I currently lease a few acres of land for my horses, far more than they need. I have been toying with the idea of raising some free range chickens for meat on a small scale, probably 50 every 3 months. I know that I need to look into the legalities of what would be required prior to selling these.

However I wondered if there is a demand for such a product in Sheffield, I am sure that I can compete price wise with the supermarkets and the checkens would be fed organic food.

What do you think?

I currently lease a few acres of land for my horses, far more than they need. I have been toying with the idea of raising some free range chickens for meat on a small scale, probably 50 every 3 months. I know that I need to look into the legalities of what would be required prior to selling these.

However I wondered if there is a demand for such a product in Sheffield, I am sure that I can compete price wise with the supermarkets and the checkens would be fed organic food.

What do you think?


I would definitely buy one. I can't really afford to buy this chicken all of the time but I would definitely be up for getting one as a treat every three months or so.

I think there is a definite demand for this kind of meat and I would say go for it. Are there any farmers markets around Sheffield? It would probably go down really well there.

Good luck.

I currently lease a few acres of land for my horses, far more than they need. I have been toying with the idea of raising some free range chickens for meat on a small scale, probably 50 every 3 months. I know that I need to look into the legalities of what would be required prior to selling these.

However I wondered if there is a demand for such a product in Sheffield, I am sure that I can compete price wise with the supermarkets and the checkens would be fed organic food.

What do you think?

If you're thinking around £5 or £6 each, we'll have a standing order of one per week defo. I can probably guarantee the same for a bunch of other people I know too.

Can you guarantee next to no packaging?

I'd love to be able to buy locally reared free range chickens.

I think a lot of people would, i certainly would if it wasn't for the cost issue as i can't afford to spend more than about £3/4 on a chicken for dinner, but if i could afford to i would, i know my parents would too.

I only buy a whole chicken once in a while and will spend £6-7 for a small to medium one. Seeing as this would provide me with about 4 main courses and two lunches I see it as good value.

I'm sure there would be a market for it in Sheffield but how would you distribute them? If I had to factor an extra £3-4 to go and pick one up then it becomes less attractive

[QUOTE=taxman;3740507]I only buy a whole chicken once in a while and will spend £6-7 for a small to medium one. Seeing as this would provide me with about 4 main courses and two lunches I see it as good value.[QUOTE]

Don't forget chicken soup - with homemade noodles & loads of parsley!

I only buy a whole chicken once in a while and will spend £6-7 for a small to medium one. Seeing as this would provide me with about 4 main courses and two lunches I see it as good value.

I'm sure there would be a market for it in Sheffield but how would you distribute them? If I had to factor an extra £3-4 to go and pick one up then it becomes less attractive

You could always contact the people that deliver organic home grown veggies and try and work out a deal with them, my mum uses Riverswale (i think) and they are great, and i know she would buy a chicken if they provided them.

You could always contact the people that deliver organic home grown veggies and try and work out a deal with them, my mum uses Riverswale (i think) and they are great, and i know she would buy a chicken if they provided them.

or buyers could share collection on a kind of rota basis?

I think a lot of people would, i certainly would if it wasn't for the cost issue as i can't afford to spend more than about £3/4 on a chicken for dinner, but if i could afford to i would, i know my parents would too.


Yeah, I know what you mean, it's far too expensive for ordinary people to eat all the time, I certainly couldn't afford to. My husband is veggie though so we usually don't eat meat. I do love my meat though so when I eat it I want to be really good meat as it is my treat!

definatly buy locally produced free range chicken, would take 2 - 3 a month, live malin bridge area and unless we go over to waitrose or out to a farm shop in derbyshire we go without. i find free range far more economic, there is a lot more meat than supermarket chicken (not pumped full of water!!!) so lasts our large family a lot longer

Sounds like this might be a goer. Definately no packaging apart from maybe some grease proof paper.

You may find the need to use a registered slaughterman a bit prohibitive.

Have you considered Turkeys for Christmas?






Yes I know I used the C word.

I'd have some.

Eggs too if you could do those too.

Great idea.

Count me in its a superb idea, don't forget to sell the eggs as well

Would be great.. we buy ours from the butchers but to buy organic / free range from our organic box people is £12!! We pay £6 ish for a barn slower grown chicken from a local supplier though our butchers.

I am not sure whether it would be a profit making operation for you or not, but I have recently heard of farmers stopping keeping organic birds as it is costing them more to feed them the organic food than they can make back, so I would research it carefully before going into it.

