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Free Range vs. Pastured Poultry
What's the difference between pastured and free range chickens?
In your local grocery store you are likely to find free range chickens for sale and most with a label that says "Locally Grown." But the truth is there may be very little difference between those free range chickens and those commercially raised. Free range only means that the chickens aren't kept in tiny cages and must have some access to the outside - typically through a small chicken door. They may never actually go outside and they most likely have no access to green grass. With the cold weather in Washington state, any chickens raised during the fall and winter will likely spend their entire life indoors. Their environment becomes the same as commercially raised chicken because of the lack of fresh air and green grass. Because of this you recieve none of the flavor or health benefits associated with pastured chickens.
Our pastured chickens are raised only in the spring and summer and spend their life entirely outside in movable pens. Each day they are moved once or twice a day to an area with fresh grass. They breath fresh air while scratching and pecking the way they were created to do.
Pastured poulty has huge benefits for your health. Our chickens are raised on grass that is never treated with pesticides or fertilizers. We supplement their diet with a ration of organic feed. In turn, the fat and calories of our chicken is about half of commercially raised poultry. And the omeg3's are double that of their commercially raised counterparts. And they taste better because they've been eating grass instead of only grain.
