1.
Small-Scale Livestock Production
Raising
Poultry
for Profit
This program was funded by the USDA National
Institute for Food and Agriculture (NIFA) Beginning
Farmer and Rancher Development Program (BFRDP)
under award #2009-49400-05871.

2.
What you need to
know before you get
started…

3.
New marketing opportunities
Environmental stewardship
Production practices
Safe product handling
Business licensing
Zoning restrictions

4.
New Marketing Opportunities
• Leveraging flock
management
• Certification programs
• Evaluating program
costs & benefits

5.
Certification and Marketing
• Consumers are interested in how livestock
are raised, handled & processed
• Certification may allow you to secure a
premium for product or expand market reach
– Such as specialty food stores and restaurants that
require that their animal products be sourced
from humanely raised animals
• How you manage your flock (your
stewardship practices) can influence your
marketing opportunities

6.
Animal Welfare Certification
Programs
• Distinguish livestock products as coming from
humanely treated animals
• Certified production systems often are more
expensive than non-certified
• Be sure to keep in mind the production costs and
marketing benefits of following a certification
program
Animal American Global United
USDA Food
Welfare Humane Animal Egg
Organic Alliance Partnership
Approved Certified Producers

7.
Possible Program Specifications
for Flock Management
Space
Litter
Outdoor allowances
management &
access (roosting &
ammonia levels
range)
Sleep period Catching birds
requirement for transport

8.
Evaluating Certification Programs
Goals • Make sure program goals align with yours
• Understand the certification process & animals
Certification covered
Fees • Understand the program’s fee structure
• Calculate the time required to achieve &
Time Commitment maintain certification
• Estimate how your production costs may
Production Costs change under certification

9.
Evaluating Certification Benefits
Ability to connect
Access to new Possibility of
with customers
markets that seek charging higher
based on their
certified products prices for products
values
Access to marketing Certifier may help
materials and support grower improve safe
from certifying production and
organization handling techniques

10.
Evaluating Certification Costs
More ranging or living area may be required for each bird enrolled
in the certification program  You may need more land
Changes to poultry health care  You may need to remove from
your program sick birds that you vaccinate or medically treat
Changes to poultry feeding  You may need to use feed from
specific sources or follow certain ingredient guidelines
Changes to poultry housing  You may need to build additional
facilities to allow more space per bird
More detailed record-keeping on poultry health and raising 
You may need to allow more time or hire someone to do this

11.
Linking Production & Marketing
Decisions
• Choose a breed that is appropriate for the products you
want to produce (meat vs eggs)
• If you are producing meat animals, do you have a
slaughter and processing facility that will work with your
level of production?
• Know who will buy your product before you
produce it
• Take a course in Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs)
– To understand how to prevent or reduce contamination of your
products throughout production, processing and sales
– Obtaining GAPs certification is also a good marketing strategy

12.
Environmental Stewardship
To be a good neighbor and
food producer:
• Manage manure properly
• Monitor storm water
runoff
• Dispose of mortalities
safely

13.
Good Stewardship Leads to
Better Business Management
Minimizing: Using best Leads to a:
•Animal and management •Cleaner
manure odors practices to: production
•Dust •Dispose of operation
•Insects & dead birds •Healthier herd
predators •Mitigate runoff •Good neighbor
relationships

14.
Manage Manure Properly
Control unpleasant odors and dust
Know the nutrient content of your manure, apply
based on nutrient/fertilizer value, and keep records
Spread manure away from wells, springs, and
watercourses
When possible, till in fall-applied manure
Keep piles of manure, spent bedding and spoiled feed
away from watercourses

15.
Monitor Storm Water Runoff
Conduct annual tests for bacteria and nitrates in well
water
Locate poultry operations away from wellheads;
protect wellheads in pastures (consult local/state
wellhead protection laws)
Use buffers and setbacks to protect surface waters
from direct contact with animal waste and process
waste water
Divert clean water (run-on) around production and
waste storage areas using berms, ditches grassy
swales, roof gutters

16.
Dispose of Dead Birds Safely
Abide by state/local laws
Render within 48 hours, where service is available (dead
animals used to create a new, usable product)
Compost in pile or bin, at high temperature (130o-150oF)
Bury on farm, at least 300 feet away from a watercourse
and 3-ft deep, above the wet season high watertable
Bury/dispose at a licensed landfill

