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Susan Chappell HEA 285 Derek Holcomb February 7, 2018

Free-Range vs. Organic vs. Conventional Chicken

Free-range chicken is not necessarily organic, but organic chicken is required to be raised in a free-range manner. Organic chickens can only eat certified organic feed and aren’t allowed be given antibiotics or hormones, but they can receive preventative vaccines. Organic chickens must have "the opportunity for exercise, freedom of movement, and reduction of stress." By USDA standards, free-range chickens, have be able to go outdoors for some amount of time. Organic and free-range chickens often have access to a pasture, and to define pasture, it’s typically a plot of land with nice green grass for grazing. Benefits of Free-Range Chicken, one of the healthiest things about free-range chicken is its high protein content. Just one free-range chicken breast can supply around 52 percent of most people’s daily protein needs. Free-Range Chickens Make Healthier Eggs Free-range chickens are known for producing eggs that are much more nutritionally dense than the eggs laid by caged hens. Conventional Chicken Linked to Hormone Disruption A scientific study published in 2017 looked at the effects of feeding commercial chicken feed, conventional chicken meat or organic chicken meat to groups of female animal subjects. Free Range May Taste Better Many people find organic free-range chicken to be tastier than conventional chicken. One possible reason that organic free-range chickens may taste better is that they eat a higher quality diet than conventional birds. Conventional Chicken Dangers and Concerns Chicken is a very popular source of protein. These days, companies that produce conventional chicken meat are getting the meat from what is now being referred to as "super chickens." In 2013, Consumer Reports conducted some highly

revealing testing of chicken meat. It’s not very surprising that when you put animals of any kind indoors in very tight spaces in high numbers, the areas that these animals live in becoming very unhealthy very fast. Patrick Martins, founder of Heritage Foods USA, says that indoor confinement makes birds more prone to sickness with one of the major reasons being that these chickens are so young they haven’t had time to build much of an immune system. Martins also points out that while conventional poultry farmers may say that outdoor free ranging increases a chicken’s likelihood of being exposed to pathogens, he suggests that this incorrect viewpoint makes it appears "biodiversity is a threat; they’re saying the opposite of what is true." A freerange chicken quite clearly lives an overall healthier lifestyle. The majority of conventional chicken comes from factory farms. This means that the chickens are packed into cages, which leads to unsanitary and unhealthy conditions very quickly. The confinement also means that these chickens are more likely to get sick, which is why most of conventional chickens are pumped with antibiotics for most, if not all, of their lives. These antibiotics don’t go away and can still be found in the conventional chicken meat offered at supermarkets, restaurants and fast food chains. My opinion is dear to my heart, since I was raised on a farm and have free range chickens. I now only eat fresh farm eggs and chicken from my farm. I will not eat chicken by products or chicken from a store, store bought eggs. To me they just don’t have the same taste nor the same color. Free range chicken eggs are a bright yellow and so much fluffier than store bought eggs or even restaurant eggs.

Work Cited Price, A. (2017, August 24). Conventional Chicken Messes with Your Hormones. Retrieved February 05, 2018....