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Post by OLKoot on May 26, 2005 4:59:25 GMT 12.75
Yesterday, I went to my supermarket to jump on some great meat bargains....In the process I asked the butcher where his free range chickens are.....and he said he had some free range chickens along with natural...Now I've heard the same probably as you had about free range chickens , but I never heard of natural...I asked for an explaination, and he said...with free range chickens, theyre litterally allowed to run free and are fed with natural ingredients......while natural chickens are just fed natural foods, but are not allowed to run free...I said so whats the difference, and he said with free range chickens, being that they're allowed to run free, their legs once cooked will be too tough to eat.....I think its B.S and that I thought he was pushing a certain product line.....does anyone have an answer about the difference or is this just a crock of doo-doo??? Personnally I also have a deep hatred for the taste of those big fat steroid induced big breasted birds...I find them quite fatty to my taste and I will have queezy feelings after eating them.....
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Post by Paws on May 26, 2005 6:07:58 GMT 12.75
"Natural" means that it was not manufactured. That is "all" that it means. In other words, the chickens could be fed glass as long as it was made by a volcano! The garbage about the chickens legs is just that; garbage. He no doubt believes it because somebody, probably from Tyson (RT) told him so! Natural does not mean that the birds aren't force fed or given growth hormones because remember chemicals, and hormones can be natural too! Free range birds tend to be healthier because they get more exercise and leaner for the same reason.
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Post by OLKoot on May 26, 2005 8:08:53 GMT 12.75
Thanks PAWS, thats what I was thinking...I only asked where the free range birds were and he went into this 20 minute dyatribe......
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Post by Paws on May 26, 2005 13:29:15 GMT 12.75
Free rangers are also much more resistant to disease such as coxcidosis. They are better egg layers; much more consistent, and produce stronger chicks. If you ever plan to raise chicks get yourself to a cock fighter who raises his own chicks and buy hens from there. They are magnificent scrawny little performers for egg producers. Not much meat on them until you start feeding them the cracked corn but you don't have to worry about more than one inoculation just after they are showing feathers and that's about it.
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Post by Mars on May 26, 2005 13:36:41 GMT 12.75
How many of those hens do you want? ;D For obvious reasons only the hens are "free ranging". The males are "penned" up or else they attack just about anything.
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Post by OLKoot on May 27, 2005 4:23:30 GMT 12.75
MARS, I guess what your saying is the hens are paraded in front of the penned up males so that when released into population, those horney old devils will perform at a higher level....
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Post by Mars on May 27, 2005 4:46:07 GMT 12.75
AAAHHH, nope. Most fighting roosters are not penned up but staked out by a foot. They need exercise and you can't get that in a box. The roosters are nothing though, it's the hens that are key to raising the breed. A good hen of any breed is way better then the roosters. You get one meal out of a rooster and many meals out of the hen. Did you know that all chicken breeds come from the wild chicken in Africa.
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Post by OLKoot on May 27, 2005 8:06:31 GMT 12.75
Thanks for the info, I didnt know that...looks like we may need a new forum for chicken 101. ;D
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Post by gsoflittledove on Mar 22, 2006 6:12:40 GMT 12.75
Free range or home grown, best way is to compare? I was cooking chicken on a grill. and we had a special guest show up, After he ate nearly two chickens He gives me dozen question about the chickens, and why they were so much better. He went home and converted his beef processing operation to chicken. He has his own line or brand now, but he has never got the flavor right yet. On the old question witch came first the chicken or the egg. He says the bible answers that. Also the Americana Araucana (Easter Egg Chicken) came fron Chile.
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Post by Bro. Freddie on Mar 22, 2006 7:35:00 GMT 12.75
I don't know about free-range or natural chickens but I do know that the white leghorns that my son raises for 4-H sure do lay good eggs ;D
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Post by OLKoot on Mar 22, 2006 7:44:06 GMT 12.75
Now you farmers tell me.......I watched one cooking show, where the chef said, corn fed chickens taste better and they have a yellowish skin, but theyre more expensive,while another chef said out of all the free range and natural, kosher chickens taste best......I started this post to find out because in the last year or so, I have lost interest in chicken because of its taste, I get that heavey fatty taste, as well as a medicinal flavor in my mouth that turns my stomach....If I have to eat chicken, I drown it in hot sauce...cant eat it any other way..............
