Dual-Purpose...Banties

[HaikuHeritageFarm]

So the talk about eating Banties forces me to take a closer look.

I had to sell off my flock of Dels and Orloffs when I made a sudden move to downtown Anchorage. I have been working out the logistics of keeping a VERY few LF birds, but I wonder if banties might kind of be better, since I could have more of them? Also, the roos would be easier to keep inside until later in the day.

Are the certain breeds of bantam that have better meat qualities? When I take a closer look, you really can see that some seem to have impressive breast development. Can they also lay?

What about miniaturized DP breeds like Dels, BR and Dominiques? I'm especially intrigued by the Dominique bantams with those rose combs.

 

[madamwlf]

I do know there is a white Cornish bantam that is supposedly good for meat birds as well.

 

[bantyhen'sfriend]

I would also vote for the cornish bantams. They are meaty little monsters, and are supposed to weigh about 2-3lbs! (Correct me if I'm wrong on the wights of the cornish). But most scaled-down DP bantam breeds are big enough to eat (especially if you don't have many people in your house). I have white Plymouth Rock bantams, and the cock is certainly chunky! The hens also lay very well, and the eggs are about 1/2-2/3 the size of a normal egg. The yolks seem to be almost the same size as a big egg, but there is less white.

 

[Cloverleaf Farm]

Bantam Cochins are quite tasty!!

 

[Captain Carrot]

I have a book of chicken and bantam breeds. There is a quick guide to each breed for their egg and meat qualities, according to this book "Hühner und Zwerghühner" the follwing bantams are both good for egg and meat, the ones marked with * are excellent for eggs and meat:

Australorps
Bielefelder Kennhühn (probs can't get those)
Creve Coeur
Croad Langshan
Cornish *
Houdan
Mechelner *
Niederrheiner *
Sussex *

Other breeds with good egg laying, but "normal meat" (meaning ok for the family table) include:

Araucana
Brahma
breda
Cochin
Hamburg
Polish
Marans
Welsummer
Wyandottes

The Australorps and Welsummers lay some of the biggest eggs for bantams 45 and 50 grams respectively.

Obviously the bigger the bantam the more meat on them. I'm planning on using my Welsummer bantams to fill my freezer as well as my standard sized breeds.

hope the list helps

 

[HaikuHeritageFarm]

Well I figure since it's just my husband and I, they actually might work out well. We don't eat a ton of eggs, and we don't need a whole LF chicken for a meal, either. I'm thinking with a bunch of veggies and side dishes, even one Cornish banty might be good enough for the two of us.

I'm surprised to see Crevvies and Houdans on the list. They are breeds I was looking into as LF. I will have to go find Boggy Bottoms now...

Can you guys share pictures of the banty Rocks and Welsummers? Did any of you start with hatchery stock? Hatchery would be so much easier for me to experiment with. I swore I would never have another single combed breed, but honestly the roo will possibly spend a good deal of time as a house pet due to concern for the neighbors so...

Do Cornish bantams lay better than LF ones?

 

[ChickyLaura]

We have a pretty Wyandotte roo that - gulp - may be spending some time on my stove. I may butcher him on Friday... If I do it, I can get before and after pictures and weights if you'd like.

He will be my first, if you know what I mean... But I am getting meat bird chicks next week, so... I need to practice, plus I can't have this little roo running around. I kind of want to do it alone, without my DH helping.

 

[ChickyLaura]

We have a pretty Wyandotte roo that - gulp - may be spending some time on my stove. I may butcher him on Friday... If I do it, I can get before and after pictures and weights if you'd like.

He will be my first, if you know what I mean... But I am getting meat bird chicks next week, so... I need to practice, plus I can't have this little roo running around. I kind of want to do it alone, without my DH helping.

 

[HaikuHeritageFarm]

Laura, is he a hatchery bird? I was definitely eyeballing the banty Wyandottes! They look like rather plump little things.

 

[Captain Carrot]

Quote:
the creves and Houdans have both "good" for egg and meat. Good for meat meaning good enough to sell, and for eggs meaning approx 100-150 a year. The cornish have "Very good" for eggs, meaning 220 plus.

I'll be getting some Welsummers in about 4 weeks time. They're from a group of hobby breeders.