Laying and eating chickens

I'm sure it's been discussed before but what would be the best all round bird for laying and eating?

wellll, they all eat.... []

Big fat ones that lay lots of eggs. Welcome aboard Rover.

Heritage breeds like wyandotte, RIR, sussex etc, are all dual purpose. The roosters of these breeds get pretty big too, so make good eating. Just don't let them get too old if you want tender meat, but up to two/three years is ok. Just slow cook.

We liked the Barred Rocks but the Black Orpingtons were the best tasting.

I have had all the breeds that Stikkibeak mentioned (and resulting crossbreds) for the same reason that is being a dual bird.

We have deliberately gone away from keeping light sussex as they peck little hands looking for eggs and can be quite mean.

The last light sussex rooster we owned was very nasty to the Girls and if they put up any sort of refusal, he pecked them until they bled around their head. We also had a shaver rooster in the early days who was of the same attitude.

If you go for larger breeds any excess (esp. roosters) will be snapped up on TM by people of a certain origin and they always buy more than one at a time. Bub sells hers for $20 each and has never had any trouble in doing so.

Perhaps those "people of a certain origin" could teach the rest of us a few interesting things about food.

igor;480192 wrote: Perhaps those "people of a certain origin" could teach the rest of us a few interesting things about food.

Probably could, it wasn't meant as a slight, just a nod to the popularity of the sale of my daughter's live roosters to one particular culture.

igor;480192 wrote: Perhaps those "people of a certain origin" could teach the rest of us a few interesting things about food.

I'd be interested too. A guy I know on TM always says, when I pick up his products, have a free rooster, otherwise he will only end up on the Chinese menu. I would be very interested as to how they are cooked, and the type of recipe they suit.

From my understanding its about being able to buy the animal live and then it being prepared in an acceptable manner for death and consumption.

Lets face it, $20 per bird isn't the cheapest option for chook meat aye.

We had a chinese fellow buy up on the roosters in time for chinese NY once. he only wanted roosters with a certain leg colour (I think it was yellow legs?) Not sure how that fitted in with his celebrations.

I have sold dozens of roosters to folks who buy one of TM then ask to take any others I have when they get here. Some want them for Halal killing, others just want some to process themselves. I sometimes get phone calls asking if there are any more available, gone are the days where I couldn't even give away roosters!

I have run into a conundrum though! When they come I am sometimes asked if they could buy and kill a sheep here, to which I say no as it would be illegal and I do actually believe these rules serve a purpose... however, last time I sold some roosters I realised that I was being a hypocrite! Selling the roosters to be taken away and immediately killed must come under the same heading as letting someone tkae a sheep away and immediately kill it....

So now I have a problem, and need to get it straight in my head before I decide if I sell any more roosters.

You sell it, they take it away alive. It's up to them to comply with the law after that. Or not, as the case maybe. Either way it's not your problem.

igor;480273 wrote: You sell it, they take it away alive. It's up to them to comply with the law after that. Or not, as the case maybe. Either way it's not your problem.

Sure, in theory, but my conscience has a problem with knowingly participating... it was better when I hadn't thought it through![:0]

tonic;480271 wrote: I have sold dozens of roosters to folks who buy one of TM then ask to take any others I have when they get here. Some want them for Halal killing, others just want some to process themselves. I sometimes get phone calls asking if there are any more available, gone are the days where I couldn't even give away roosters!

I have run into a conundrum though! When they come I am sometimes asked if they could buy and kill a sheep here, to which I say no as it would be illegal and I do actually believe these rules serve a purpose... however, last time I sold some roosters I realised that I was being a hypocrite! Selling the roosters to be taken away and immediately killed must come under the same heading as letting someone tkae a sheep away and immediately kill it....

So now I have a problem, and need to get it straight in my head before I decide if I sell any more roosters.

Firstly you are not governed by any rules (at least that i know of) that have homekill law applied to chickens ie must be kept by eater and family x amount of days prior to homekill, so legally you are in the clear there.

Is it the fact they are going to kill and eat the roosters (now you have thought about it) that is objectionable?

My neighbours who sell roosters from time to time, and where we graze our stock were also asked by people buying their roosters if they could purchase homekill from one of ''their'' cows.
I was a bit miffed at first that the neighbours didn't own up that the beasts weren't theirs to say yay or nay for, but then the more I thought about it the more it peeved me no end that total strangers would feel a beasts owner would: a. break the law with someone they don't know, and b. assumed they would sell them meat at no doubt expected discounted pricing.

Why would we do that, at all for someone we don't know?

The more I thought about it, the more I realised it was blo8dy cheeky of them to even ask. [!]

Hmm, I have wondered if the home kill laws apply to chickens, but can't imagine why it wouldn't, maybe should check...

I have no problem with people killing and eating the roosters, thats what we do but I prefer the cobb cross ones I breed.

I honestly doubt the people asking me if they could buy a sheep would have any idea of the home kill rules, but even if they do plenty of people are not bothered by following the law so they probably find those people and get a sheep from them...