Headed crabbing?
Freeze-Dried Chicken Necks
Chicken necks are the classic bait for blue crabs. Ours are raised on pasture at our family farm and freeze-dried, so they keep on the shelf until the day you need them — no freezer, no cooler, no thawing.
No refrigeration. No cooler. No leaking bag of bait in your trunk.
$15 per 4 oz pack
Chicken necks are the classic crab bait. Freeze-drying them is the new part.
Chicken necks have been a go-to for blue crabs for generations. We didn't change the bait — we changed how you carry it.
Freeze-dried means shelf-stable. Keep it in the tackle box or the garage until the day you go — no freezer space, no thawing, no planning ahead.
Toss a container in your camping gear, tackle box, or suitcase. Headed to the Jersey Shore, Maryland, or Delaware? It travels with you.
No mess, no leaks, no cooler to haul. A 4 oz container weighs almost nothing and won't stink up the car on the ride home.
Made from necks off chickens we raised ourselves on pasture in New Windsor, NY. Ethically raised, and we know exactly where they came from.
We already freeze-dry these necks as Zephyr's Bites dog treats. Turns out what dogs love, crabs love too.
Three steps and you're fishing.
Soak the bait in water for 15 minutes before use.
Tie a neck to your line or drop it in your trap or crab pot.
Drop it in the water and wait them out. That's the whole trick.
As with any raw uncooked food, wash hands before and after handling.
Same bait either way — it comes in a tub or a vacuum-sealed pouch depending on what we're packing that week.
From Our Farm to Your Crab Pot
We raise our chickens on pasture here in New Windsor, and we've been freeze-drying the necks for a while now — they're one of the treats we sell under Zephyr's Bites, and dogs go crazy for them.
Then it clicked. A freeze-dried chicken neck is exactly what a crabber wants: the same bait people have used for generations, except it keeps on the shelf and travels without a cooler. So Shelley put her name on it and we started packing it for the water.
Pick it up at the farm, or find it at a shop near the water.
317 Long Beach Blvd
Surf City, NJ 08008
Now available at Surf City Bait & Tackle. If you're headed down the shore, grab it there.
Get Directions
261 Otterkill Rd
New Windsor, NY 12553
Farm pickup is by appointment — send the form below or give us a call at (845) 534-0365 between 9:00 AM and 6:00 PM.
Get Directions$15 per 4 oz pack. This is a request, not a purchase — we'll confirm availability and arrange pickup and payment.
Run a bait and tackle shop, marina, or campground store? Shelf-stable bait means no freezer space and no spoilage. Tell us about your shop and we'll send wholesale and case pricing.
Shelley will reach out within 1-3 business days with pricing, availability, and how to pick it up.
Didn't hear back? Please reach out — we'd rather hear from you twice than miss you.
We'll follow up with wholesale and case pricing, and we're happy to talk through packaging or a trial batch first.
Want to talk sooner? (845) 534-0365, 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM.
Whether you're crabbing the Hudson or heading down the shore, throw a container in your gear and go.