Surprise Batch of Cornish Hens

[U_Stormcrow]

State guide; According to this, Florida does also have the 1,000 bird exemption. It did when I lived there, and this is more recent. It reads as if the above quoted regulations are to fill the gap between 1000 birds and Tyson.

https://www.farmtoconsumer.org/poultry-map/

See my post above in this thread. FL does have a limited poultry license, its $110 per year - but it only allows you to raise and sell livestock. If you are selling your poultry or eggs as a foodstuff offsite, many additional requirements come into play, more licensing, and much greater expense. Originally, it seems to have been intended that the usual licensing for food service operations would be waived for small farmers selling on site, but more recent guidance from the state suggests that's no longer the case.

 

[RiverOtter]

@U_Stormcrow , I think you are confusing the wording where it says " up to 1,000 laying hens"

Someone selling a 2-3 dozen eggs a week from their backyard coop or processing 70 birds once total does not fall under that, or every 4H and FFA kid would be screwed, and it was not that long ago that I was a club leader there, working with the county officials.

I'm sorry that you have someone local who's got their panties in a twist about regs, but if you look at the link I posted, it is from the Farm To Consumer Legal Defense Fund, and it is from 2017. Even if the OP is in FL -which she isn't - no one is coming after her unless she sells to a restaurant, sells off-site, like at a farmer's market, really ups her game to the tune of X birds per week, or sells out of state. From the sound of OP's operation, IF she was in FL, she's got enough layers/eggs to need a permit, which would cover those paltry few meat birds anyway.

But, as we can see, you never know when you might run into a county official on a rampage, so if you're worried, just eat them. If someone harasses you about it, call up the above legal defense fund and they give people legal help for free

 

[Happy hen lover]

Thank you so much that's really helpful advice

I agree with the skinning idea. I always thought the plucking is the hardest part. Canned chicken is great and you know what goes into it . You got this

 

[Chicken Heel]

Some states have different regulations. Check with your extension service

That's for sure. In VA one can't even pass gas without a permit.