Selling Poultry in Michigan?

[steventhomas9109]

Hi All!

Hopefully someone has some insight here.
Let me start by saying we are loving our chickens and the wife and I can both see us enjoying this enough to create a business out of it.
We are about to close on a house with 5 acres, so super exciting times as per ordinances we can add to our little homestead.
Not the point...anyway...

We were thinking once we got the house that we might want to start raising some Cornish Cross and a few other breeds.
Specifically for the Cornish Cross, we want to market them to sell for meat. With that being said, I know there are a ton of laws regarding USDA inspection and we aren't into all that right off the bat as we would just be starting out.

Are there any laws regarding selling the live chickens to people with them having the intent of slaughtering or having them slaughtered that I am missing?
I haven't found much on this topic.

Any other advice would be greatly appreciated regarding this.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

FIRST. Choose a different Breed.

CX are produced commercially at a scale you can't hope to compete with, from lines produced by careful husbandry - as a hybrid, you can't breed CX together and get CX as result. Arguably, they are past the normal "hybrid" mark, but even so, you will have to maintain what is essentially three flocks - a flock to produce your male breeders, a flock to produce your female breeders, and your actual "meat" flock. Its impractical in the space you have.

Generally speaking, State laws don't hold the seller responsible for thge ultimate use of the bird. and most states allow some limited sale of "shell eggs" (that is, eggs for human consumption) and processed, uncooked poultry. In FL, its called a Florida Limited Poultry and Egg License.

In MI, you want to familiarize yourself with this regarding shell eggs. You also need to know your new "cage free" law. Then you want to read this, and follow the steps suggested therein.

Finally, i am NOT a lawyer, this is NOT legal advice, and this advice is worth no more (and perhaps less) than you paid for it. I'm merely a well read consumer with some odd choices of reading genre. No warranty Express or Implied, Caveat Emptor and all...

 

[Sally PB]

@steventhomas9109, stop by the Michigan thread and say hello.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/michigan-thread-all-are-welcome.697050/page-5294

 

[Acre4Me]

Yes, read up on your laws. Selling eggs from your “doorstep” might not require anything at all, but might require something in MI . Selling at Farmers market requires more paperwork. Selling to a grocery (or mom/pop shop) or to a restaurant is usually another level of paperwork.

It is true that Cornishx won’t be sustainable quite like you think. As noted, you need male A with female B to create C (Cornish x). But, you could grow up the Cornish to fill a niche market of some kind- depends on your customers.

But, to differentiate yourself/offer something different, you could raise a good dual purpose breed for meat (Plymouth Rocks or New Hsmpshires as examples) or go with a “Ranger” meat hybrid. We have butchered male BJG at 20 weeks and they were a big carcas with fairly large bones . We’ve butchered Dorking at 20 weeks and gotten a meaty carcass with larger thighs/legs than typical. Some sing the praises of Breese. Overall, you have choices.

In many states you can process chickens to sell without being inspected, and sell from your “doorstep” to individuals - of course, know MI rules. But, once you sell at a higher level (farmers market or beyond) then you would certainly need to be inspected. Selling across state lines is a whole other category of rules, so keep your stuff in state until you figure things out.

Chicks: you need to be NPIP to sell chicks across state lines or to ship anywhere (even within state).

Good luck in your new property.

 

[William Miles]

You got me interested. I'm just about to move to michigan