We didn't really have free range meat when I became a vegetarian.
I've been a veggie for so long I couldn't go back to eating meat even though I have no problem with free range.

It was the conditions that intensive farmed animals are kept in that upset me.

I started eating fish again after a few years as...

1, they are good for you
2, they swim free until they are caught
3, I cannot emote with a fish.
( girlinthehole, Thu 21 May 2009, 15:32, 1 reply, 16 years ago)

Free range
Generally, I agree. Free range animals is best.

Bug to bear vis a vis the marketing scam which is free range eggs.
(Psyche finishes work at the end of June! Yay!!!, Thu 21 May 2009, 15:34, Reply)

Free range?
I can understand why 'Organic' is a scam, but why Free Range?
(LongJohnBaldry, Thu 21 May 2009, 15:36, Reply)

...
Since we cannot ask a chicken whether it is happy, we can only assess stress factors by the exhibition of normal behaviours and measurements of cortisol in the blood.

Tests have shown that in extensive free range systems vs the "enriched" battery cages which I believe have now replaced all the old unenriched ones... The cortisol was significantly higher in the free range chickens, showing increased stress.

Also, in the extensive system there was a much greater incidence of "hen pecking", disease... and the birds rarely moved further than 1m away from the barn wall.
(Psyche finishes work at the end of June! Yay!!!, Thu 21 May 2009, 15:36, Reply)

Just goes to show you how stupid chickens are really.
.
( girlinthehole, Thu 21 May 2009, 15:39, Reply)

Disagreement:
You can't judge an animal with a completely different neural physiology to you by your own standards.
( Cawl, Thu 21 May 2009, 15:42, Reply)

*JOKE ALERT JOKE ALERT JOKE ALERT JOKE ALERT*
.
( girlinthehole, Thu 21 May 2009, 15:45, Reply)

Q:Why did the chicken cross the road?
A:BECAUSE JESUS HATES YOU.

*shrugs*
I'll have to work on the delivery of that one a bit.
( Cawl, Thu 21 May 2009, 15:46, Reply)

I agree that cages are not ideal
The ideal system would mimic the environment which the chickens came from, namely woodland, as one of their main fears is fear of predation. Any time a plane/bird flies overhead, the chickens will run for cover.

It just annoys me that the marketing for it is better welfare, when this simply is not the case.

And I don't blame people for eating free range eggs. I didn't find out about this until I studied it at uni.
(Psyche finishes work at the end of June! Yay!!!, Thu 21 May 2009, 15:39, Reply)