Well the battle has begun for Back yard chicken folks UPDATED POST 27

[AHappychick]

I just got a call. Last week the state of NY went around to all of the live processors and fined them and told them all that they could no longer process any birds but their own. The guy I used has been in business 50 years and never was told that he could not process other peoples chooks. He was given a fine (I think that my frequent visiting may have helped him get noticed but I hope not) as was 2 processors in Yonkers.

I did some research and the push for this tightened chook security is strait from the lobbyist and commercial chicken produces who are now worried that there are too many of us and that we are causing them to loose money.

I am very unhappy as although I have some killing cones and the ability I was really liking the system I had which was just packing my birds into a box and driving them to Domonics and coming home with nice clean processed birds. He did my turkeys this year as well, don't know what I am gonna do next year!!!

 

[Camelot Farms]

Leave it to NY! (as a former NYer, I feel your pain).

Are you close enough to NJ, CT or PA to use a processor there?

 

[Birch Run Farm]

That's just wrong, contact your legislative reps....

 

[AHappychick]

probably will have to look into CT but this was very convenient only a half hour away from me and The old coot Dononic was always a hoot to talk to while the workers were processing in the back. He would ask me about the different breeds as I have brought in so many unique birds to him (including a few silkies once

and many Araucanas that are rumpless caus those are the tastiest

)

I know PC looked to see if he could find any in his area and I dont think he did so I am not that hopeful that I will find someplace else that is not over an hour away.

Might have to pull up those plans for a wizbang plucker and start looking on craigs list for an old basement sink..

Ugg processing is a whole days event I am not happy at all.

 

[The Chicken People]

So sorry ....I am going to put the local supermarket out of business...stopped buying their eggs ( hens lay those..who would have known?) stopped buying their beer ( over priced) and now I will be raising my own meaties ( I eat lots of chicken).... next I will stop buying my beef ( if we are not eating chicken then its usually beef) and you will be out of business!

 

[nivtup]

Quote:
I for one have not purchased a commercially produced chicken for quite some time. Maybe they have a good reason to be worried. (<---- insert evil laugh here)

 

[Reinbeau]

I'm moving this to the Local Chicken Laws & Ordinances section. That is something that definitely needs to be fought by all you New Yorkers!

 

[JP33]

Quote:
Hey Ann, this sounds like something Joel's all too familiar with. Sounds like another case of government messing up a totally good thing all for the sake of compliances according to their insane little rule books.


...JP

 

[AHappychick]

ok. Well After the holidays I will go up and talk to Domonic in person (he is very hard of hearing) and then I will contact who ever fined him and ask what law he is breaking. I will report back when I know more and all the details. I found this all out from a customer I referred him too who also happens to work for a news company. He got the same answer fom all the places he called. He contacted me to say that the places in yonkers said that it was illegal and could not do it (they used to have all appointments for people with their own birds to go in on tuesdays been that way for over 10 years) So I told him no way could not be, and to go see Domonic. He then called me back saying he went there and that Domonic was very scared as he got a big fat fine and that has never happened to him before in his 50 years of having the place but he said he has never had as many BYC customers than before this past year. Its really a shame as he only charges $2 a chook and $5 for a turkey so he makes no money doing it so that fine probably really hit him hard.

I am gonna bake him some stuff and go by next Tuesday. I feel horrible as many of his customers I sent his way and I have no idea if any of them helped to cause this problem. It was never illegal that I know of. The only law I can find is that if you sell your meat at a farmers market or stand that you must always be with it at all times (no middle men allowed) there is nothing that says that I must process them, I am in the room when it is being done (sometimes outside feeling bad) and it never leaves my possession. besides I rarely sell any of my meat a it is mostly for family use I have a few customers but nothing to write home about.

I did not even think that we could fight it, being a chicken outlaw I myself can not do much of anything in fear that I will loose my chooks but I will do what I can.

If you are wondering I do intend to move to a farm area as soon as I am back on my own 2 feet.

 

[onthespot]

sounds like an unfair monopoly by the big chicken producers, unfair competittion, I wonder if there is a winnable case in there somewhere...

It has just gotten rediculous that some huge conglomerate in Alabama can tell some small business owner in NY what they can and cannot do to earn a buck, help a neighbor. This country has gotten completely out of hand by bought and sold votes.

Well, you better sharpen your knives, hang that cone, boil that water, build that plucker, recruit some friends, oh wait, can't do that, strike the last one probably.

I used to say "This is America, land of the free." but I no longer believe that. It is the land of the sheep, all following as they are told, handing over their paychecks to those who wish they would all die off just before they could collect SS or Medicare. They wonder why old folks end up on SS and Medicare. It's because everything they made during their lives was taxed to death, or they were prevented from starting up any number of small businesses by mountains of red tape, beauraucracy, RIDICULOUS laws, lazy and corrupt and power hungry police and elected officials, special interest organizations, and that's before they ever even get around to the hard work of trying to run their little business...