wondering about some laws in Virginia

[Emma Bruffy]

What would I need licensing wise to have a small hatchery. I'd like to hatch and sell/ship chicks of a few different breeds. I'd also like to have a website so people can order online. what laws do I need to know about in va. I'm talking (For now) small as in I currently have 6 types of birds. do I even need anything for that scale, if I wanted to ship nationally.

 

[Rose the Legbar]

To be able to ship chicks you need to be NPIP certified. I don’t know much of how to become registered with NPIP but there are other great resources online you can look through.

 

[Acre4Me]

https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ou...ide/Poultry/National-Poultry-Improvement-Plan

Here is USDA info on the NPIP.

https://www.poultryimprovement.org/...8e0583bfb-0BB1EFE0-08DE-144C-A0173405F5D76F19

And the NPIP site.

You must be NPIP in order to ship. The USPS is the only carrier to ship live chicks and NPIP is required. There is a cost associated with NPIP, and inspections are also required. FWIW, some small breeders or hobbyists are NPIP just so they can ship. I hear that in some states it can take awhile to become NPIP, partly due to availability of inspectors, partly due to availability of Pullorum test kit. Each state differs a bit on what NPIP entails.