Small Flock Poultry

In May 2016, the Custom Processing Of Meat Animals Act (Meat Act) was changed to exempt small poultry producers who raise and process no more than 1,000 of their own poultry from Colorado licensing and inspection requirements when selling processed poultry directly to individuals at venues such as farmers’ markets, Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) organizations and/or “on farm” sales if certain conditions are met:

  • The producer complies with record keeping and labeling requirements.
  • The producer does not buy or sell poultry products other than those produced from poultry raised on the producer’s own farm.
  • The poultry do not move in interstate commerce.
  • The poultry are properly labeled.
  • The poultry are healthy when slaughtered and the slaughter and processing are conducted under sanitary standards, practices, and procedures that produce poultry products that are sound, clean and fit for food as human food when distributed (sold) by the producer.
  • The processed poultry are sold whole.

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Please be aware that the Colorado Department of Agriculture AND the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) do not inspect these small flock poultry producers/processors.

Unlicensed poultry processors (exempt producers/processors) who raise and process less than 1,000 birds CANNOT sell their non-inspected poultry to Food Handling Establishments such as restaurants and grocery stores, or institutions such as schools, hospitals, hotels.

Colorado does not differentiate between bird species when counting total birds processed as some states do. For example in Colorado: 249 chickens, 249 turkeys, 249 ducks, 249 geese = 996 birds processed.

Food Safety: It is essential to follow safe handling practices with poultry to prevent foodborne illness.  Bacteria, such as Salmonella and Campylobacter, can be found on raw poultry so it must be handled carefully to prevent cross-contamination.  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have reported that 17% of foodborne illness outbreaks have been linked to poultry that was not handled properly or not cooked adequately, making poultry the commodity with the strongest link to foodborne illness.  Bacteria multiply rapidly at temperatures between 40°F and 140°F (out of refrigeration and before thorough cooking occurs) but they are destroyed at recommended cooking temperatures.  For these reasons, good handling practices and safety standards have been determined to prevent the risk of illness associated with poultry.

Taking measures to reduce the probability that an infectious disease or other contamination either deliberately or accidentally affects your operation—is an important issue for any scale of poultry business. For additional information on protecting your birds, your property and your employees, visit poultry biosecurity.

For information on poultry diseases and infection control, visit Iowa State University’s Center for Food Security & Public Health.

Guidance-Sanitary Standards for Slaughter and Processing: The following information, courtesy of University of Minnesota Extension, should help you understand the importance of cleanliness and the procedures for properly processing poultry. In processing you must follow a number of steps to convert the live bird to meat for human use. You must develop your processing techniques to prevent contamination of the meat with intestinal or crop contents. Poultry meat can also become contaminated from dirty equipment and facilities or from people who have a transmissible disease. Any form of contamination of the poultry carcass lowers its quality and shortens the storage time as a wholesome product. The following suggested procedures provide an orderly manner for converting your live poultry into a clean, attractive, dressed carcass.

Although not required for producers operating under the Small Flock Exemption, a Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points Plan (HACCP) provides structure for ensuring consistent food safety practices from holding through packaging.

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