Raising Meat Birds to Sell - some questions.

[dealfinder500]

I could use some feedback here, and I hope to hear back from people who actually do this.

I'm raising a bunch of meat birds and some geese (for meat, too). I've got quite a few people interested in the birds.

I was planning on having them professionally processed to sell, as I have never butchered one yet (though eventually I'd like to).

Reading all the laws and other threads, it gets confusing!

Does anyone else raise meat birds, have someone else professionally process them, and sell them to customers?


The laws seemed to suggest that I have to sell them to the customer as live bird, and then I can process them here on premises. But it didn't really say about what if I have them processed somewhere else that is certified and everything.

 

[Kusanar]

I don't know for sure, but I would guess (I don't have ANY chickens yet, much less meatys) that you could write up a recept to the buyer that has something along the lines of:
1 - 8 week old cockeral - $20
1 - processing - (whatever the cost is of the processing plant)


Just change what the chicken description is and modify pricing according to what you see as fair (just guessing here), then you total it all up and charge the full ammount and you then pay the sub contractor to do the killing and such.

I see it like building the house. You want a house built, you contract with a builder, he may or may not be a licenced electritian and obviously you want electricity in your house, so then HE will hire the electrical work out to someone else. Only thing is, I think that the contractor is responcible for the quality of work done by the electritian even though the electritian is licenced... so I don't know how liable you would be for any shoddy work done by the processors.

 

[dealfinder500]

The law seems to say that it must be processed on premises, though it's unclear if having it professionally processed elsewhere is ok.

I know I can't just take them to Joe Schmoe down the street and have him butcher them, bring them back to my house and sell them. But what if Joe Schmoe down the street has a professional business doing that? The law is unclear about that.

 

[MeepBeep]

You seem to be seeking legal advice, and for that I highly recommend consulting a licenced attorney in your area that is familiar with the laws in question...

 

[LindaB220]

The law seems to say that it must be processed on premises, though it's unclear if having it professionally processed elsewhere is ok.

I know I can't just take them to Joe Schmoe down the street and have him butcher them, bring them back to my house and sell them. But what if Joe Schmoe down the street has a professional business doing that? The law is unclear about that.

Hey dealfinder, this can be a touchy situation. I live in Louisiana and we can't do anything without documentation. A lady local raised some last year and had to go to Ark to have them processed. It must be a certified USDA processor. To do it on premisses you have to be set up with correct equipment, Covered area to keep out flies and be inspected. I ask one of the state people and he said NO you can't process even if you sell it live. Start with your local govt and find out who to ask for information. An attorney will be almost useless on this I bet. I live out of Shreveport in NW La. Nobody is certified within 3 or more hrs driving. (Hence Ark)

 

[LeeBrad]

Definitely check with your state. Check out Pastured Poultry Profits by Joel Salatin. He has some great info on how to get around some of the processing requirements. I would not recommend getting them processed at a facility. You can never be sure of how they do things there. If you do it (as long as it's not against the law), you can stand by your product. If they have any kind of mechanization at the facility, the guts can accidentally be torn and get feces all over your bird and you won't know about it. Also, research something called "fecal soup" and see if you'd like to offer that to your customers.

Another good reason to process them onsite, is because it puts less stress on them. They already have weak hearts and a 2-3 hour ride in the back of a truck can really freak them out. I would also recommend that you volunteer with someone who already does this and help them process. Just my .02.