I was sent this message 3 days ago which might be relevant to you or to anyone who would like to give some hens a retirement home.

Happy Hens of Etwall, Derby are letting go of their current stock of free
range hens. I won't go into detail about what will be happening to them but I'm
sure you can imagine. So if you are veggie and love eggs or vegan and just
want them to enjoy a well deserved retirement maybe you could give a good home
to a few, please pass on the word and feel free to forward this mail to
friends and other lists. The hens are available between now and end of Monday.
The farm is closed on Sunday.

You may find the need to use a registered slaughterman a bit prohibitive.

I would be interested in buying maybe a couple of chickens a month, depending on which side of Sheffield you are on.

Is it a legal requirement to use a registered slaughterman for chickens?

My aunt has a farm in somerset and its a free range organic farm. However to achieve and keep organic status its very very hard work.
However if she was just free range then its not so bad.

They have to have the land tested every few months to ensure that they are not using chemicals, they also keep guinea fowl (i think thats what thay are) to keep the insects at bay.

I must say though the eggs these chickens produce are fab, they dont use them for meat (yet) but the eggs are just so nice:D
Good luck with your idea. You might be best speaking to a few local farmers who i am sure can offer you advice on laws/regulations.

I will feed the chickens with organic food but will be unable to sell them as organic because of all the red tape as described. As we will be eating the chickens ourselves I want them to have the best.

I've certainly considered turkeys for Christmas and even geese.

Although I don't anticipate earning a fortune I think that I can make a small profit and am sure that I will get a great deal of satisfaction from raising some of our own food.

I would definitively buy about 2-3 chickens a week, and my in-laws would too. I work with a lot of people who would probably put orders in, so, go ahead! And keep in touch once things are up and running.

So if you are veggie and love eggs or vegan and just
want them to enjoy a well deserved retirement maybe you could give a good home
to a few

Why would you have to be veggie or vegan? :confused: I eat meat but I do intend to keep chickens in the future without using them for meat!

Sanman, we may be interested but can't make any promises :)

I will feed the chickens with organic food but will be unable to sell them as organic because of all the red tape as described. As we will be eating the chickens ourselves I want them to have the best.

I've certainly considered turkeys for Christmas and even geese.

Although I don't anticipate earning a fortune I think that I can make a small profit and am sure that I will get a great deal of satisfaction from raising some of our own food.

Its a great idea. Still v interested... go for it!

In the past I worked on implemeting organic standards in Food processing and have been looking into Organic production legislation recently for a friend.

The friend lives in Kent in an area of ancient woodland and they too thought about the idea of organic status for small scale egg and poultry production. You are right that there are lots of hoops to jump through and records to keep in terms of getting and keeping organic status with a cost implications. The standards cover everything including the cleaning materials used in the organic food stores for the chickens with some certifiction bodies.

If you do go down the organic route I recommend OFF or OF&G rather than the soil association. Although you can sell organic chickens and eggs at a premium you may find set up costs prohibitive unless you plan to go down the route seriously - there is especially a lot of money to be made in the organic christmas turkey market which could make it worth it.

It is worth looking on the defra website as on there, there is access to all the legislative standards you require for poultry, free range and organic. There is also a help line number for free advice for people considering moving or converting to organic food production.

I would say that there is little point in the much higher cost of organic feed if you are not able to sell them as organic as it may not be worth while cost wise.

I have attached a dew link you may find useful

http://www.defra.gov.uk/farm/organic/index.htm

Nick Cooper, OCIS (organic conversion informaiton service) Project Manager 01483 307705

http://www.defra.gov.uk/farm/livestock/poultry/index.htm

http://www.redtractor.org.uk/download/rt_standards_chicken.pdf - although you wont be going for red tractor status it give you an idea.

http://www.orgfoodfed.com/ OFF- organic food federation

http://www.organicfarmers.org.uk/ OF&G - Organic Farmers & growers

I have worked with the organic food federation and they are very helpful.

Good luck with it all and yes I would be in the market for some home reared free range chickens.

You can slaughter and pluck them yourself but is is labour intensive and not a particularly nice job.

If your flock is above 50 you have to register with defra, and you probably would have to do that if you were selling to the public rather than rearing them for your own table.

Laying hens don't make a good table bird - you need Ross Cobbs or Hubbards.

Light Sussexes are a good utility bird - suitable for both - but they are so pretty - it seems a shame to eat them :(