Alliance Poultry Farms

I called in a pickup order for three medium chickens, butchered in pieces, no heads. $ 28 bucks for everything. We were 40 minutes late picking them up, and they kept the birds on ice for us. Thank You very much!

For anyone who thinks it’s «jarring» to see your food before you eat it, you might want to stick to vegetables.
Fred and Wally are super friendly shop keepers and make the (intimidating) process of buying, butchering, and cooking a formerly live chicken as easy as possible. You can select sizes or individual birds, get your poultry prepared or take home a whole hen — with or without feet.
The chickens look different than a grocery store chicken because they’re not weighted down by oversized breasts, and they taste different too. They’re so much better and fresher! Hard to believe people would leave Unilocal reviews about a place without actually sampling the product.
Other pluses:
— Capons and turkeys at holidays
— Fresh, super cheap, organic eggs
— Quail eggs (if you’re into that)
Support a neighborhood business, eat well, and save money. What more could ya want?

I needed a whole fresh chicken for this recipe and I had no clue where to. What do you do in this case? Turn to Unilocal.After reading some great reviews I decided to go in and check it out. Wow was I in for a treat. Never before I have I picked out a alive chicken and then moments later ended up in a grocery bag.
When you first go in, the place doesn’t look like much just some refrigerator s full of eggs, fish etc. But then you notice the clucking of the chickens in their cages! The gentlemen asked med or large. Next thing you know a live chicken is on a scale breathing his last breath. 5 mins later he was in a bag ready for consumption!
Wow was he delicious! The only downside was the cleanliness of the shop, it looked really rundown and kind unsanitary but then again you are running a mini chicken slaughter house in the city.

Allow me to step off my soap box and say this place scared me, but I plan to be a long time customer.
So I was a chain store grocery shopper. After finally getting fed up with the quality and price of Jewel, the hunt began for better meat. This place was close, promised high quality, had low prices and most importantly wasn’t Jewel.
I rolled over on Sunday and found easy parking on Chicago Ave. Street parking is free on Sunday, so I felt like today was going to be my day. Then I walked into this place and the shoulder high counter made no effort to conceal the floor to ceiling chickens. The chickens are in cages stacked against a very visible wall.
Okay, time to put my big girl pants on. I walk to the counter and the man asked me what I wanted. At that moment a chicken clucked and my big girl pants fell off.
I humblely told him this was my first visit. He asked if I wanted «big or small.» I said small. He then disappeared into the chicken wall and returned with a bird squawking and squirming beneath his grip.
He weighed the bird and told me the price. He asked if I wanted the head and feet. I nearly tripped over my big girl pants in terror. I said no. He I nodded in agreement and the next time I saw the bird it was in a plastic bag. That’s right. He gutted, plucked, and diced the bird into pieces within minutes.
The entire experience took no more than 15 minutes and cost me 8.60. While I was nervous because shit got real real, I must say the chicken was delicious! Way better than the frozen bags. Way better than that rib meat added shit.
Keep in mind the bag will be hot as the chicken was alive mere moments ago. Your nose may be a bit hot from the smell, but if you are a meat eater you aren’t going to beat the service or the price.
I hope going forward they list the price per pound, but I am coming back either way!

I’ve been in this joint twice now & love it! There are bunnies hopping about & animals that are clearly in excellent health. My friend purchased a live chicken for me last summer; she got 2 days in chicken heaven before I slaughtered my first non-​marine animal. She was delicious! The shop owners are extremely friendly helpful & knowledgeable about butchering humanely. Will be shopping here again soon!

Hey. They have fresh live chickens, turkeys, and ducks for sale for food. You buy them, they snuff them, you stuff them. Capische.

This place stinks. Like, really stinks. When the temperature is pleasant and the wind is just right, I get a nice noseful of rotten chicken. The stench is heavy and hangs in the air. It’s so bad in the spring/​summer I have to keep my windows shut if there is a breeze. I like the idea of fresh chickens in the city, but it really sucks being near this place.
(Not to mention, it seems to attract an unusually large group of rats in the alley. Freaking gross.)
Isn’t there some city regulation about stuff like this?

