What do you charge?

[mygoat]

I know there are several posts on this subject, but I'd like to get an up to date one going. I'm looking for advice as to what to charge for some poultry we hope to offer. I know there will be variation from place to place, and FYI I am in MI. I expect variation but it will be interesting to see what everyone charges and gets for their birds. I also want to show my dad, who was amazed at the prices people get for free ranged turkeys.

We hope to sell birds live and then butcher them 'as a favor', which is legal to my understanding.

Our birds free range. They have food/water available at all times. The feed is soybean meal, oats, corn, alfalfa meal, about 18-20%. We plan on getting a 24%+ for the turkeys and broilers. We don't medicate with anything - never have needed to. Our poultry all free range together, either in the yard or in the goat pastures. We have chickens, muscovy ducks, Welsh Harlequin ducks, embden/tolouse cross geese and soon turkeys all together. Never had a problem as our birds are not stressed or crowded.

So, what would you charge, per pound LIVE WEIGHT (factoring in the fact that we will be butchering these ourselves):

Broilers, turkeys, muscovies, goose, heritage meat chickens, and 'extra' welsh harlequin drakes

[jil101ca]

Here in Northern Ont the Chickens would sell for $2.50 -$3.00 per lb But that is dressed weight.

[Tobster]

Hey mygoat, this is not an answer to your specific question, but it may help as a reference in determining a price. I am not a seller, I am a buyer and my purchases are made at local farmer's markets. Free range birds, dressed and ready for the oven cost me $8.00 per bird. FYI: dozen eggs $3.00. I am in south Louisiana. Hope that helps.

[||Downhome||]

if you want to keep it legal avoid the per pound priceing, heres the reason if you sell anything by weight the scales have to be checked and certified by the state.

figure out what you think the birds are worth and charge accordingly even if you use a scale to do so , just dont say its "x" amount per pound but its "x" amount per bird and if they want to know how many pounds the bird is thats fine as long as your not specific and let them know that your scales are for estimates only and are not state certified.

[mygoat]

I had thought you only needed the certified scales if you were selling butchered birds - good to know!

[deineria]

It is $4 a lb here for free range chicken

[libbypayne8]

I saw an ad on CL for free range chicken at $10 a lb. That's in northern NM.