As the number of small meat processors willing to handle poultry continues to decline, poultry farmers will need to plan ahead more than ever. It’s always tough to have to say ‘no’ to a farmer who calls us with a flock that is overdue for slaughter, only to learn that our poultry schedule is already booked many weeks into the future.
To avoid this frustrating, not to mention costly, situation, we’re encouraging you to book your slaughter date as soon as your poults arrive from the supplier, or as soon as your eggs hatch if you’re doing your own breeding. Experienced farmers will have a pretty good idea of maturation time for a particular breed of hens. If you’re new to the chicken game, get advice on timing from a fellow poultry farmer, from your hatchery, or from us. We do understand that birds are living critters, and even experienced farmers don’t always get them to grow as planned. It’s still best to schedule a slaughter date, and call us to move it out if your birds don’t put on weight as expected. On the flip side, if your birds start to fatten up faster than expected, call us as soon as you notice a change. We may be able to get you in sooner if there is a cancellation.
That leads us to ask you all for a big favor: if you need to cancel a slaughter appointment for any reason, please call us as soon as you know. The same is true if you plan to bring in more or fewer birds than anticipated. Your timely call may help us accommodate another farmer who desperately needs a different slaughter date. Next time, it might be you that benefits from someone else’s courteous cancellation call.