At Home Mobile Meat Processing--Have you Tried it?

[Joyous_5]

Has anyone actually tried having their birds processed by one of those "kill and chill" type at-home processing units? I'm just recently back to eating meat (a little) after spending most of my life as a vegetarian. There's a chance we could raise meat birds (still not sure--hubby thinks I can't handle it!) but there's absolutely no way that I can slaughter them myself. Just wondering what your experience has been and how pricey it is. Also, is there a certain number minimum of birds for them to come to you?

And generally do you spend more or less money by raising the birds organically as opposed to buying them from a local farm? I spend between $13-$18 per chicken for a local organic bird. But how much would I have to pay in food/processing if we raised them ourselves?

[Float On]

I don't think there is anyone that offers that service in my area. I don't think my cost is nearly that high per bird. When I start processing I do 3 per day. But I'm only raising enough for ourselves, not to sell any.

[Joyous_5]

I don't think there is anyone that offers that service in my area. I don't think my cost is nearly that high per bird. When I start processing I do 3 per day. But I'm only raising enough for ourselves, not to sell any.

Thanks, Float On--what is the typical age at which you process? And what type of meat bird do you raise? Does the slaughtering have to be done in the fall or at other times of the year?

[Joyous_5]

I should clarify--this would be for our family to eat, not to sell. :) I've been reading too many self-sufficiency books/mags and am humming with inspiration!

[The Storyteller]

Cornish Cross males weigh in at 4.5 to 6 pounds dressed at 8 weeks. We calculated the last batch as coming in at about $10 per bird. We process our own. Haven't been doing it very long so we are slow. We can do about 40 in a day, between the two of us. I have friends who can eviscerate a bird (typically the most time consuming part of processing chickens) in 30 seconds, so we have a long way to go. :)

It is very difficult to find a mobile processor, and if you do, they will likely be expensive. As it is, it costs a bit to get a standard processor to do a small batch of birds. That is why we do our own. Plus there are no mobile processors in our state. We have toyed with the idea of it, but the logistics are a bit much to overcome. For one, in order to do it for other people, we would need a USDA approved inspector with us. Unless we just "help" folks just process their own, which doesn't sound like your cup of tea. If you were willing to go that far, you could just process your own.

According to your blog, looks like you are in Vermont. Why not give these people a call and see what they charge and what the details are?

http://tangletownfarm.com/

ETA
I should add that I consider the last batch cost a bit much. It souldn't be more than $6-$8 to raise a Cornish X to that size. Also, an alternative to the CX is the Freedom Ranger, which reaches butchering size in 14 weeks. A bit more flavor (because it is older), and different breast meat with a longer keel. Although our birds are delicious no matter which hybrid we use.

[puglogic]

I was just going to suggest talking to you, Storyteller :)

[Joyous_5]

Thank you thank you! This is helpful and I will think about it more and possibly contact the Tangle Town Farm you mentioned. :) Grateful for the help and information...

[Float On]

Thanks, Float On--what is the typical age at which you process? And what type of meat bird do you raise? Does the slaughtering have to be done in the fall or at other times of the year?

I do the Cornish cross as well as some turken - they have long legs and long naked necks. Funny birds with a lot of silly personality. A leaner meat than the Cornish which are bread to be super fast growers. I start processing a few at 5-6 weeks only because we like to toss a few small ones on the grill. Otherwise I try to get the rest done at 8 weeks. They just get too heavy to support themselves. The place I order from always throws some turkens in as extras to fill out an order. More chicks in a box keeps them warmer in the mail and gives them a better success rate.
I do an early spring order - chicks arrive mid to late February and a fall order with the chicks arriving late august early September.

[Joyous_5]

Well, after some more thought I think I'm going to continue buying our chicken from local farms. I just can't see myself not getting attached to the birds and then being stuck with an entire flock, as hubby fears. I'll focus on my garden and herbs--those I don't mind "killing" and eating myself! :)

[Jilly]

Joyous, I came to the same decision when I decided to not raise meat. This was in that other life before I moved to a city. Back there, we could not raise chickens, but we were allowed raise and butcher our own rabbits.

I made it all the way to the place of buying the materials to build their housing and realized that I could not bear to have them live outdoors during our half-year winters, and I could not afford to build them their own all-weather house. The alternative was to house them inside the house and that did it for me.