# Teaching poultry processing?



## my4fireflies (Sep 3, 2014)

With everybody and their parakeet raising backyard flocks , I'm thinking of teaching poultry processing classes in my semi-rural/college area location(WMASS) for some spare pocket change. Has anyone done this? Does anyone know how I would look into what I would need such as insurance? Etc? 

Also--does anyone charge for processing someone else's birds? People ask me all the time what I would charge to process a few birds for them. 1. I never know an appropriate rice AND 2. I have no idea if I would be breaking any laws by taking money for my services? So far I have declined every offer except one of my BFFs who thanks me in meat or eggs.


----------



## Maura (Jun 6, 2004)

I think you would make more money teaching chicks to table. A class on choosing your poultry to suit your needs, how much square footage you need so they can roost and keep warm, what to put on the floor of the henhouse (we sized our coop to fit over a square bale of hay, ends up) how often to collect eggs, how to mix your own feed buying locally for wheat and sunflower seeds as well as corn and other feeds, how to free range, how many chickens your yard will support. Then, offer a second class on processing the chickens.

As for insurance, if you are insured as a farm this may cover the cost of people being on your property, but it may not. Talk to your insurance agent. If you are not covered, or it would be too expensive, you could probably teach your classes from a different location, possibly a place that offers community classes.


----------



## hiddensprings (Aug 6, 2009)

my4fireflies said:


> With everybody and their parakeet raising backyard flocks , I'm thinking of teaching poultry processing classes in my semi-rural/college area location(WMASS) for some spare pocket change. Has anyone done this? Does anyone know how I would look into what I would need such as insurance? Etc?


I've taught poultry processing on my farm for several year. Classes are always a sell out. I charge $45 for the class and they MUST buy at least one chicken from me so they can process it. I cap it at 10 students and often have husbands and wives (hubby usually get the job of killing and the wife is fine cleaning)

Everyone signs a waiver and my insurance company knows that I do it and am covered. We basically demonstrate and then assist as they clean there own bird. We ask everyone to bring a cooler with ice to store their bird for the travel home.


----------



## fishhead (Jul 19, 2006)

There used to be a mobile processor in this area. It was all contained in a little travel trailer. They came to your place and processed your chickens on site. They also gave a discount if you helped. In some areas I could see this as a decent business especially now with so many people raising their own chickens.


----------

