I wanna buy free range chicken...

mucker_2

...but am reluctant to pay the extortioniate supermarket prices.

If you know of any good farm shops or independent butchers in the North Cheshire, Wirral or Flintshire areas I'd like to to hear from you.

Thanks.

f1re_cr4cker

i didnt think free rnage was that expensive in supermarkets- we bought a chicken today in Sainsburys that was free range and it was 3.99. A corn fed one (the rspca ones) were £3.25.

Shambler

Strewth those are good prices, I'm sure they are more expensive in Tesco...off to check.

...free range whole is £7.38, corn fed are £3.58 per kilo.

The trick is to buy a whole one and make it last 2-3 days...

Day1) breast
Day2) legs
Day3) soup!

Little_John

OK so someone watched the show that Jamie Oliver did on tv the other night.

I was shocked at the amount of money that is made by the farmer/producer 3p a chicken. and I didnt realise that free range chucks were still locked up at night I thought they were out all the time.

indierocker85

Little_John wrote: »

OK so someone watched the show that Jamie Oliver did on tv the other night.

I was shocked at the amount of money that is made by the farmer/producer 3p a chicken. and I didnt realise that free range chucks were still locked up at night I thought they were out all the time.

Yes, too risky to leave them out because of foxes. Someone told me that when they kept in battereys they are literally stood and kneeling in their own faeces and urine and apparently it burns their feet. If you buy a non free range chicken you'll often notice red burns on there legs. Awful

rescuedogs

Hi, I am on the Wirral. I don't know what prices are like because I have not been yet but Church Farm at Thurstaston has a good reputation.

Blacksheep1979

I would have thought that farm shops would be more expensive as they don't have the buying power or sell as many

Little_John

indierocker85 wrote: »

Someone told me that when they kept in battereys they are literally stood and kneeling in their own faeces and urine and apparently it burns their feet. If you buy a non free range chicken you'll often notice red burns on there legs. Awful

No, battery chickens live in cages and the !!!! drops through the bottom of the cage. battery chickens don't make it in the the food chain as a chuck on a polystyren tray they are cut up and end up used for other stuff and then mechanically reclaimed meat for hot dogs and stuff.

The ones with the burns are fast growing birds that you see in this picture.

They actually don't seem to packed in they are normally packed more than this. the birds grow so fast that their legs can't support their weight so they end up sat down in whatever comes out of the back of the chicken.

indierocker85

Little_John wrote: »

No, battery chickens live in cages and the !!!! drops through the bottom of the cage. battery chickens don't make it in the the food chain as a chuck on a polystyren tray they are cut up and end up used for other stuff and then mechanically reclaimed meat for hot dogs and stuff.

The ones with the burns are fast growing birds that you see in this picture.

They actually don't seem to packed in they are normally packed more than this. the birds grow so fast that their legs can't support their weight so they end up sat down in whatever comes out of the back of the chicken.

Its horrible,Morally I owuld rather pay a bit more and know that its been well fed and not treat like ****

shellsuit

Try Edge & Son, on New Chester Road in New Ferry, Wirral. (They are right opposite Somerfield)

They are an independant butchers and sell free range and organic galore

Ring and check before you make a journey though (0151 645 3044 )

consumermonkey

This weekend, I decided to try an experiment. I bought three chickens (All the meat was used, none got as far as the bin!)
A free range, a standard and a frozen. All from the place where they claim "every little helps." All three were similar weights, at least that was the claim on the packets, and ALL were well in date. I cooked them all at the same time in the same tray with a little oil, salt and pepper.
As a HUGE surprise to me, the free range bird did have a little more flavour, but was exceptionally dry. (I am a reasonable cook and know how to cook a chicken so am reluctant to take the blame). My Mother who was taking part in the test much preferred the standard chicken and I shocked myself to prefer the frozen.
Although all three birds were supposed to be similar weights, there were very noticeable differences in the sizes of the chickens.

I will try this again in the future to give the free range another fighting chance. i would much prefer to buy a bird with a better life, I found the price in Tesco to be not too bad for the free range, but with this poor experience, I hpe things will improve.