I live in the near west suburbs but made the trip here to have my 3 backyard egg laying hens «readied» for the stock pot. Friendly service and as clean as a poultry shop in the city can be. I would definitely bring my chickens here again.
Regarding some other reviews of the cleanliness of the back room, all I can say is that I went back to see my chickens butchered and I don’t think anything was unusual. The floor is wet, there is blood on it, and it smells like animals because they are in the room next door. I’m pretty sure that they kill and process animals here so I don’t think that anyone should expect to be eating off the floor.

Incredible staff and great livestock.
We get our turkeys from here every year for Thanksgiving.
Pricier than a frozen one but a billion-​times better taste and whatever.
Also, it really makes you appreciate meat and where it comes from. The owner is completely open about the farms they ship from and it’s far much better than mass-​processed poultry.

I went there today to get a turkey and a duck to smoke for Thanksgiving this year.
Robert Heinlein once wrote that an example of a «man with unintegrated values» is one «who eats meat but would rather somebody else did the butchering.» This is only one step removed from that – you walk into the store and the smell is what you’d expect when there are a large number of live animals waiting to be turned into food. You’re offered the opportunity to look your «prey» in the eye and approve its «termination with extreme prejudice». Deal with it, or become a veggie.
That said, it’s the ultimate in fresh food for the carnivore or omnivore. Chicken, duck, goose, turkey, rabbit – heck, they had *quail* for only $ 3/​each. (I’ll warn you – they’re all eyeing you with extreme suspicion. I think the rabbits really know what’s going on…) They’ll slaughter, clean, dress, and pack it for you quickly, at a remarkably low price. The only reason I didn’t give it 5 stars is that I have yet to prepare and devour my critters; I have every expectation that it’s going to be excellent.
When I expressed some curiosity concerning how they got such a quick featherless bird, the owner offered to take me in the back. I accepted, and am glad I did. Yes, it stinks, and the floor is wet – they clearly wash it down frequently, and the aroma is certainly from the live animals, which are kept out of the processing area. The equipment looked clean, and it’s as humane as such a process can be.
Oh, and someone commented about them being packed into cages – yes, most are. But at the rate I saw customers coming and going, I’m sure they’re not there long. There were also some chickens and ducks wandering around loose – I figure they got out when someone opened a cage – and I did comment to them, «If I were you, the door is *that way*. Make a break for it…»
I intend to go back – those quail are too tempting. (Sorry, birds – that’s what being a top predator means.)
ADDENDUM: I ate the birds. They were Very Good. This is a definite go-​to.

I only get my chicken from here now. Anyone that doesn’t is just crazy. It is the freshest chicken you can get in the city. Upon walking in you state the size of chicken that you would like. They then pick a live chicken for you to approve and proceed to clean and butcher the meat to your specifications. It is some of the juiciest and flavorful chicken I have ever had and its cheaper than going to Jewel or Dominicks. Don’t be afraid to walk in and let Sam or Fred serve you up a great bird.

This chicken is delicious, organic and CHEAP!

There is slaughter of live animals in the middle of a major urban area occurring here. No, they don’t practice santeria here but you can get some rather fresh chicken here.
I admit I am used to getting my chicken on a plastic tray wrapped in plastic wrap. My parents used to patronize places like this when I was a kid. Sunday was always homemade chicken soup day. The things I remember is 1) the smell, and, 2) the sound of the chicken being slaughtered. The place does have a barnyard aroma to it which is to be expected. You order your chicken live and it is weighed and then slaughtered.
The chickens are billed as organic Amish birds. The proprietors are middle eastern and the service is pleasant. A middle sized chicken is about eleven bucks.

Get live poultry here. No fresher than that! Chicken on this date was $ 1.99 lb. They will prep your purchase however you prefer… just let them know first. If you can’t stand strong poultry odors, this place is not for you. But, if you like fresh and juicy… when cooked right that is, this place is for you. Just bring a clothes pin for your nose.

Wanna become a vegetarian quick?
Ask to tour the back of this joint!
Walking through shit and retching at the ammonia stench of fowl waste is a nasty thing. Do yourself a favor and see where your food comes from and show your kids.
I’m not knocking Alliance, the whole eating meat thing is just nasty. That said, I still do it and came here to get some rabbits slaughtered for a meal with my friends.
They were out but had chickens, guinea hens and turkeys that they would slaughter on the spot.
We went for a tour. It was gross.
So yeah, haven’t successfully eaten anything from this place but it is a definite trip.
Check it out!

