Cheap HAPPY chickens

MrsE_2

M&S oakham chickens were half price today.

Waitrose (select) chickens & the select chicken breasts are reduced too (I think it was 25% off).

Penny-Pincher!!

Need to stock up on these!

Thanks OP.

PP
xx

susank

I looked at these and they dont seem to be free range ones -I have yet to manage to buy a free range one and certainly dont want a non free range one.

This is what I found out. And I have seen hock burn on them too.
Dear

Thank you for your e-mail.

All the fresh chickens sold in Marks & Spencer stores are its own
exclusive breed, Oakham. The animal welfare standards for Oakham
Chickens are leading standards and are over and above all other national
schemes.

Oakham Chickens are slower growing birds, which are reared in barns at
low stocking densities. The barns have straw bales, which give the
birds the opportunity to express their natural behaviour like perching,
ground pecking and resting. The chickens are inspected a minimum of
three times a day and farmers submit a weekly animal welfare report to
Marks & Spencer's own team of animal welfare experts.

Marks & Spencer believes hock burn is unacceptable. Its Oakham Chickens
have been developed to help reduce the presence of hock burn. The diet,
exercise and the better environment enables birds to demonstrate their
natural behaviour and therefore, the likelihood for hock burn to occur
is significantly reduced.

Marks & Spencer has worked with poultry nutrition experts to develop a
bespoke feed for the Oakham chickens. This bespoke feed encourages good
health and welfare - it is non-GM, cereal based vegetarian diet, free
from antibiotic growth promoters.
We believe it's really important to listen carefully to our customers
and we really value your feedback.

linzibean

Not free range, but the welfare is slightly better, and it's a great in-between step for people who can't easily find a free range chicken. Stocks are low everywhere at the moment due to increased demand, and it' better to have this standard which will at least have the buyer thinking about the conditions of their meat chickens, rather than having to resort to Mr T's £1.99 broiler birds. It's not the ideal, but it's a good start.

MrsE_2

I'm sure on the Jamie Oliver programme it said to buy M&S oakham & Waitrose select????? Near the end of the programme???

I was feeling all chuffed with myself because I buy these anyway.

So they are not free range, not happy chickens.
But an inbetween happier chicken?

Its so easy to "think" you are doing the right thing!

VickyA_2

They are "happier" chickens because they have a LIFE even though it's not outside. They have activities to do and perches to jump on/balls to push - hey they probably even have internet access. They also have good ventilation. On that Jamie Oliver programme, this way of rearing chickens was shown as the "happy medium".

MrsE_2

Do any supermarkets sell proper free range then?

Or is it just farm shops?

VickyA_2

MrsE wrote: »

Do any supermarkets sell proper free range then?

Or is it just farm shops?

Tesco and Sainsburys definitely sell free range. If it says on the label "free range" then it has to be that (which is why it doesn't say it on the M&S Oakham labels).

Personally I avoid buying meat at the supermarket, but that's because we have two excellent butchers in our (very small) town and so we're able to have that luxury. These butchers only sell "happier chickens" and "very happy chickens" but I would suggest you check how the chicken is reared. Most butchers have nothing to hide and so will gladly tell you where it came from and how it was reared. The ones that do have something to hide are the ones that won't tell you and you should turn round straight away and walk out of that door.

wishiwasarichgirl

Cheap HAPPY chickens

don't think they're very happy now, they're dead...

Rowan9

Anyone else noticed that Tesco has filled its shelves with chickens at a special price of £1.99? I'm really disgusted with them. I think it seems like a Tesco v Jamie and Hugh with the gloves off now. I def won't be buying a £1.99 chicken but realise that some people maybe feel they don't have the luxury of that choice.
w

susank

I asked my wonderful butcher yesterday and he does NOT sell free range chickens - they are like the M & S ones - more room etc in the barn but not access to light outside or fresh air - I told him that was fine but I could not buy one. He reckoned the free range ones were tougher as not as much fat on them!. We agreed to disagree as it was a good natures banter.