Anyone tried pasture raised chickens?

CPARKTX2

An ad for this company popped up on my Facebook feed, and it made me curious...any tried pasture raised chickens, and if so is it worth it...or just "chicken"?

https://cooksventure.com/ 

ColtsFan

There is a difference. Prices are inline with a local farm. I’ll typically pay $20 for 3.5-4 lb bird

Wolfpack

While I agree there is a difference, I don’t find the spread to be as significant as that of choice and prime beef. 

alaskanassasin

Define pasture.

SGH

alaskanassasin said:

Define pasture.

I am wondering if they are calling pasture raised what we refer to as free range. Haven’t read the article so it’s just a shot in the dark. 

ColtsFan

Pasture in my example is a dedicated space where Turkey’s and Chickens roam the grass lands. Guarded by a couple of Great Pyrenees of course

alaskanassasin

followed the link, and it looks legit. 

alaskanassasin

SGH our laying hens are free range with a automatic coop door that opens at sunrise and closes at sunset.

GregW

I don't know about free range chickens, but I specifically dislike grass fed beef.

kl8ton

I've tried raising my own non-GMO fed chickens that had access to pasture. 
Reading the FAQs on the cooks venture website, they are doing everything they can to check all the boxes for the discerning buyer.  

The logistics of what they do is extremely labor intensive.  The breed(s) they are selling require you to raise them 2-3x longer than store bought birds.  Living 2-3x longer, they have that much longer to be taken by a predator as they free range. They have that much longer to get sick and die.  They have that much longer to catch some disease that wipes out the flock.  You pay for that with each bird. 

 It is one of those rabbit holes you can go down.  Rabbit holes are almost always a lot more work, a lot more money, and most of the time worth it.  You come out with the perspective that you don't mind paying someone $25 for a whole chicken knowing they "did it right." I know @The Cen-Tex Smoker @20stone @caliking @Foghorn @Sea2Ski and more have gone down the road of better tasting animals that are raised right.  You get to see the process for yourself and know things are being done the best way possible and that the animals are respected and treated humanely.  

I documented my progress here.  It's a bit TLDR but I learned a lot. 

https://eggheadforum.com/discussion/1209038/from-egg-to-egg/p1

My advice would be to buy one or two whole chickens from them and also buy one or two whole chickens from the local grocery store.  Cook them at the same time, the same way.  Taste for yourself.  You will only be out a little bit of money.  

alaskanassasin

That reminds me I haven’t seen spooks in a couple days...

UplandEgger

If yuh want to buy a really quality chicken, buy one that’s been air cooled; it’s the “hanger aged” equivalent for chicken. 

I’ve raised and slaughtered my own chickens before; the broilers get enormous fast; and GMO or non GMO or pasture raised or not grow really fast and don’t have as “chicken-ey” a taste.  The cockerels that I butchered had meat that was tougher, but the stock was remarkable, and cooked properly (Chicken Roma) are amazing.  

Eoin

Given a less intensive feed regime and more exercise, a free range chicken will grow more slowly, so you get better quality, tastier meat.

Foghorn

kl8ton said:

I've tried raising my own non-GMO fed chickens that had access to pasture. 
Reading the FAQs on the cooks venture website, they are doing everything they can to check all the boxes for the discerning buyer.  

The logistics of what they do is extremely labor intensive.  The breed(s) they are selling require you to raise them 2-3x longer than store bought birds.  Living 2-3x longer, they have that much longer to be taken by a predator as they free range. They have that much longer to get sick and die.  They have that much longer to catch some disease that wipes out the flock.  You pay for that with each bird. 

 It is one of those rabbit holes you can go down.  Rabbit holes are almost always a lot more work, a lot more money, and most of the time worth it.  You come out with the perspective that you don't mind paying someone $25 for a whole chicken knowing they "did it right." I know @The Cen-Tex Smoker @20stone @caliking @Foghorn @Sea2Ski and more have gone down the road of better tasting animals that are raised right.  You get to see the process for yourself and know things are being done the best way possible and that the animals are respected and treated humanely.  

I documented my progress here.  It's a bit TLDR but I learned a lot. 

https://eggheadforum.com/discussion/1209038/from-egg-to-egg/p1

My advice would be to buy one or two whole chickens from them and also buy one or two whole chickens from the local grocery store.  Cook them at the same time, the same way.  Taste for yourself.  You will only be out a little bit of money.  

It's a rabbit hole alright - at least with pigs.  And I'm pretty sure that the last 1/2 pound of prosciutto cost me over $100.  But is was worth every penny for the reasons mentioned above - and because it is the best prosciutto I've ever tasted - but mostly there are 2 other reasons.  1) We did it as a group so it led to some of the most enjoyable get-togethers I've ever experienced with other eggheads and 2) the other members of our group did most of the work.  So, I just wrote checks and contributed to the workload when I could - but I didn't have obligations.  Ultimately, we decided that it was a great journey but we have chosen not to continue it at this time because of the effort and cost - and because there are people out there doing things the right way that we can support.  I think that @kl8ton's last paragraph above is where I'd start.

Then, if you still want to go down the path, try the @20stone approach and pretend you are the Pied Piper and see if you can get any other crazy people to follow you down the path.  Group efforts are a lot more fun.

Sweet100s

@CPARKTX2, I bought my Turkey from this texas farm via Wheatsville Coop
https://www.whitehurstfarm.com/

Their turkeys are sold out (when buying on their website,  not via Wheatsville) but looks like they deliver lots of other poultry, etc., to your home.

They have some very pretty chickens on their website... 

Botch

You sure they didn't just mis-spell "pasteurized"?    

Sea2Ski

@kl8ton I think said it best with respect to taste and cost and why the price difference. There is a difference if you compare side by side as well as how it is prepared. Roasted you will see the biggest difference, chicken parm, not so much...  if you tried them, let us know your thoughts.