17.
Production Practices
• Maintaining a
healthy flock
• Managing sick
birds
• Growing your
flock

18.
Animal Welfare
Preventing disease among
your flock involves good
stewardship and
management

19.
Managing for Healthy Birds
Includes Providing
Adequate space & ventilation
Clean housing & bedding material
Access to water at all times
Nutritionally complete food
Protection from predators
Protection from extreme temperatures

20.
Managing Sick Birds Includes
• Having a local avian veterinarian who understands
your flock management program
• Establishing a plan for:
– Any unknown disease
– Avian Influenza & Exotic Newcastle (cause significant
morbidity in flocks)
• In case of disease outbreak, having a plan for cleaning
and disinfecting vehicles & equipment, and protecting
your employees
• Developing a quarantine procedure for sick birds
• Developing a disposal plan for dead birds

21.
Growing Your Flock
• Look for hatcheries participating in Voluntary
National Poultry Improvement Plan (NPIP)
– Certifies that poultry breeding stock and
hatcheries are free from certain diseases
• Avoid poultry swaps or other unverified
sources
• Quarantine new birds before integrating into
your flock
• Keep in mind local regulations for numbers of
birds allowable in your area

22.
Safe Handling
• Eggs
• Meat
• Live birds

23.
Eggs: Safe Handling for Small Flocks
• Keep nests clean
Gathering • Gather eggs 3 times/day to keep clean
• Use unscented, food-grade detergent + rinse water
Washing • Keep water temperature between 110°F and 120°F
• Dip in 120°F water and bleach at 100-200 ppm
Sanitizing chlorine (1oz bleach per 1 gallon water)
• Discard meat spots, blood spots and cracked egg
Candling shells
Drying • Dry on racks before putting in cartons
Refrigerating • Store between 33°F and 41°F
• Must be clean
Transporting • Maintain refrigeration

24.
Eggs: Safe Handling for Large
Flocks (3,000 or more laying hens)
• Register with FDA under the Egg Rule
• In your facility:
– Buy chicks and young hens only from suppliers who monitor for
Salmonella bacteria
– Establish rodent, pest control, and biosecurity measures to prevent
spread of bacteria throughout the farm by people and equipment
– Conduct testing in the poultry house for Salmonella
• Refrigerate: Eggs must be refrigerated at 45° F,
within 36 hours of when they are laid
• Pasteurization
• Have a written egg safety plan to prevent
foodborne illness outbreaks. See FDA’s new egg rule

25.
Meat: Safe Handling
• Handle all raw poultry carefully to prevent cross-
contamination.
• Chill to 40°F or less within a specified time after slaughter.
Keep poultry products cold (40°F or below) or frozen (0°F
or below) during transport.
• The term ‘fresh’ may only be placed on poultry that has
never been below 26°F.
• Raw poultry held at temperature of 0°F or below must be
labeled with a “keep frozen” handling statement.
• Raw poultry has a very short refrigerator shelf life and
should be frozen or cooked within two days of purchase.

26.
Live Birds: Safe Handling
• Live baby poultry (chicks, ducklings, gosling
and turkey poults) may carry Salmonella
• Bacteria may be in their droppings, feathers,
feet, or beaks
• After handling baby poultry:
– Wash your hands thoroughly
• After handling any livestock
– Wash hands thoroughly & change shoes before
entering a food production or handling area

27.
Business licensing
Which licenses you need
depends on:
– Whether you are selling
eggs or meat
– Where you plan to sell
your product
– The scale of production
you are considering

28.
Getting Permission to do Business
• County, municipal & Homeowners Association or
Neighborhood/Unincorporated Community Covenants
• Business Registration (typically from your state’s Secretary
of State, although some cities & counties also require
business registration)
• IRS Employer Identification Number (EIN, if you have
employees)
• State taxes (sales tax, income tax, workers’ compensation,
unemployment insurance)
• City/County sales tax license
• Other business licenses (depending on your sales outlet
and product(s) offered for sale)
To check on your state’s tax and licensing requirements:
//www.sba.gov/content/learn-about-your-state-and-local-tax-obligations

29.
How Many Hens Do You
Plan to Have?
• Flocks under 3000 laying
hens are USDA grade
exempt and fall under
< 3000 state law
Image: James Bowe @ flikr.com / Creative Commons licensed
• Flocks of 3000 and over
> =3000 laying hens require
business registration
with Food Safety
Inspection Service (FSIS)
through the FDA

