Health benefits of free range chickens
Did you know that pasture-raised chickens are nutritionally superior to those raised in commercial factories? Grazing poultry are chickens (and other birds such as ducks and geese) that are raised in bottomless cages on grass where they peck and scratch the ground and search for insects and seeds along with their grain. Their manure is spread over wide areas of pasture as they move. This is better for the birds and the soil.
They are sometimes mistakenly called free-range chickens. Free-range chickens are still kept in confinement, they are simply allowed to “raise free” within their buildings. From eggs to plastic-wrapped thighs, commercial poultry are housed in closed confinement, with their legs always in their own manure, and they don’t get the benefits of fresh air and sunlight on pastures.
So what are the benefits of eating pastured poultry?
• Clean meat. Commercial poultry is washed in highly chlorinated water and leaves a residue on the meat. That is why Russia and the European Union will not buy poultry products from most American processors.
• Chickens are healthier which translates into healthier meat. As early as the 1930s it was known that confinement and grain only drastically reduced chicken health, resulting in no dead eggs or chicks. When put on grass to eat insects and seeds and allowed to roam, in addition to grain, the hens had normal eggs and the chicks thrived.
• Balancing essential fats in your diet is easy with pastured poultry because it has more Omega-3s than commercial chicken meat.
• Grass-fed poultry has more vitamins E, C, and beta-carotene.
• They do not contain hormones, antibiotics or drugs.
• They do not contain arsenic. Commercial poultry feed on traces of arsenic in their feed. This is a poison that stimulates your appetite. Traces of arsenic can be found in meat.
• Meat is tastier. Ask the chefs at high-end restaurants. They will pay more for free-range chicken and other meats because they enjoy cooking with it and are in high demand.
Look for local producers, farmers, and settlers to herd or let your poultry roam. Learn about the origin of your food and enjoy the nutritional benefits of free range poultry.
© 2009 Shanna Ohmes