Free-range chickens?

[TajMahalChickens]

I understand the the USDA defines free ranging as a bird having the ability to go outdoors. This does not mean the the bird actually goes outside.

I would use words like grass fed or pasture fed or pasture grazing. You need to bring in the fact that they have access to green forage, not just a dirt run.

 

[gryeyes]

Quote:
X2.

 

[Luvroos]

I have learned that free range is allowing your flock of chickens to roam your property as they please. Keeping them in a coop and run most of the time is not free range, this is penned! You can also use the word pastured and only if you honestly pasture them verses keeping them locked up with minimal areas to roam in. There is a difference in not only the taste of their eggs and most importantly the nutritional values of free range verses penned or caged. Keeping them penned most of the time does not allow them to eat as they please which is the key to pastured chickens and the best healthy eggs ever laid.

I can't compare myself to the huge factory's in the USA because I'm not by far and therefore their definitions for free range are actually irrelivent since they treat them as they do for their reasons of being a production company verses ours for desiring pets and a hand full of eggs.

Per say you continued to keep yours penned most of the time and you sold eggs to a great customer! This person takes your eggs to a health department and has them tested for comparison in others free range eggs and they do not compare. You are then out of business since your reputation for healthy eggs just went down the drain. I don't mean any harm not punt behind my thoughts but, this could happen to anyone!

 

[gritsar]

There is a difference in nutritional value of eggs from truly free ranged birds vs. commercial or penned chickens eggs.

Mother Earth News' website won't come up for me right now, but basically they did a long-term study and free range eggs were found to have:
Less cholesterol and saturated fat
more beta carotene
more vitamin A, E and omega 3s

Of course if you are feeding them a commercially prepared feed in addition to their foraging, it would skew the values.

I tend to take anything the USDA has to say with a grain of salt.

 

[lolita117]

Quote:
Thanks for the input but everything I ever done research on says that from one extreme to the other (totally free-range to commercial cage) says there is no nutritional difference. Taste difference, yea, actual nutritional value, no. I'm no expert but others are. That's just what I've read a lot. and 25 chickens penned up in a 256sq ft area is very generous. That's more than 10 sq ft per chicken. I think they will be plenty happy. But as I've said before. If everything works out they will be allow to free-range, at least part of the time. I live far off the road and have plenty of acres... but with that also comes plenty of predators. I'll just have to see. I don't even have chickens yet. Hopefully I will in the next couple of months. I'm doing all the research I can so that I can be ready I cant wait!

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
But that is incorrect. There is a nutritional difference, as I pointed out above. Be careful of which "experts" you listen to. Some of those experts are in the back pockets of the big poultry products companies.

 

[Luvroos]

If that be the case I most likely would not free range them unless they act restless and bored from being in their pen. Go get your chickens

I know it's tough.

I read the article from Mother Earths News to and have read it in other places that free range eggs are much healthier for people. I suppose the truth in the matter is that it all depends on your taste buds and if you like them, so be it.

 

[Luvroos]

I agree with you there Gritsar! It's publicity and just more ways for them to sell their supposed free range eggs to consumers.

 

[gritsar]

Here's the study I mentioned:

http://www.motherearthnews.com/Natural-Health/Health-Benefits-Free-Range-Eggs.aspx

As well as a few others:

http://www.motherearthnews.com/Sustainable-Farming/Free-Range-Eggs.aspx

http://www.motherearthnews.com/Relish/Free-Range-Versus-Pastured-Chicken-And-Eggs.aspx

 

[TajMahalChickens]

FYI Free range as used in backyard flocks like ours does usually mean letting the chickens out into an area not enclosed by a fence. It is the USDA that gave it such a belittling meaning.