30.
Where Do You Plan to
Sell Eggs?
• State licensing can vary
depending on where you
plan to sell your product
• From place of
production? • Licensing may be easier
if you plan to sell direct
• Farmers’ to consumers from your
Image: James Bowe @ flikr.com / Creative Commons licensed
market(s)? home or place of
production
• Through retail
• However, check with the
stores? market or retailer for any
licenses or food safety
audits they may require

31.
Licensing for Retail & Wholesale
Meat Sales
To sell packaged • Must use state or federally inspected
poultry direct to slaughter and processing facility (see
the consumer exemption for custom processing)
• Must use state or federally inspected
To sell packaged slaughter and processing facility (see
poultry to retail small flock exemption)
buyers, wholesale • Required: Labeling – i.e., Net Weight
or farmers’ market using Standard Weights and Measures*
• Optional: Grading
*Note that your processor can help guide you through the packaging and labeling
process.

32.
Exemptions to USDA slaughter and
processing requirements
Exemption #1 for freezer meats
Sold before
Labeled
slaughter to new
NOT FOR SALE
owner AND
OR
Processed for Processed for non-
household use AND paying guests

33.
Exemptions to USDA slaughter and
processing requirements
Exemption #2 for poultry,
but not recognized in all states
Producer-grower Producer-grower
1,000 bird per year 20,000 bird per year
limit limit
FOR FOR
On-farm sales Retail sales

34.
Your County Health Department
May Require
A retail food establishment license for
product sales. For example in Colorado:
• Colorado Dept. of Public Health &
1. Environment Plan Review
• County Health Department Application
2.
• Inspection (possible)
3.
• Estimated fee: $115
4.
• Annual fee, but will be renewed unless
revoked

35.
One More Thing About Meat & Egg
Sales…
Many farmers’ markets
require vendors to carry
their own liability
insurance policy
For more info on licensing and regulations
check with your local Extension office
or state Department of Agriculture

36.
Zoning restrictions
• Zoning is a restriction on
the way land can be used
• Zoning regulations may
include where you can
(or can’t) raise animals
• Zoning may also define the
number of birds you raise
on your property

37.
County & Municipal Zoning
Regulations
• Present your plans early―your local planning
and zoning board may have ideas to make
your business more viable or to protect your
resource base
• Once you are in operation, remember to
consult local officials before making any
changes to your business (to structures or to
products you sell)

38.
County & Municipal Zoning
Regulations
• Livestock allowances are usually
outlined in land use codes
• Large livestock are typically Always verify the
prohibited in non-agriculturally number birds
zoned county or municipal districts
legally allowed
• Many municipalities allow private on your property
ownership/production of a small before starting
number of fowl, although many
exclude roosters and limit the
your business
density of confinement
• Your Homeowners’ Association may
also have restrictions on poultry

39.
Regulations in Districts Where Commercial
Poultry Production is Permitted may
Include:
Size and type of
Commercial or
animal
agricultural Permit fee often
structures;
permit required
location on your
requirements
property
Minimum space
requirement per Limited or no
chicken; Standards for allowable
restrictions on odor, dust, noise slaughter on
roosters premises

40.
Building a Profitable Business
Involves
Building Building Building Business
Customers Community Processes
through through through
Good resource Research &
Marketing & flock compliance
stewardship with
regulations
Good and
Safe handling certifications
neighbor
practices
relations
that lead to a sustainable business!

41.
Questions?
Photo credit: Aprilskiver 6351632089

42.
Acknowledgments
• Blake Angelo, Colorado State University Extension, Urban
Agriculture
• Dr. Jack Avens, CSU Food Science and Human Nutrition
• Thomas Bass, Montana State University Extension, Livestock
Environment Associate Specialist
• Dr. Marisa Bunning, CSU Food Science and Human Nutrition
• Emily Lockard, CSU Extension, Livestock
• Dea Sloan, CSU Agricultural and Resource Economics
• Martha Sullins, CSU Extension, Agriculture and Business
Management
• Dr. Dawn Thilmany, CSU Agricultural and Resource Economics
• Heather Watts, CSU Agricultural and Resource Economics
• Wendy White, Colorado Department of Agriculture
• David Weiss, CSU Agricultural and Resource Economics

43.
Photo Credits – flickr.com
All photos used under the Creative Commons License
James Bowe
7177637421
Aprilskiver
6351632089