best chicken meat

[united]

Will organic free-range corn feed chickens make the most prestigious chicken meat to eat?

 

[FrenchHen]

What breed of chicken?
how long on the corn?

More information would be helpful.

At what age do you plan on processing and eating the birds?

 

[Olive Hill]

That depends who you ask.

Now, who's got the popcorn? I want to sit back next to Buster52 and watch this thread for entertainment.

 

[dacjohns]

Quote:
Organic has some specific requirements if you plan on marketing meat and calling it organic.

I think organic and corn are almost mutually exclusive. It might be hard to find organic corn. I could be totally wrong here.

Organic and free-ranging are not the same. Free-ranging birds can be exposed to and eat things that disqualify them for meeting the standards for organic food.



Generally though for the higher end market organic and free-ranging are more "prestigious". I don't know that corn adds anything to the prestige. Also, corn is more a supplement or treat than a primary source of nutrition.

 

[united]

breed :Cornish crosses . Other information: have no idea, i was going to give it a try on few chicks for 7 weeks

 

[KatyTheChickenLady]

Hi! welcome to BYC!
Your questions are very valid, but they are ones that are asked and answered A LOT here; they are also very broad and subjective to OPINIONS.
Take the time to read through the older threads and posts, if you don't find your answers try the search bar in the upper right hand corner, then you will have some narrowed down questions and the experts will give you a ton of help and advice instead of . . . lol! I started out the same way and learned - just trying to help you get your answers.

 

[Buster52]

Quote:
I don't know how prestigious, but it will certainly be the best tasting. But lots of folks will definitely pay a premium for both, regardless of the breed used. Last year I raised some commercial breed turkeys on free range and it was the best tasting turkey I had eaten up to that point. I have eaten free range heritage breeds since then, so they are now a distant fourth, but still...

Sorry. That is about as entertaining I can get on that.

 

[petrelline]

In this area the highest prices come from organic, pastured, non-cornish-cross chickens (freedom rangers are fine). Corn fed would be a minus. Our people are suspicious of corn; the only thing they're more supicious of is soy.

 

[jaku]

Quote:
I don't know how prestigious, but it will certainly be the best tasting. But lots of folks will definitely pay a premium for both, regardless of the breed used. Last year I raised some commercial breed turkeys on free range and it was the best tasting turkey I had eaten up to that point. I have eaten free range heritage breeds since then, so they are now a distant fourth, but still...

Sorry. That is about as entertaining I can get on that.

Shockingly,

I have to disagree with you, Buster... I would first say that prestigious would win over taste with the organic part. In my opinion, there is NO difference in flavor with most organics. Now, keep in mind, I'm NOT at all against organic. In fact, my family eats all organic dairy, organic veggies when they're fresh, and as much organic meat as I can find. But TASTE is not the reason. I think people wanting it to taste better are just hoping it does since they spent so much more money- I certainly did, but sadly, organic alone doesn't mean better flavor. Higher quality... yes. Better for you... absolutely. POSSIBLY better flavor on some foods, due to the higher likelyhood of better ingredients (real sugar instead of high fructose corn syrup for example,) but not necessarily due to the organic part.

Now the corn- corn alone doesn't provide much as far as nutrients. My vet described it well, using dog food made from mostly corn as an example, in that it would be like us eating McDonalds for every meal. You'd probably live, but it's not healthy. Chicken feed needs more than corn. Yes, our grandparents fed their birds cracked corn, but they also put butter on burns and ate lard every day.

 

[TimG]

Quote:
Is that bad?