Free range chicken has become an increasingly popular option for health-conscious consumers looking to buy meat from chickens that were able to roam freely outdoors. But what exactly does “free range” mean and how does it compare to other common chicken labels like organic and pasture-raised? This detailed guide breaks down everything you need to know about free range chickens.
What is Free Range Chicken?
According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), for chicken to be labeled as free range, the birds must have had access to the outdoors. However, the regulations are fairly loose and don’t specify details like:
- The size of the outdoor area
- The amount of time chickens have access
- The condition or type of outdoor space (dirt vs grass for example)
So a free range chicken may technically have had “access” to the outdoors, but that could mean only a small gravel yard for a short period each day. There’s no requirement for ample space to roam and grass to graze on.
The USDA also doesn’t audit farms to check that outdoor access is actually provided So the free range label is not thoroughly regulated Some farmers do provide meaningful outdoor space, while others may do the bare minimum to meet requirements.
How Free Range Compares to Other Chicken Labels
Take a quick look at how the free range standard stacks up against other food labels:
-
Certified Humane Free Range Requires at least 2 square feet of outdoor space per bird with vegetation for grazing Chickens must be outdoors for at least 6 hours per day More stringent regulations than basic free range.
-
Pasture Raised: 108+ square feet of outdoor space per bird. Chickens able to roam and graze freely on grass pastures. Considered the gold standard for humane chicken raising.
-
Organic: Must have outdoor access plus 100% organic feed with no antibiotics or hormones. Has stricter regulations than basic free range.
So while organic, pasture raised, and Certified Humane free range have more specific standards, basic free range can still vary quite a bit from farm to farm.
The Benefits of Free Range Chickens
Research has shown that when free range chickens have a lot of time outside, they benefit in a number of ways:
- Increased exercise leads to better muscle and bone development
- Natural sunlight provides vitamin D
- Fresh air reduces respiratory diseases
- Access to grass and bugs provides a more diverse, natural diet
Meat and eggs from chickens allowed unlimited outdoor access also have shown benefits versus conventional chickens:
- Higher in healthy fats like omega-3s
- More iron, zinc, vitamin E
- Less saturated fat and cholesterol
But because the rules for free range aren’t very strict, not all free range chickens get those benefits. Pasture raised and organic have more assurances.
Where to Buy True Free Range Chicken
Your best bet for finding genuine free range chicken is directly from a local farmer at a farmer’s market or farm stand. Small local farms are more likely to give chickens ample outdoor access.
You can also check for the Certified Humane Free Range label from reputable brands at stores like Whole Foods. And if your budget allows, pasture raised and organic offer even better assurances.
The Problem with Misleading Labels
While the free range label aims to appeal to ethical consumers, in reality it allows for crowded indoor conditions and barely any time outdoors.
According to animal welfare groups, a typical “free range” chicken may live in a massive shed packed with tens of thousands of other birds, with just a small door leading to a tiny outdoor lot. Not exactly the spacious pastures that “free range” seems to imply.
So if humane animal treatment is important to you, don’t stop at the free range label. Do your research into actual practices and look for stricter certifications like Certified Humane, Animal Welfare Approved or pasture raised.
While free range chicken sounds great, actual standards are loose and quality varies dramatically. For chickens that truly live outdoors with space to exhibit natural behaviors, pasture raised and organic offer more assurances. Or seek out local farms you can actually visit and see the conditions for yourself. An informed consumer is the best defense against misleading labels.
Chickens in Their Natural Environment
Some smaller farms let their chickens roam freely during the day. At night, chickens naturally want to roost and gather close together, so putting them in a coop at night respects both their natural behavior and their need to be safe from predators. These chickens may even gather a significant amount of their food themselves. These farms will often put the label “pastured,” which has no legal or regulated meaning, on their chickens to differentiate them from the less-free legal definition of free-range chickens. .
If nothing else, free-range chickens are, at least, kept cage-free. So the label isnt meaningless, it can just be a bit misleading if youre imaging chickens roaming through pastures or bopping around the barnyard to their own tune.
What Is Free-Range Chicken?
“Free-range” is a term that refers to a method of animal husbandry where animals are able to roam freely outdoors rather than being confined by an enclosure for 24 hours a day. “Free-range” or “free-roaming” chicken must be “allowed access to the outside,” but this can mean a lot of different things. Larger producers, unfortunately, have been known to follow only the letter of the law, not its spirit, and put open windows or small doors that lead to paved patches of the ground at the ends of large, crowded hen houses that are from anyones idyllic notion of farm life or the best possible life for a chicken. These chickens can then legally be labeled “free-range” even though their habitat is far from what anyone would consider all that free.
Importantly, there are many farmers who do, in fact, give lots of free-range to their free-range chickens, whose chickens have real, meaningful access to the outdoors, and are even free to roam (usually within large, moveable enclosures) on real fields and actual pastures, hunting and pecking for extra food along the way. A lot of farmers even use hay bales or old farm tools to give the chickens places to run around and do natural things like roosting and climbing.
FREE RANGING CHICKENS 101 | How To Train Backyard Poultry | PROS & CONS | Caring For Egg Laying Hens
FAQ
What’s the difference between free-range chicken and regular chicken?
Free Range means that chickens have “access to the outdoors. ” Sounds reasonable, right? Except that 99. 99% of modern day conventional chicken is raised in what’s called a “grow house,” a 600ft long x 40ft wide tunnel packed with 30,000-40,000 chickens. You’ve seen the photos.
Is free-range chicken actually healthier?
Benefits of free-range chicken They are exposed to more sunlight than other chickens and are more active. This usually results in healthier meat for the consumer. Free-range chickens have a broader diet. They are able to search for and eat grass, herbs, and bugs.
What is the downside to free-range chickens?
The chickens can scratch up your grass for dust baths. They need shelter to protect themselves from predators. Free-ranging birds have the tendency to hide their eggs. Free-ranging birds can wreak havoc on your seed beds and gardens.
Do free-range chickens actually go outside?
According to USDA, free-range chickens must be “allowed access to the outside. ” That doesn’t mean they actually have to go outside. They just have to have outdoor access.