Where to get chickens processed in MO

[mmtillman]

Just wanna say hello to all you fellow Missourians.....From SW Mo here!

 

[MOChickenz]

Hi to you also! I am in Hillsboro.

 

[Sundown_Farmer]

How many birds? When? I can bring my cones and plucker. You serve lunch. Bet we're having chicken.

 

[Jimtherunner]

Can I get in on this? I am 30 miles or so east of Kansas City and pretty new to the area. I am having trouble finding chicks locally that are not offered straight run (Black Copper Maran), and I worry about what I would do with any extra roosters...

Any advice on where I might hire this chore done for me or to get help with it? Thanks!

 

[Jimtherunner]

I called Herbert Backus Poultry from the suggestion above. It's about 1.5 hours from me, but this will be good enough to deal with any excess roosters from the hatch. Thanks

 

[Cotton42]

It's really not that hard to do yourself. My hubby and I have processed 6 chickens in our garage in the middle of South St. Louis County so far and are planning on picking up about 15-20 Cornish Crosses tomorrow. It's not so bad as long as you go slow and have step-by-step instructions. I will admit that so far I have not done any of the actual killing, but have helped with every other step in the process. Here is a blog we used for instructions http://ramblingredneckmom.blogspot.com/2011/04/how-to-process-chickens-at-home.html

 

[Jimtherunner]

Yeah, I know, and I am considering this also. I just don't know if I will or will not be able to tackle the project right now, and I don't want to count on that as my only plan for dispatching the extra roosters. Frankly, I keep telling myself that it is more humane than ordering pullets only (from a hatchery) where the extra roos suffer a worse fate upon hatch, but I worry that it will be hard for me to cook, serve, and eat a chicken that was in my back yard a bit earlier -- let alone kill and butcher it myself! I grew up on a farm, and I did this (although there is still some residual trauma) so I know I can do it, but I am dealing with the feelings from the past as my family was clueless... I do know that if my family were starving, there would be little hesitation on my part; I mean, we eat chicken in this household... Baby steps...

Thank you for the response.

 

[MrsMopar]

I realize this is an old thread, but I'm wondering whether anyone can update this info? I'm a new chicken mom located near Columbia, MO. Backus Poultry is approx 1 hr from me...but I'm reaching out to see whether there are other options to consider. Doing it myself seems less likey each day, though that may be in my future. But this is my first time, i have neither the equipment nor the experience....and frankly i unexpectedly fell in love with these darn chickens. So I will have to take this slow. Someone in an earlier post said it best: "baby steps" Thanks in advance!

 

[OzarkCountryGirl]

Update: Spoke with Herbert Backes. They no longer do poultry processing.

 

[ElysianBlight]

I know this is old, but I have the same question..
I'm in Kansas City and wanting to start with chickens in a suburban area. I know I will have roosters to get rid of one way or another...