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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Ignore a lot of the "marketing" on chicken labels.

1. No chickens get antibiotics today. 
2. Chicken eats "vegan" diet.  This is stupid.  Chickens are supposed to be eating bugs.  Eating a vegan diet is more of a negative.
3  Picture of cute farm house. Ignore this. Farmer will be growing 30,000 chicks in each chicken house and probably has 3 -6 chicken houses.
4.  "Organic".--I don't really put much stock in this.
Chickens get fed a lot of corn and soy.  The problem with
our corn supply in the US is that almost all of it is
contaminated with the Round Up Ready variety.
Even if a farmer grows organic corn the overspray from
spraying roundup on the Monsanto Round Up Ready variety
 is endemic.

When buying chicken I avoid the supersized breasts and
I buy on price.

I don't think their is much difference between what is on the shelf despite "marketing."

Almost all chicken sold in grocery stores is raised in CAFO operations in the US unless you drive out to a local farm
and get your own chicken.[/quote]

I raise poultry (meat, eggs, turkey, ducks) on a small boutique scale and agree with this.  My experience is a lot different than the big houses on the shore because I am raising for quality, for my own consumption, and as a hobby.  The "hobby" has grown over the years because of friends, coworkers and word-of-mouth, who have asked to be included and don't mind the extra cost to guarantee a good bird. I can't raise a healthy, nice looking chicken for less than $4.75/lb (unless I feed them utter crap and don't let them move - I'm not raising for the bargain buyer).  We do allow people to come out and help in exchange for a bird or two, if they would like to do that instead of pay for it.  I like doing that because it allows people to see where and how food is raised, and we don't have anything to hide from our buyers.

The antibiotics, no, but most chicks start out on a medicated feed (Amprolium, an antiprotozoal) to prevent coccidiosis while they are young and their gut system is still developing.  They also get vaccinated for Marek's disease.   I only do 25-30 Cornish Cross meat chickens at a time, it's the most I can do to make sure they stay healthy and I can monitor health and growth.  They are free-ranged on grass and clover at 4 weeks in moveable electric poultry net fencing, continuing until we process them.  We do everything ourselves on our farm, it's the only way we can control quality, and we are a USDA & NPIP certified small farm.  "Organic" meat or eggs is a misleading racket, as PP noted.

We feed a meat bird feed formulated for growth.  We take their food away from them at around noon to force them to move - these birds have been bred to gain weight fast and eat like cows, and they will sit at the food pan all day if they are allowed to.  I want to be able to tell my clients that yes, they are free-ranging, even if I have to force them to do it.  This also helps with slow, measured growth to allow bones and ligaments to keep up with muscle growth.

Unless I have a client that specifically wants a huge bird, we process at 6-7 weeks and usually get a 5-6lb carcass.  If we go until 8 weeks, we start losing them to heart attacks or leg problems, and we don't raise them during the heat of the summer, they can't handle it.   I touch every bird that we raise and it doesn't go to someone's table unless it passes my test.  We also sample a bird from each batch so I know it's a good bird.  Usually DH will smoke a whole bird, and then I will use leftovers for other meals.

If you want a chicken with a lot of flavor, look for what is called "Stew Chicken" there are a few small farms around here that sell them.  They are usually old laying hens that are no longer laying eggs - usually 3-4 year-old hens.  The meat is not great for roasting, but if you put them in a pot all day you will get really flavorful stock.  When I have to "retire" layers, I have clients who want them for making stock.  [/quote]

This is a good advice. Another small scale USDA chicken egg farmer here. Find a local market that processes their own birds and buy your chicken there or find a farmer that sells off of Craigslist. I do not have a heart to get rid of my ladies the "stew way, but there is a huge difference in quality if you raise your own bird for eggs or meat. There is a healthy market in the DC area for fresh chicken eggs and meat, especially during COVID. We sell all of our eggs at $5.00 a dozen and have a waitlist every week.[/quote]

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