Butchering and Eating Banties?

[Winter Creek Coop]

Does anybody butcher bantams for meat? I know, they are so dang cute. But does anybody raise them specifically for meat? If so, what type seem to be best.

 

[Lacy Duckwing]

I don't do bantams for meat (though I've seen chicken in the store that looked bantam compared to the size of my typical meat chicken. ). If you're looking for something small, go quail. There is Buff Brahma bantams, which, as a standard, is dual purpose, so perhaps those.

 

[HappyDuckie]

I personally don't, but if someone wanted to, cornish bantams would likely give a good meat yield.

 

[Winter Creek Coop]

I’m really just more curious than anything. I never see anyone even mentioning eating one occasionally. Most of them are pretty boney compared to the meat they carry.

 

[GoldieFlocks]

I’m really just more curious than anything. I never see anyone even mentioning eating one occasionally. Most of them are pretty boney compared to the meat they carry.

Since you can eat any chicken I'd imagine they'd make good soup stock or throw in some dumplings.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Does anybody butcher bantams for meat? I know, they are so dang cute. But does anybody raise them specifically for meat? If so, what type seem to be best.

100% yes, and I consider it part of responsible hatching to not expect every one to find a flock of their own.. They ALL get a forever home.. until their time comes!

Not all bantams stack up the same but neither do all large fowl.

Some Silkies were plenty meaty.. while the Ameraucana were significantly smaller. They are best used in enchiladas, shredded meat, soups etc.. but some did dress nicely for the table! They grow slower like heritage birds so process at an older age.. be sure to rest for a few day and then cook low and slow.. roasted, braised, stewed.. not *usually* fried or grilled.. BUT get a peek at this link for LITTLE more information..

Cooking Heritage Poultry


If I don't have the time/energy/will.. they may get fed to the barn cat or composted and used as fertilizer.

It isn't particularly cost effective to raise them specifically for meat.. but it IS more cost effective them tossing them out and very efficient to eat what you raise and MORE productive to raise what you LOVE!

People here do raise quail quite a bit, which are faster than chickens but require a higher protein feed and different upkeep/containment.. Chickens are a better choice for ME.. even bantams, at least for now. And quail rooster do "crow".

For ME.. if you don't absolutely love the breed/species you are working with the payoff could NEVER be enough in regards to eggs or meat, whether large fowl or bantam.

Raising them all out, eating the boys and selling the pullets has really helped to cover some of the cost! People who "show" are occasionally interested in cockerels.

Know YOUR market.. Silkies sell ALL day EVERY day here.. if they are decent quality.. I didn't love them. Serama, are available but not many want them. Very few actually wanted bantam Ameraucana, while the large fowl sell like hotcakes.

Hope this helps some! Happy adventures!

 

[Ridgerunner]

does anybody raise them specifically for meat?

I do not, I only raise full sized fowl for meat. As others have said, you can. Some people fixate on size so for them it would not work, but some people aren't that bothered by size. Some are going to be more boney than others as ES4L said, but so are some full sized fowl breeds.

In certain countries, China for example, Silkies are prized as a delicacy. It's because of the black meat. A poultry science professor got a chance to visit China a few years back. He said he saw huge warehouses where Silkies were being raised for meat, it really looked weird. He did not say if those were bantams or full sized though.

 

[Winter Creek Coop]

100% yes, and I consider it part of responsible hatching to not expect every one to find a flock of their own.. They ALL get a forever home.. until their time comes!

Not all bantams stack up the same but neither do all large fowl.

Some Silkies were plenty meaty.. while the Ameraucana were significantly smaller. They are best used in enchiladas, shredded meat, soups etc.. but some did dress nicely for the table! They grow slower like heritage birds so process at an older age.. be sure to rest for a few day and then cook low and slow.. roasted, braised, stewed.. not *usually* fried or grilled.. BUT get a peek at this link for LITTLE more information..

Cooking Heritage Poultry


If I don't have the time/energy/will.. they may get fed to the barn cat or composted and used as fertilizer.

It isn't particularly cost effective to raise them specifically for meat.. but it IS more cost effective them tossing them out and very efficient to eat what you raise and MORE productive to raise what you LOVE!

People here do raise quail quite a bit, which are faster than chickens but require a higher protein feed and different upkeep/containment.. Chickens are a better choice for ME.. even bantams, at least for now. And quail rooster do "crow".

For ME.. if you don't absolutely love the breed/species you are working with the payoff could NEVER be enough in regards to eggs or meat, whether large fowl or bantam.

Raising them all out, eating the boys and selling the pullets has really helped to cover some of the cost! People who "show" are occasionally interested in cockerels.

Know YOUR market.. Silkies sell ALL day EVERY day here.. if they are decent quality.. I didn't love them. Serama, are available but not many want them. Very few actually wanted bantam Ameraucana, while the large fowl sell like hotcakes.

Hope this helps some! Happy adventures!

Great post. Thanks.

 

[NatJ]

I’m really just more curious than anything. I never see anyone even mentioning eating one occasionally. Most of them are pretty boney compared to the meat they carry.

I've eaten plenty of bantam cockerels over the years, because bantam chicks are almost always sold straight-run. When several of them are crowing, it's butchering time--even if they're only 5 weeks old.

The leg/thigh pieces can be cooked like normal chicken wings, and the breast has a chicken nugget on each side. The rest of the carcass makes good soup, or broth to make gravy with, or something like that. When they're that small, I skin instead of plucking, because it's faster. And I do throw out the wings, because there have so little meat for so many feathers.

Cornish bantams have a lot more meat on them than some other bantams, but they are still pretty small.

 

[Winter Creek Coop]

I've eaten plenty of bantam cockerels over the years, because bantam chicks are almost always sold straight-run. When several of them are crowing, it's butchering time--even if they're only 5 weeks old.

The leg/thigh pieces can be cooked like normal chicken wings, and the breast has a chicken nugget on each side. The rest of the carcass makes good soup, or broth to make gravy with, or something like that. When they're that small, I skin instead of plucking, because it's faster. And I do throw out the wings, because there have so little meat for so many feathers.

Cornish bantams have a lot more meat on them than some other bantams, but they are still pretty small.

Cool info. Thanks.