Someone at dinner tonight had free range chicken and we talked a bit about whether it's really that much better for a chicken if it has some days of stepping into an outdoor area if maybe it's just a tiny one and then they're slain shortly after that.

I feel it's at least a step in the right direction and if people pay more attention to things like this that forward progress will start to snowball.

What do you think? A waste of time and money? Or worth it?

The cost of free range chicken is considerably higher than store bought chicken. In this day and age it is quite valiant to think and talk about free range chicken, either for the good of the dinner, or for the good of the chicken.

I am probably going to get flamed for this but: We need the slaughter houses if we are going to be able to feed the human over population. The amount of time, space and food to produce a free range chicken is just not available to most people. Not to speak of the stink.

It's a tough call. I want to believe creature we eat are treated well. But, as BLR said, free ranges costs are prohibitive. Just as organic produce costs more. I want to do the right thing, eat free range and organic...but i really cannot afford it.

I can't tell others what to do if I cannot walk the walk. This makes me feel sad and hypocritical.

A Chicken in every backyard! I own chickens and although I do not eat them, I just eat their eggs. I have friends that free range and butcher their own. They are definitely better tasting birds. I think due to the sheer quantity of chicken this country eats it will probably never happen but try to buy local and make a difference that way if you can. You'd be amazed at how many people are raising chickens humanly on a small scale if you do some poking around your community. Also many love to barter goods or services.

I like how you think, Linder! In my street here about 1/3 of the houses have their own chickens. The chickens even wander around the road and into other yards - it's cool. And for some reason the feral cats don't seem to bother them.

Once my lease is up here and I decide to buy this place, I would like to experiment with having chickens. I'd have to have someone else kill them for me, I think. I cry easily at such things.

I have always dreamed about having chickens. I ask Bob about it every few months. He is strongly against chickens. So I guess that part of my dream will have to be on standby.

OH Lisa, I had always dreamed about having chickens. Well the two tragedies of life. Not having a dream and achieving your dream. I got my chickens. I only had two "Hen" and "Rooster."

Hatched Hen from an egg, got Rooster as a companion for Hen. I am so glad I have had my chickens. We had fresh eggs, and they are wonderful. We had flies, never knew there were that many flies. Rooster hated my husband; in fact trapped him in his workshop one day. He called on the house phone to my cell phone to "come get your Rooster." I went and got Rooster so my husband could come in the house from his workshop.

Never knew Roosters were so aggressive, and MEAN. He loved me, but then maybe he saw me as part of his flock.

Hen would get up on my lap and share what ever I was eating, and loved to have behind her ears rubbed.

Many more stories, it was fun, but I will never have chickens again.

That is so sweet! So Rooster was a chicken too and laid eggs?

Oh no Rooster was a rooster, Hen was a hen.

I too have always dreamed of having chickens for eggs and to eat, a cow for milk, a place to grow my own food!
Then life kept happening, and I've lived in the country and loved it! BUT, living in the country is hard work, even without farm animals, at least it is for one person. and I'm not prepared to have another person in my space.
i do hope people keep offering raw milk and free range chickens.The taste is so much better! Also same with beef.
Now i just think of my dream as just that: a nice dream.