Chicken - moneysaving or ethical?

amyandoli

for me its free range or quorn, i was brought up in a veggie household and feel bad enough (sometimes!) eating meat, without being guilty about how its lived and died. same with eggs, free range, and dolphin friendly tuna! i usually buy reduced free range meats so im moneysaving still.

TKP_3

annie123 wrote:

If everyone demands better standards, then farming standards will improve.

OS used to be free range only according to the senior members of my family, bring it back.

I second that!

wigglebeena

I buy free range nine times out of ten, free range Duchy Original sausages and bacon too. Game when I can afford it.

I just eat meat less often, but better quality. There's nothing wrong with meat substitutes.

hazzie123

I have to admit I buy the cheapo chickens,infact everything I buy is cheap!

I find the cheap meat of any sort is fine,I was raised on cheap meat I guess?
I even buy the cheapo eggs!

Hmmm I wonder how many of you have gone :eek: in disgust so far.I bet it`s most of you.

I`m so glad this is the internet or I`d be likely to get stoned if I said that I dont even think about where the chickens come from,judging by some peoples views.

But next month I will no longer be buying my meat from the supermarket but I`ll be going to a butchers in town.This is not for any ethical reason,it`s purely to save me on petrol and not spending more money in the supermarket.

I have absolutely no idea where the butchers meat is from and are unlikely to ask too.

Boatie_Bird

Hey Hazzie,

Although I'm one of the 'free-range - preferably organic' brigade I just wanted to say thanks for your post, I thought it was quite brave considering what had gone before.
Everyone is entitled to their own opinion after all and I'm sure lots of people who read this thread will share yours.

BB
x

thriftlady_2

Boatie_Bird wrote:

Hey Hazzie,

Although I'm one of the 'free-range - preferably organic' brigade I just wanted to say thanks for your post, I thought it was quite brave considering what had gone before.
Everyone is entitled to their own opinion after all and I'm sure lots of people who read this thread will share yours.

BB
x

I agree A valid choice especially if you've a tight budget and family to feed who want meat every day, there's little option.

allIcouldwishfor

Boatie_Bird wrote:

Hey Hazzie,

Although I'm one of the 'free-range - preferably organic' brigade I just wanted to say thanks for your post, I thought it was quite brave considering what had gone before.
Everyone is entitled to their own opinion after all and I'm sure lots of people who read this thread will share yours.

BB
x

True, I agree.

My only gripe about encouraging people to go organic is that it marginalises those who genuinely can't afford it. I think as long as people are making an informed choice and are aware of the differences between organic, free range and battery reared meat, then that's a matter for them. I don't like to think that people buy battery meat under the false impression it's had a nice life.

comping_cat

Hazzie - im glad for your post too, ive been feeling dreadful since admitting that, although i prefer to buy organic/free range, i do buy the cheap stuff too. It isnt a choice - my children need feeding, and i only have so much money. We always eat well, i dont buy ready meals or processed food, i make sure they have plenty of fresh fruit and veg, but if i cut out the meat, they wouldnt be eating as much (they wont eat meat substitutes)
With regards to the 'hormones' pumped into chickens, yes, i agree, i dont want to feed my children that, i also dont like the fact that our water supply is also pumped full of very similar hormones due to the eating habits of the majority and the way that industry uses these things, but i dont have a choice - and ive been feeling awfull that some people consider those who either have to, or choose to buy cheaper meat are doing something wrong. Like i said, i would prefer not to buy it, but dont always have that option.

thriftlady_2

thriftlady wrote:

Sometimes, though I buy barn reared chicken from my butcher. It is produced by the same farmer who rears the free-range chickens I buy. I am assured by the butcher that these birds live in reasonable conditions ie; not kneeling in their own filth, with room to flap and perch etc. Some barn reared birds have better lives than others. Tbh I'm not sure how you can be sure which are which

To reiterate, not all non-free-range chicken has been reared in terrible conditions. I've seen photos of the barn-reared chickens I buy (in their barn) and they are not the same as the dreadful ones you may have seen on TV. Someone mentioned Waitrose as having high welfare standards for their non-free-range chicken.

allIcouldwishfor

thriftlady wrote:

To reiterate, not all non-free-range chicken has been reared in terrible conditions. I've seen photos of the barn-reared chickens I buy (in their barn) and they are not the same as the dreadful ones you may have seen on TV. Someone mentioned Waitrose as having high welfare standards for their non-free-range chicken.

I read an article saying that a lot of people aren't aware of the difference between battery and barn-reared. The impact of this is that consumers are not prepared to pay a bit extra for it, so farmers who want to convert from battery to barn rearing can't cover the cost involved in changing.