Welcome to the 'Bachelor Paddock' - where we raise the roosters that are born on the farm.
Hatching our own chickens means we get a split of hens and roosters each time, which isn't typically desireable for anyone wanting just egg layers. Most people know by now that in commercial egg production, male chicks are disposed of early on because they won't produce eggs, and they are too lean for meat consumption. The benefit of raising a heritage breed like the Sussex, however, is that they are an all-rounder bird that is larger than commercial egg layers. In other words, they are useful for both eggs and meat. This means every bird can have a purpose that is meaningful to us while being able to live a good chicken life.
We raise our males and females with equal care, and the fellas get at least six months of pasture and sunshine to run around and be chooks (chickens in the commercial meat industry grow very quickly and are normally processed around 6 weeks of age). It’s been really nice to observe that as long as our roosters grow up together and don’t have hens to fight over, they live quite happily as a group of bachelors. So we keep them separate from our laying flock, and while we wait for them to grow they also fertilise our fruit trees.
While we don't produce enough meat roosters for a constant supply (for ourselves or others), it is always thrilling to nourish ourselves with a bird that we have raised from start to finish. The meat is somewhat different to that of commercially grown chicken - it is usually leaner and less fatty than a 'supermarket chook', but with more flavour. Due to the active lifestyle they have, the meat can be on the tough side, but with the right cooking techniques (primarily slow with plenty of butter or fat) the results can be delicious.
So why don't all egg producers use dual purpose chickens? There are many very legitimate reasons. Firstly, our chooks take longer to mature, so they take longer to start laying. They also produce fewer eggs per year, usually around 2/3 of the lay rate of a commercial hen. And because they are bigger birds they take up more roost space at night, meaning smaller flock sizes. The maths is not on their side. But they are still a better fit for our farm.
For those who are wondering - some of our roosters get to stay on for a couple of years with the laying flock, for protection and breeding. but we do have to bring in roosters with new genetics every now and then to maintain a healthy flock.
