Free range or not?

[babycakes]

One of the top stories on the news tonight was Jamie Olivers war on free range eggs. As a result Wirral council has declared that they will be banning all eggs that are not free range. This means in their schools, cafes and restuarants (not sure if it's shops). But good on them I say and what a start. They claim they are big business (one council) and will make a difference so imagine what everyone could do if we just started with eggs?

[Steph]

I`m lucky enough to be able to make a choice. I will buy `barn raised`from my local butcher as they do have some space but maybe not `free range` whatever that means.

I have heard customers say that they do not want free range as "you don`t know where they have been eating"

I wonder if the same people buy pheasant from the same shop?


It`s not easy-outdoor raised pigs have more fat on them and I like that as they have more flavour. On the other hand others encourage us to eat lean meat

[dandysmom]

If people started worrying about what the things we eat have been eating, then no one would eat crab, lobster and other delicious tasting scavengers!

[Kim]

Oh Eileen, I never eat crab and lobster as I think the way they are cooked (i.e. boiled alive) is just too cruel for words.

[random]

Originally Posted by borderdawn

There wouldnt be any "chook" for long here!! They would have to be caged to survive!!

Same here, it's a shame as I cannot think of anything more yummy than fresh eggs every morning!

I always buy free range and british but then it is only for my and my son, I do not need 2 for £5, even with one the dogs and cats end up with half of it. So on that note it is not so bad price wise but I can understand those of bigger families wanting 2 for £5. My father will buy a cheap ready cooked one when he cooks for us all and you really can taste the difference. I tend to slip it under the table for the dogs! I am sitting him down and making him watch the current debates so watch this space, I may well talk him round yet!

I firmly believe that if we all went free range, the cheapy ones then wouldn't sell and so would have to go up in price so as profits were not lost, the more they didn't sell the more they loose profits and the higher the prices would go 'til eventually free range is actually cheaper. With more free range selling at the same time they would come right down in price and the tables would be turned. I still live in hope that this will happen.

[Samz5]

Here there is just me and my b/f to feed, he's vegi so I usually don't eat much meat anyway. I've always eaten free range & organic eggs and meat, since the extra cost doesn't really matter with just feeding me.
I would rather eat free range because I don't believe the cheap chickens are as healthy or nutritious.

Tesco have now dropped the price of their 2 for £5 chickens to £1.99 each... it got me thinking, maybe I should buy these cheap chickens to feed the cats, the 5 of them get through around 10-12 pouches of whiskers a day + dry food (Hills). I have to keep the dry food as its keeping Tango alive with his medical condition, but the whiskers costs around £2.50 - £3.00 for 12 pouches and is made from rubbish meat really, I could mix it 50/50 with real chicken at those prices and probably be better off financially!!

[babycakes]

I have noticed in Asda, Morrisons and Tescos there is no free range chickens available and hasn't been for some weeks. When I asked Morrisons staff they said they have stopped ordering it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I think this is to make us buy what is available rather then having a choice and I will be complaining to each of the stores for taking my choice away

[Kim]

I tried to get a free range chicken in Tescos, but they didn't have any. I'm afraid I wont buy the £1.99 chickens on principal. Anyway, have been thinking about this for ages and so just over a week ago I decided to become a vegetarian. Haven't really missed meat at all. I am going to try and give up cows milk too and have bought some soya milk and yogurts. I was watching a programme last week and they said that to produce enough milk they have to make the cows get pregnant every year. The calves are surplus to requirements so many are shot at about 2 weeks old. Hence my reason for giving up the cows milk.

[Alan77]

All farming is there to make a profit. It's an industry, like any other. The fact is that farmers need to make a living. Then again, I eat rabbits and they're all free range.

It's probably just as well that there are birds reared inside, because every time there's an outbreak of bird flu or some other avian disease, Defra are on their way round to wipe out everything that isn't locked up.

[nursecroft]

Originally Posted by Alan77

All farming is there to make a profit. It's an industry, like any other. The fact is that farmers need to make a living. Then again, I eat rabbits and they're all free range.

It's probably just as well that there are birds reared inside, because every time there's an outbreak of bird flu or some other avian disease, Defra are on their way round to wipe out everything that isn't locked up.

If they are locked up they are literally on top of each other! Pooing on eachother and lying in their own faeces, thats not disease free. Bird flu can still be spread to birds inside.

As for the debate i could not touch an industrial chicken, im not well off and have to count the pennies, i personally believe a healthy diet is one of the most important things and if you can eat those awful fatty birds stuffed with artificial rubbish well i think you're mad! I would not feed them to my cat! You get much more for your money with a free range bird, these cheap birds are full of water, no-where near as fleshy. I wont even start on the welfare issues.

just my opinion though