Saturday afternoon. Live chicken. Owner is friendly and we chatted for a bit while chicken is slaughtered and cleaned.
Muslim owner, muslim butcher I asked if the chicken were zabiha. Yes. And they told us which farms they got their chickens from.
Price is not any more expensive than grocery store like Dominics or Jewel, if not cheaper. $ 1.69 a pound. I did not see any already butchered whole chicken in the display case, just parts, feet and stuff. Mostly things that people did not want. They’ll freshly slaughter the chicken per request.
we asked what to do with feet and he told us we could make soup. Now I remembered that’s how my grandma used to put chicken feet in soup.
The owner also gave tips about working with fresh chicken, you have to let it sit, chill to relax the muscles its best to cook it the day after or after at least 2 hrs refrigeration.
They also have eggs, quails, ducks, rabbits, and around festivities, turkey.
Overall I am a big fan and I should come more often. It’s hard to justify a trip just for chicken, I wish they had meat, too.

My mother has been going by alliance poultry since i was a little kid. Now i am 26 and me and my wife and our 2 year old take a visit from Orland park to the poultry shop. All the chickens are Amish bread, they have rabbits, ducks, geese, quails, sometimes fish, turkey on thanksgiving, and every now and then, they get some funny looking chickens and pigeons, I only order chicken from there, and every thanksgiving i get 2 turkeys, 1 for me, and 1 for my in-​laws. The price for chicken is around $ 1.69lb. Its a little more then jewel or Dominick but to me, theirs no price on healthy organic food. You will taste a difference in there chicken, In the other post Elaine H posted they didn’t have any chickens, I always find chicken when i go there, once on thanksgiving day i was late on buying a turkey and they didn’t have any left. So now i always buy a day early, because fresh chicken like that needs to sit on ice for at least 3 hours before you cook it or else it will be tough to chew. I gave alliance 5 stars based on there great friendly atmosphere, there product of course, and of course healthy Amish chicken, Also, on the Jewish holiday they have a rabbi come in and butcher the chickens because they don’t sell pork. And Jews don’t eat pork, so it works out for them. Also for Muslims there is a Muslim butcher always on duty there. And of course for Christians there’s always a christian butcher there also. So everyone wins.

It’s pretty jarring to see so many live chickens right in West Town. Not really what you expect to see in a major American metropolitan area.
I should first make the disclaimer that I have not actually eaten the chicken from this place, so my review is not based on the food itself. The one time we went in, it was just to inquire about the prices ($ 1.69 a pound), and they only had one butchered chicken available. The second time, my boyfriend actually went to purchase one because we were having guests over for dinner, and they didn’t have *any* available. So, I guess staying stocked is not their strong point?
There is, however, an abundance of live chickens which presumably eventually get butchered and sold, though not on demand. This is where I’m feeling kind of torn. My understanding is that a freshly butchered chicken is orders of magnitude better than what you can get at the supermarket. On top of that, I’d sooner eat one butchered here in a small local business using old fashioned methods rather than in some massive scary processing plant hundreds of miles away.
At the same time, the store touts that they sell poultry that is both «organic» and «Amish.» If you’ve seen an Amish farm, you know that the animals are generally raised quite humanely in farms that look like picture book farms, and not in giant mechanized facilities. And of course, everyone loves organic, right? So this is why it troubles me that the live chickens here are crowded into stacks and stacks of cages with the chickens practically on top of each other (think lobster tank) behind the counter. There certainly isn’t outdoor access or sunlight or anything you would associate with a humanely raised animal. And just because the animals might have been sourced from an organic farm doesn’t necessarily mean that they’re receiving organic feed once or humane conditions in the store. Are they still organic then? Do they arrive at the store as chicks or full-​grown? How long are they in these conditions?
Anyway, like I said, I’m torn because organic, Amish chicken butchered locally is better than commercially produced poultry for so many reasons, and yet somehow the store doesn’t seem to be living up to its promises.
If I get the opportunity to purchase from there, I’ll write an update.