Meat bird pricing?

[LilyD]

Check your state regs. It is illegal for me to sell meat birds to stores and restaurants in Oklahoma unless they are USDA inspected. Although it is legal in some states.
Also, you won't get a great price from a restaurant. They expect wholesale prices.

I also agree with you. The regs for my state say that I can raise up to 1000 birds a year but that I need to sell them live and can charge extra afterwards if they want them processed but the money must exchange hands when the birds are living. We do have one farm here that sells to stores and restaurants but they are a huge operation and raise way more than 1000 birds a year so I imagine they are regulated more because of that and have to maintain an approved processing facility. They also sell turkeys right before Thanksgiving for 40 to 50 dollars a bird. It's more of a commercial operation though and the birds are never outside .

 

[beanmcnulty]

Thank you for the info. The carcass of dual purpose is 50/50 correct?

yes that has been my experience. We are used to huge breasts on CX from grocery store birds and short stubby legs, heritage legs are longer and have less breast than CX. I myself am a dark meat person so I dont mind a bit! Also have heard dark meat is more nutritious.

 

[foulplay]

I sell my pastured raised broilers for $4.00 a pound and they are normally around 5-8 pounds after 10 weeks. If you can get that do it but start a little under just to hook people to great tasting chickens. My birds cost 2.68 to process so you have to make money somehow.