Free range vs caged chicken

[BRITISH ANABOLIC]

Is there difference in protine between free range and caged?

If so whats the difference?

[spywizard]

protein ??

no difference... the argument is that caged are fed hormones and additional fat issues vs free range birds..

[BRITISH ANABOLIC]

So the protein in both birds are exactly the same?

So instead of spending twice as much on a free range like i have been doing for the last 6 weeks i should just get the cheaper caged?

[SlimJoe]

yes you should lol

[Swifto]

I like free range.

I'd rather a healthy free roaming, corn fed, happy chicken, than some hormone filled moody chicken with broken legs due to being overweight/over fed thanks mate.

[BJJ]

I like free range.

I'd rather a healthy free roaming, corn fed, happy chicken, than some hormone filled moody chicken with broken legs due to being overweight/over fed thanks mate.

agreed

[matt77]

Well since my in-laws are in the chicken business I have some first hand knowledge on this topic. What it all boils down to is each companies standard. First off remember free range doesn't mean organic, its a common thing for companies to advetise free range with the twist of making people think its organic too without actually saying it.

The amount of spiked feed used in the US is way down from what it was 5-7 years ago. I live in the one of the top 5 chicken producing counties in the US and have been on and around chicken farms most of my life. Tyson and Pilgrams Pride birds that are sold in supermarkets around the country/world are basically indoor free range birds that get exposed to fresh air and sun daily if the weather is good. To my knowledge there are no true caged operations in the US with exception of some food grade Egg only farms. Breeder Egg Farms are indoor free range too.

So really if your OK with having chicken that is not fed an all vegetable (FYI Chickens are omnivores and will eat meat if given the chance) based diet most major chicken producers grow healthy birds. Below is a pic of the typical indoor chicken farm and the one below that is the caged egg house but these are leaving the industry slowly.

[baseline_9]

I like free range.

I'd rather a healthy free roaming, corn fed, happy chicken, than some hormone filled moody chicken with broken legs due to being overweight/over fed thanks mate.

Sounds like the 2010 Mr Olyimpia contenders

[gbrice75]

I would go with free range - if for no other reason, just the morality of the REPUGNANT way these animals live and are treated. I'm happy to hear the poster above talking about the cages going away, because that is obscene and I can't believe it's legal and nobody seems to care.... granted i'm a softee for all animals so this strikes a chord with me. They're going to die anyway - so can't the life they have at least be a happy one?

[baseline_9]

I would go with free range - if for no other reason, just the morality of the REPUGNANT way these animals live and are treated. I'm happy to hear the poster above talking about the cages going away, because that is obscene and I can't believe it's legal and nobody seems to care.... granted i'm a softee for all animals so this strikes a chord with me. They're going to die anyway - so can't the life they have at least be a happy one?

A happy life is more expensive, defeating the whole point of raming them in the small cages

[gbrice75]

A happy life is more expensive, defeating the whole point of raming them in the small cages

That's the shameful part! We (people) always put $$$ before morality...

[matt77]

I do have morals and am all for any animal be treated humane even if they are going to die soon but it really doesn't matter to the animal because they have no way to reason or know what happy is. This is especially true with poultry all of their mental response is instinctive not based on being able to think about it. As for the cages the chicken doesn't care aslong as it needs are met. All humans including me have "feelings and passion" and thats something an animal will never have. They are wired to live and thrive no matter what the cost. The only thing that makes caged birds and free birds different is the free birds muscles develop much better and faster, but does little to change the quality of the meat the bird produces. The diet of the animal is what makes the quality of the meat better.

[gbrice75]

I do have morals and am all for any animal be treated humane even if they are going to die soon but it really doesn't matter to the animal because they have no way to reason or know what happy is. This is especially true with poultry all of their mental response is instinctive not based on being able to think about it. As for the cages the chicken doesn't care aslong as it needs are met.

I want to start by saying that I wasn't in any way accusing YOU of being inhumane; I was speaking about people in general. Having said that, I must vehemently disagree with your above statements; how do you know an animal doesn't have the capacity to know what happy is? Do healthy cared for dogs look happy to you? They do to me. Maybe an animals happiness isn't the same as what we know it to be, but give them a little credit! A chicken by nature is meant to roam around; throw it in some cage where it can't even stand up, let alone move - and you're really going to tell me the animal is ok with that, and just as 'happy' as if it were roaming around free? C'Mon!!!

All humans including me have "feelings and passion" and thats something an animal will never have.

Again, how do you know this - did an animal tell you that?

They are wired to live and thrive no matter what the cost. The only thing that makes caged birds and free birds different is the free birds muscles develop much better and faster, but does little to change the quality of the meat the bird produces. The diet of the animal is what makes the quality of the meat better.

Comments above in bold. PS - I didn't mean to hijack this thread and make it about animal treatment, so my apologies to the OP, I know this isn't the forum for that topic. It's just a topic that strikes a chord with me and I felt compelled to comment. If you (Matt) want to take the discussion to PM's, i'm ok with that.

[matt77]

Well gbrice, First off I didn't think you were saying that at all. I was merely putting out a little animal science 101 and food production 101. I just was showing what was more important to produce good meat for human consumption. If you do indepth research in animal neurology you will understand what I am saying about what animals feel.

Almost a decade of graduate and doctorate level animal study is how I know this.

[gbrice75]

Almost a decade of graduate and doctorate level animal study is how I know this.

Touche'. However, I still defer to my dog analogy...

[matt77]

Well the dog analogy you gave is somewhat correct. Dogs are pack animals and have to have companions, exercise, discipline, and lots of food for their instinctive needs to be met.

I guess we need to get back on topic. I too am sorry to the OP for us straying from the topic a bit.