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A couple of things about "free-range" chickens: 1 - They might not actually be free-range after all. I've seen multiple exposes where the chickens advertised

A couple of things about "free-range" chickens: 1 - They might not actually be free-range after all. I've seen multiple exposes where the chickens advertised as "free-range" actually weren't, or they were allowed out of their cages for an hour a day and they called that "free-range". 2 - Even if they're are free-range, their conditions could still be appalling. Overcrowding and debeaking are common.

0des 5y ago
In my locality, free range means your friend has chickens, you pet them during barbecues and feed them boudain balls to encourage bigger eggs. Not often in life are the best things also free or cheaper than the store bought alternative
GordonS 5y ago
I presume you are talking with regards to the US? I'm in the UK, and we have proper regulation that sets out what "free range" is - it is not whatever ludicrously tenuous definition the US has dreamt up. I live in rural Scotland, and can see free range chickens for myself - they seem to be living a good life.
- gondo 5y ago
  For now. After Brexit, UK will most likely adapt more US standards to allow more US imports to offset the lack of trade with EU.
- Aromasin 5y ago
  Say what you will about how they spend their best years, but they still come from hatcheries where 50% of the population upon hatching are gassed or dropped live off the end of a conveyor belt into a macerator. Equally, they end their life more often than not in a slaughterhouse where the conditions are abysmal to say the least. The UK has some of the strictest animal welfare in the world, but they are still continuously broken by most farms across the country it seems. One example of many would be the private investigation into the suppliers for M&S's free range organic eggs in 2016. One of the most well reputed retailers in the country, yet they found barns full of ill chickens unable to walk, rotten corpses littering the place, and overcrowding throughout: https://investigations.peta.org/marks-spencer-cruelty-chicken-farms/ https://investigations.peta.org/marks-spencer-cruelty-chicke... All throughout my teens I worked on cattle and poultry farms across the South of England and to be frank, I saw disturbing scenes at every single one of them. Even though I've somewhat reconciled with eating animal products morally in recent years, I've lost any and all trust in the food production system to do it ethically, despite appearances on the surface. If rigorous legislation doesn't stop farmers from abusing their livestock, then the only option left it seems is a return to self-reliant homesteading where you know exactly where the food comes from, or the production of synthetic alternatives as discussed in OP's article. Personally, as much as I enjoy the eggs from my rescue hens, I hope for the latter.

0des 5y ago

In my locality, free range means your friend has chickens, you pet them during barbecues and feed them boudain balls to encourage bigger eggs. Not often in life are the best things also free or cheaper than the store bought alternative

GordonS 5y ago

I presume you are talking with regards to the US? I'm in the UK, and we have proper regulation that sets out what "free range" is - it is not whatever ludicrously tenuous definition the US has dreamt up. I live in rural Scotland, and can see free range chickens for myself - they seem to be living a good life.

gondo 5y ago
For now. After Brexit, UK will most likely adapt more US standards to allow more US imports to offset the lack of trade with EU.
Aromasin 5y ago
Say what you will about how they spend their best years, but they still come from hatcheries where 50% of the population upon hatching are gassed or dropped live off the end of a conveyor belt into a macerator. Equally, they end their life more often than not in a slaughterhouse where the conditions are abysmal to say the least. The UK has some of the strictest animal welfare in the world, but they are still continuously broken by most farms across the country it seems. One example of many would be the private investigation into the suppliers for M&S's free range organic eggs in 2016. One of the most well reputed retailers in the country, yet they found barns full of ill chickens unable to walk, rotten corpses littering the place, and overcrowding throughout: https://investigations.peta.org/marks-spencer-cruelty-chicken-farms/ https://investigations.peta.org/marks-spencer-cruelty-chicke... All throughout my teens I worked on cattle and poultry farms across the South of England and to be frank, I saw disturbing scenes at every single one of them. Even though I've somewhat reconciled with eating animal products morally in recent years, I've lost any and all trust in the food production system to do it ethically, despite appearances on the surface. If rigorous legislation doesn't stop farmers from abusing their livestock, then the only option left it seems is a return to self-reliant homesteading where you know exactly where the food comes from, or the production of synthetic alternatives as discussed in OP's article. Personally, as much as I enjoy the eggs from my rescue hens, I hope for the latter.