Live poultry markets (viveros) are a vibrant part of New York City's food culture. For many communities, buying live poultry is the preferred way to ensure freshness and quality. Here's what you need to know.
What is a Vivero?
A vivero (Spanish for "nursery" or "hatchery") is a live poultry market where customers select live birds that are then slaughtered and processed on-site. NYC has dozens of licensed viveros across the five boroughs, particularly in neighborhoods with large Latin American, Chinese, and West African communities.
Selecting Your Bird
When ordering live poultry through FreshCut:
- Species: Choose from chicken, guinea fowl, duck, quail, and more.
- Size: Birds are typically categorized as small, medium, or large.
- Breed: Some viveros offer specialty breeds (e.g., Cornish hen, silkie chicken).
Processing Options
After selection, you can choose how you'd like your bird processed:
- Whole cleaned: Feathers removed, cleaned, ready to cook whole.
- Cut pieces: Broken down into standard pieces (breast, thigh, leg, wing).
- Halved or quartered: Split for easier cooking.
- Custom: Special requests like skin removal or specific cuts.
Food Safety
FreshCut takes live poultry safety seriously:
- All viveros on our platform are NYC DOH licensed.
- HPAI (Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza) test reports are required and monitored.
- Temperature logging during delivery ensures the cold chain is maintained.
- Live birds are transported in approved crates, separate from processed meat.
Ordering on FreshCut
- Browse viveros on the marketplace (filter by "Live Poultry").
- Select your bird species, size, and processing style.
- Add any custom processing instructions.
- Accept the slaughter disclaimer (required for live poultry orders).
- Complete checkout — your order will be prepared fresh and delivered same-day.
Live poultry is the freshest meat you can buy. With FreshCut, you get that freshness delivered to your door with full food safety compliance.