature on it. It says....

"By reading and signing this you understand that you are purchasing a live chicken or turkey from Brunty Farms LLC. Upon your request we can process, package, and deliver your poultry free of charge. Delivery will be to local farmers' markets, or pick-up is available at Brunty Farms (turkey's are pick up only)"

This includes signature and date of person ordering.

If someone was convicted or charged for selling poultry he/she was set up by someone. As if you are not strict with the contracts your open for all kinds of legal issues. Somewhere somebody slipped up and sold a chicken to somebody from their freezer and got caught.

As if I'm wrong please tell me... but where has any state... restricted the sale of a live chicken between two parties. Either it be 15 or 1500 it's still the same thing. I keep very detailed records of every signature and keep them on hand to show the proper authorities if need be.

Anyhow... your asking on making a profit. Let me put it to you this way. Your first few years your going to spend way too much money to even see a profit. When you think you have it figured out your going to lose 40 in one night and that could be a $400-$600 loss. If it's turkeys your talking a few thousand. But it's all about learning, you will learn so much in the first few years. As others has said... get THE book.... Pasture Poultry Profits. Even if you don't agree with the way he does things he is still a trend setter in this buisness and a lot can be learned from his seminars and books. By reading his book I have learned a lot before I even raised broilers. What many learn through trial and error I had already learned through reading his book.

Most important.... start small. Get 25 birds and raise them, perfect your set ups and grow from there. As far as marketing goes... I must say that my biggest advantage is the fact that I'm 20 minutes south of Cleveland and have about 5 other big cities within 2 hours of me. SO it's very easy now for me to sell chicken as "city folk" catch on very quickly to good quality meat or veggies.

 

[greyfields]

Here's the deal in WA state:

RCW 69.07.103
Chickens -- Slaughter, preparation, sale -- One thousand or fewer -- Special, temporary permit -- Rules -- Fee.

*** CHANGE IN 2009 *** (SEE 5350-S.SL) ***

(1) A special, temporary permit issued by the department under this section is required for the slaughter and preparation of one thousand or fewer pastured chickens in a calendar year by the agricultural producer of the chickens for the sale of whole raw chickens by the producer directly to the ultimate consumer at the producer's farm, and for such sale. Such activities shall not be conducted without the permit. However, if the activities are conducted under such a permit, the activities are exempted from any other licensing requirements of this chapter.

(2)(a) The department must adopt by rule requirements for a special, temporary permit for the activities described in subsection (1) of this section. The requirements must be generally patterned after those established by WAC 246-215-190 as it exists on July 27, 2003, for temporary food service establishments, but must be tailored specifically to these slaughter, preparation, and sale activities. The requirements must include, but are not limited to, those for: Cooling procedures, when applicable; sanitary facilities, equipment, and utensils; clean water; washing and other hygienic practices; and waste and wastewater disposal.

(b) The rules must also identify the length of time such a permit is valid. In determining the length of time, the department must take care to ensure that it is adequate to accommodate the seasonal nature of the permitted activities. In adopting any rule under this section, the department must also carefully consider the economic constraints on the regulated activity.

(3) The department shall conduct such inspections of the activities permitted under this section as are reasonably necessary to ensure compliance with permit requirements.

(4) The fee for a special permit issued under this section is seventy-five dollars.

(5) For the purposes of this section, "chicken" means the species Gallus domesticus.


To get the permit, you essentially need a commercial kitchen set-up. Then you can only amoratize over 1000 birds per year, which is a LONG pay off.

Again, poultry rules vary State by State and are not USDA regulated (unless you producer over 19,999 birds). Know your local rules and don't leave your ass exposed. Making a buck for a chicken isn't worth losing your house over.

 

[jaku]

Quote:
Good post. I'm going to be adding to my order form!

 

[BigPeep]

I would go with dual purpose "heritage" type breeds. They will take much longer to raise than the Cornish/Rocks but the meat will be much better and you can sell it for a premium if you have buyers. I have a CSA so I can offer a chicken option and have the birds pre-sold before I even order the chicks. You can keep the hens for the eggs and just sell the cockerals at about five months. You can also do your own incubating and have an outlet for the males in case you have concerns about the hatchery practices in that regard.

The difference in taste is amazing. There is a reason why chicken is alway served smothered in something else, it has no taste. These birds taste like chicken!

You can also use organic feed and allow them to range or at least feed them grass clipping and weeds. That way you can add additional amounts to your price. WIth a CSA, the customers are not really looking at the price per pound but with the whole program so they are not comparing what it would cost at the store to your price. People who sign up for that are usually mostly health and taste conscious not price shoppers.

 

[Brunty_Farms]

Quote:
I'm not putting your states regs to question but just simply saying if you keep under a written contract you can save yourself some headaches in the future. See in Ohio I can sell 1,000 birds legally on my farm, if they are processed here at my farm. However I choose to double safe guard myself agains lawsuits.... by having the signature and contract in place.

Greyfields... what is your name by the way? Why don't you look into getting an LLC for your farm. It's fairly cheap and it's worth it's weight in gold. This way if something every did happen your house and personal property is safe. There are no ways around an LLC... ya so your buisness goes bankrupt... but you still have your house, your land, and whatever else that is in your name.

If I was you I would turn your loss leader into a profit of some kind as $4.00 / bird to have them processed is a drag and I't would be nice to put that money in your pocket.

There are ways around the rules, I guess a better way to put it would be to bend the rules a bit. People here get by with two buckets and a purrel dispenser for a sink... (all states are different) but it's worth looking into. If you do even 200 birds a year your spending $800.00 just in processing fees. It's a two headed monster anyway you look at it. Either you go all in... and spend a few thousand... or you dance around the rules and hope nobody catches you with your pants down. But using them for a loss leader is a tough way to go, that's a lot of work to make a buck a bird or even to lose a buck a bird to sell another product.

JAKU... ya make sure you cover yourself as best you can in your contract.

 

[OSUman]

whats a CSA?