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Post by brittonfaith on Mar 22, 2006 8:16:46 GMT 12.75
A yellowish skin does not necessarily mean a corn fed chicken. It could just mean the age/sex of the bird. Generally hens have a yellower skin. But an older rooster may also develope a yellow scurf to its skin. As far as the medicimal taste, I've been noticing that too. I'm thinking I was told it is because of a solution the processors are required to rinse/dip the dressed birds with. I can't remember what it is though.
In my experiences, free range chickens are somewhat older than a "regular" chicken. Mostly, because they are not pushed for growth. The older age could mean a tougher leg. There are differences in the taste and texture of chickens based on the breed, age and how they were fed.
My favorite chicken is one that is no more than 16 months old. Preferably from an late winter/early spring hatch, allowed to lay for two summers, and killed during the mid-fall of the 2nd year. Also like young broilers.
When my youngest brother was in 4-H he had a market poultry project. He free ranged them, but also kept plenty of corn, spoiled milk and grit handy. When it was time to go to the fair, whatever 3 he could catch went in the truck. On judging day, they were about 5 months old. The judge felt all over the 3 birds in brother's pen. He got a big smile and his one good eye glistened (the other one had been scratched out by a rooster years ago). His comments were, "This pen of birds are just not up to commercial standards. They are too plump in the breast and vent areas. I'd like to see what any of the birds here today look like dressed out." Brother was given an Honorable Mention. He felt really bad until the night of the Junior Livestock Sale. His pen of chickens sold for more than the Grand Champions. The poultry judge bought them! Guess he got to see them dressed out after all!
Well, speaking of chickens, I guess I'd better get moving along. Mom called and picked up some straight-run Ohio Beauties at Mt. Hope. She wants me to help sex them. Guess, I'll be coming home with a box of peeps too! Better get my brooder light rigged up in the cellar.
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Post by raingauge on Aug 13, 2006 16:48:27 GMT 12.75
OK, so I have raised a little poultry. The skin color on chickens comes from the breed more than the feed. I think www.feathersite.com goes into the breeds with the palest skin, Americans seem to prefer white skin. Also, the pigment from the feathers affect skin color, I dont remember how it all works. My favorite "eating" chicken is the Maran, a French breed developed for their flavor, also happens to be a good brown egg layer. Yellow skin. Narragansett is my favorite turkey, with the wild strains running a close second. And, in my opinion, nothing humble about this part, free range chickens taste best. Something about the picking at the cow pies, maybe.........
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Post by Paws on Aug 14, 2006 1:51:32 GMT 12.75
Hey RG, here is a question I like to ask my chicken officionados: "What color rooster does it take to produce a brown egg?"
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Post by raingauge on Aug 14, 2006 2:10:58 GMT 12.75
Hey paws, as soon as I figure out if brown cows give chocolate milk, I'll get on the rooster problem..... ;)Hey paws, as soon as I figure out if brown cows give chocolate milk, I'll get on the rooster problem.....
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Post by Paws on Aug 14, 2006 2:28:34 GMT 12.75
Ha Ha! You stududdered there! ;D
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Post by raingauge on Aug 14, 2006 4:20:25 GMT 12.75
Yup, I did...lol....Hey , paws, I got a #8 Grizwold waffle iron, wire bail and wire handles, near mint, looking to trade it for a Grizwold #8 DO. prefferably one with the cross on the lid, know anybody?
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Post by Paws on Aug 19, 2006 5:11:08 GMT 12.75
RG I think your best bet would be to post in on the WAGS site or send Dave Smith an e-mail. He might just want to trade something. You can get his email by going to the members list here and locating "panman". That's his handle, no pun intended, and then just click on his e-mail address to generate things. You might also leave him a private message, but I don't know how often he might visit around here. He stays pretty busy. Here is a link to his website. You can jprobably find his email there also: www.panman.com You might also copy your message over in the flea market area here for the folks that get notified when that link gets a new post. I got a bunch of number 8s but they are all Wagner and are all a little different so I probably wouldn't want to break them up anyhow. Good luck there. By the way, my neighbor and cousin is dragging in a couple dozen hens and a couple roosters this week-end. ;D
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Post by raingauge on Aug 21, 2006 4:03:20 GMT 12.75
Thanks, paws, I checked out the link. I did pick up a griswold on ebay, and looking at another, it is a little less than perfect, but I think it will clean up OK, bidding ends tomorrow.Funny how the bidders name tells you what they will do with the DO, whether they are a collector, or if thay are going to use it. Hope its not people from this board I'm bidding against.....lol......
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Post by raingauge on Aug 21, 2006 4:07:07 GMT 12.75
almost forgot, them rossters go good in DO's, I'm sure you know just what to do ;D
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