Selling Turkeys for Thanksgiving

[cheri222]

I paid $4 a lb this year, dressed. $96 was a little much for a turkey. I really hope this convinced dh to let me raise turkeys! It was a heritage.

 

[Frosty]

Anyone planning to butcher turkeys to sell, if you are doing the butchering youself make sure that you check state laws to make sure that it's legal. Some states require approved and inspected facilities.

 

[MovieFanz]

I know of lots of people who sell turkeys that they butcher. Thats how I first tasted a home grown turkey, was buying from them. They sell to co workers and neighbors. As long as you don't put a add in the newspaper or doing it large scale, nobody is out looking to see if your selling turkeys for food. I have paid $100 for a turkey at Thanksgiving time. I think turkeys are going for $150 in my area this year, and they are sold out.

 

[Frosty]

Lots of folks are doing it, yes, but if it's against the law you are really sticking your neck out. All it takes is one person to not handle their bird properly and get food poisoning (or even get food poisoning from another source), or someone to get mad at the person who sold the turkey to them... It's a risk that you have to decide you want to take. I can guarantee that if it isn't legal and the state finds out, they will make you wish that you didn't do it. I am not saying don't do it, I am not the food police. I just wanted to point out that it may not be legal, folks should know that possibility before they just blindly start selling.

 

[MovieFanz]

It one of the laws that nobody follows. Just like laws about shipping eggs or birds are not followed.

Don't know anyone that pays taxes on those earning either.

 

[chickenannie]

Most of these prices listed above are REALLY low, if they are heritage birds!! Calculate your costs. I buy so much more feed for a heritage bird....it cost me significantly more in feed, labor and management. Think about it, heritage should be at least twice the going rate for Broad Breasted Turkeys since they take twice as long to grow (4.5 months versus 8-9 months). round here they go for 50 to 150 minimum, though mine are on the lower end of that scale.

 

[u8sushi]

I get $6 a lbs for processed pasture fed heritage turkeys. I raise narragansette birds. 12 to 14 lbs range. Some in my area try to sell for a lot less their first year and then they realize they lost money. One guy was selling organic whites for $2.50 lbs. Probably cost him $4 a lbs to raise. I also charge extra for necks and gibblets. I also offer brining as an option.

 

[southernsibe]

I would have liked to sell heritage birds for the holidays, I had more toms then hens and needed to cull. Unfortunately, I'm not in a position to butcher them myself, and there is no poultry processor nearby. I wish there was. I think it's because both Tyson and Purdue are large companies in the area.
Rachel

 

[Steve_of_sandspoultry]

Quote:
I never thought about that but you may be on to something there Rachel, we have Purdue and Carolina turkeys down here and none of the local processors will touch poultry. They will do your pigs, cows, goats all day long but not poultry.

Steve

 

[PineappleMama]

Sounds entirely possible. If they process fowl then they're in competition with the big boys... if they stick to mammals then they are not. If I was a processor, and could make plenty just doing mammals, I'd prolly duck my head rather than turn the big corporate eye my way.