How much do you pay per bird for processing?

[hipeatall]

wish I could find someone here in Central Texas to process my birds... we are doing it ourselves since we can't find anyone.

 

[Tdub4chiks]

Quote:
You could never get away with that in my area, but if I could, I sure would. We have been selling our birds for $1.60/lb dressed. I think next year I will up it some. This is our first year and wanted to keep prices low in an effort to get as much business as possible. I still profit about $3 on a 4lb bird.

The going rate for free range CX's in Oregon - Willamette Valley area charging $3.50 per lbs processed and they are averaging 7.5lbs per bird.

I would definitely like to here more on pricing from the group. Maybe we should adjust ours.

All comments are welcome.

I don't know anything about processing, but that equals $26.25 per bird - just for processing. Plus, add all the food & upkeep costs. Those are the most expensive chickens I ever heard of. What - are they made of gold? I've never paid $3.50 lb for chicken at the store - maybe a good t-bone, but never a chicken.

 

[TimG]

Quote:
I don't know anything about processing, but that equals $26.25 per bird - just for processing. Plus, add all the food & upkeep costs. Those are the most expensive chickens I ever heard of. What - are they made of gold? I've never paid $3.50 lb for chicken at the store - maybe a good t-bone, but never a chicken.

I'm sure you misunderstood: "$3.50 per lb processed" means that you are paying $3.50 per dressed pound for someone else's chicken, not paying someone $3.50 per lb to process the chicken you raised.

 

[momofchicks]

I'm in Kentucky and we pay $2.65 per bird, that is vacuum sealed, add .50 to have it cut up and another .25 for the tray it goes on when cut up. They also have a USDA person there in the facility at all times, they put a label on the birds, stating my farm name, weight and how much per pound (for if I choose to sell them).

 

[HensHaven]

In Ontario Canada I pay $3.00 per bird, bagged not cut up.

 

[Sundown_Farmer]

Quote:
I'm fascinated by that. Fascinated! How many birds do you have processed? You could easily process 10 in an hour by yourself. That would be like paying yourself $30/hour. I'm tickled to work for those wages, especially in this economy.

Quote:
I'd do a lot of things for $30/hour. Even for $20. I suspect I'm not alone. Surely you can find somebody who wants to make some cabbage.

 

[BlackBart]

Lower Vancouver Island, Canada.......

My birds at a Government inspected processing plant........ $4 per bird whole bird, bagged and tagged

Somebody else's home grown whole chicken per pound..... ranges from $3.00 to $4.50

Store bought chicken from a big commercial grower........whole bird $2.00 per pound for fryers, double that $ for roasters.

 

[aggieterpkatie]

Holy cow! $25 to process a turkey!?!!!! I wish I could find someone to pay me that do process some turkeys. I'd do it all day.


We only have 1 person around here that process chickens for people. She charges $2.50 per bird, bagged.

 

[rnorris1234]

OK forgive my ignorance, but help me out.
How do you even FIND someone to process a chicken -- where do I look? And if so, do you just take your LIVE chickens to the processing facility and they humanely dispatch of the chicken, and plcuk and clean them while you wait? How does this all work. i've got chicken for eggs and some as pets, but I have roosters that I can't even give away and I need to do something with them soon. I'm trying to work up the courage to do it myself, but.... anway, I'd gladly pay someone $3 a bird or so to do the job for me. (I only have about 4 roos that need tending). But meat processing places in my area that I've found (on-line or yellow pages) specifically state No Poultry. Am I just out of luck, or don't know where or how to search?

Robert
Fort Payne, AL

 

[goldnchocolate]

Quote:
Maybe you could post an ad on Craigslist. There may be someone who knows how to do and would help you out. I don't know of anyone in my area (Massachusetts) so I am learning how to do it myself. I have 30+ cockerels that hatched out of my overly enthusiastic

first-time incubator experiences this past spring.