Hugh's Chicken Run (Merged Discussion)

margaretclare

The comment about 'celebrity-type people' highlighting issues like these - they can get the publicity, they can stand up and get on TV and reach a much wider audience. Also Hugh has the resources - his own farm - to set up that experiment with the 2 types of chicken-rearing. I could stand up and say much the same things - and who would listen to me? 'Oh she's just another wrinkly, a dinosaur, a has-been, going on about how things used to be, doesn't understand the modern world, how people are short of money because they and their kids have got to have 'stuff' like everyone else has....'

When we went to Tesco yesterday I was under the impression - had been told when the refurbishment and extension of the store was going on - that goods would be better-displayed - clothing, household goods etc would be separate from groceries, which, after all, is what DH and I go there for. Not a bit of it. You walk through rows and rows of plasma TVs, music, CDs, magazines, clothing, before you even get to the groceries. One of the reasons I like the local Waitrose is that they do keep things at different ends of the store. If I want to buy a TV I don't buy it along with the normal food shopping - but some people obviously do?

I watched a bit of the 'Dispatches' programme last evening, gave up on it in the end. Thanks for the report on it. But it did illustrate to me how those of us who would like to cook more from scratch, not use ready-meals etc, are in a minority. These things are just shoved at you, and once something becomes the norm in society, it becomes ever harder to change it back. There are advantages, don't think I want to go back to 1940s-50s rationing!! - but I don't want to live the way Tesco et al want us to live. Banking, insurance, clothing, TVs, everything under one roof, that's the aim. And McD's stated aim is one of theirs every mile, throughout the world.

I read the label on the chicken drumsticks that we bought and it seems that, as well as being organic, they are free-range, from a farm in Co Tyrone. Well, I hope that what I read is true!

Going away for a luxury weekend, our 6th wedding anniversary on Monday, best wishes to all

Margaret

boo81

Just for info, organic chickens are always free range with those certified as soil association standards having the highest welfare. So you dont need to look for organic free range chickens.

Cazzdevil

G-G wrote: »

& I hate to say it, because I am all for animal welfare, but chickens have very small brains and they are being reared for food, they are not pets and they are not as intelligent as say a dog... People seem to forget this..

This was put up by Dizzy Lizzie on the DFW thread relating to this subject, you might want to re-think your opinion of chickens

posted by Scarlet, 1 March 2006 23:16
Many people believe that the term 'bird brained' is an insult, because chickens and other birds are stupid. Scientist, however, have proven that chickens have the comparable intelligence of a 3 year old human child. They are equally as intelligent as most primates, and more intelligent than cats and dogs. People are now realising the hidden intelligence behind chickens...

It has been discovered that chickens have over 30 different 'noises'. They have a specific danger call, and then 3 more descriptive danger calls to say whether the predator is on land, in the air or on water.

Chickens can recognise and differentiate from up to a 100 chickens - no small feat when you think how similar they often look! They recognise their fellow flock members by facial features, much the same as how we recognise our friends.

It has also been discovered that chickens know an object is still there when it has been buried, which is more intelligent than a two year old human child.

As part of an experiment, scientists dyed half of the corn fed to a flock of chickens red, and added a chemical to make the chickens ill. The chickens quickly realised that it was the red corn making them ill, and when they gave birth they guided the offspring away from the red corn and back to the naturally coloured corn. The offspring then gave birth to a new generation and they, too, guided their children away from the red corn. So next time somebody calls you bird-brained, take it as the complement it is!

HariboJunkie

boo81 wrote: »

Just for info, organic chickens are always free range with those certified as soil association standards having the highest welfare. So you dont need to look for organic free range chickens.

I agree with you about the soil association but there are other organic certifying bodies whose record on animal welfare is not so squeaky clean.

jordylass

Thank you for that boo, I've always wondered about it. The possibility that an intensively farmed bird could be fed an organic diet and be called organic.

boo81

Ive read the EU council regulations 2092/91 on the defra website which are the EU regulations covering organic farming in the UK and they state poultry should:
- have ventilation, light, 8 hours of darkness, perches, freedom of movement to flap wings, groom etc
-have outside access for at least 1/3 of their life except when vetinary advice conflicts (eg. bird flu areas)
-live for 81 days
-have a density of no more than 4800 chickens per building

Thats the minimum standard for whatever the accredictaion they recieve.

margaretclare

Thanks to boo81 - that answered the question that had been bugging me since yesterday.

Margaret

sallyrsm

She really wound me up too. I cannot speak for her as I don't know her circumstances (she might have lots of debts) but I am a single parent who works full time and I can afford free range chicken. You only need to look at the adverts in the paper for the trolley full of BOGOF's at Morrisons to realise that if you look on the receipt there is not a single meal to be had in the whole trolley and it's cost you £70 !!!
It is woefully easy to spend massive amounts on a weekly shop full of rubbish. I used to before I became MS... Now we buy fresh all the way and make meals from scratch and the bill has come down massively. I will never again buy cheap chicken. If needs be we'll have less and pad the meal out with grains.

HariboJunkie

boo81 wrote: »

Ive read the EU council regulations 2092/91 on the defra website which are the EU regulations covering organic farming in the UK and they state poultry should:
- have ventilation, light, 8 hours of darkness, perches, freedom of movement to flap wings, groom etc
-have outside access for at least 1/3 of their life except when vetinary advice conflicts (eg. bird flu areas)
-live for 81 days
-have a density of no more than 4800 chickens per building

Thats the minimum standard for whatever the accredictaion they recieve.

The stocking density seems to a fairly relaxed criteria though .

The sory changes from website to website.
To be on the safe side if you want Organic and High welfare free range, the Soil Association is your best bet.

[Deleted User]

we had our free range chicken earlier this week and it did 5 wonderful meals. Today I have a big pot of lentil and vegetable soup on the hob. This will do nicely for 3 days. Our other meal today will be a simple vegetable and walnut stir fry. I will add in a home made eves pudding and home made bread

I have to say that the programme last night made me even more determined to stay away from the supermarkets. It is (naturally) all about profits and they are getting away with too much re their labelling. Healthy meals, indeed!!

Trouble is that so many people work very hard and go home shattered and then call into the supermarket when they (the people) are at their most vulnerable to getting sucked in

Hugh has opened a big can of worms and good on him. Now I would like to see some teaching programmes on how to feed a family cheaply with quick meals and no fancy ingredients

My soup is just leftover veggies (celery, carrots, peppers, onion, a little jerusalem artichoke), a tin of tomatoes, marigold stock, lentils and a bouquet garni. I`ll whizz and I`ll chill it quickly and I`ll store it in the fridge, just removing what I need. This type of meal goes hand in hand with stretching meals from a free range chicken. As my MIL used to say I can have the penny and the bun