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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to ask MEAT EATERS if you buy free range or standard chicken?

283 replies

Granllanog · 04/10/2021 11:03

I got attacked on my last thread for saying I buy standard supermarket chicken. Considering only 4% of all of the chicken produced in the UK is free-range and only 1% is organic I don't think I am unusual in doing this?

YABU = I'm a meat eater and only ever eat/buy free-range chicken.
YANBU = I buy standard chicken.

OP posts:
Comedycook · 04/10/2021 14:07

I'm under no illusion about factory farming. It's grim. However, I prioritise cost and feeding my family food I know they'll eat. I don't feel guilty and it makes me sick when better off people lecture those who aren't as privileged about their choices.

Westerman · 04/10/2021 14:07

Turkey & chicken are the only meats I eat and I can't afford organic, so I just buy what is on the shelves. It'd be lovely to buy the good stuff but it's well out of my reach, financially. Food is even more expensive than usual right now, too. I'm not surprised many people can't afford to eat healthily.

ducksalive · 04/10/2021 14:08

I buy free range have done for decades but I know it is a minority that do.
I do eat chicken when out and about which is standard production levels so I know I am contributing to the cheap meat problem as well.

I remember when most eggs were battery farmed and hope the chicken can move the same way gradually in time.

KingsleyShacklebolt · 04/10/2021 14:08

Because @Claudethecat I do not believe for one second that people are being honest. Because as someone said, 96% if chickens sold are not free range organic. But everyone in MN buys only organic free range or goes without?

Are they so scared of the vegans that they won't tell the truth?

Claudethecat · 04/10/2021 14:08

Why would people come on the thread to lie about their chicken eating habits?

Claudethecat · 04/10/2021 14:09

Maybe the people who care about the provenance of their meat are more likely to post on a thread about the matter?

RussianSpy101 · 04/10/2021 14:10

Not a clue. I just buy whatever’s there and looks the best usually

Mamamia7962 · 04/10/2021 14:10

I buy organic or corn fed free range chicken. Can definitely taste the difference between more expensive chicken and cheaper chicken. I buy organic eggs as well, and only buy British meat.

I wouldn't judge anybody who couldn't afford to do this. Our children are adults now so we have the money to buy better quality food. When they were younger and money was tight I would buy what we could afford.

KingsleyShacklebolt · 04/10/2021 14:11

@Claudethecat

Why would people come on the thread to lie about their chicken eating habits?
Fuck knows. Probably because there are lots of other threads pretty much calling people who either eat any meat, or don't slaughter their own psychopaths who put no value on life?
ducksalive · 04/10/2021 14:11

If you buy free range or organic chicken you are making a deliberate choice, so you are more likely to be bothered to post about it.
Obviously most people buy standard chicken but every supermarket sells higher welfare chicken so some people do buy it as well.

forinborin · 04/10/2021 14:11

I haven't eaten chicken in a very long time but as far as I know "free range" doesn't mean they're not those freakish frankenbirds that grow so fast they struggle to walk and breathe.
Yes, this. A true high welfare chicken actually should look very unappetising, it should be quite a lean and athletic bird with a lot of sinews and little fat. Very bad for roasting, excellent for stews and soups.
Everything that looks plump and juicy is actually a genetical nightmare, a bird that is pretty much disabled by 8 weeks of age. It does not matter if they are "free range", the free range space allowances per head are ridiculous and they cannot really "range" in the traditional sense anyway.

HollyandIvyandAllThingsYule · 04/10/2021 14:14

@KingsleyShacklebolt

This u is a such bullshit. Everyone saying that they but organic free range of would rather do without,

So who's buying all the ordinary chickens? What a bunch of liars.

It’s not bullshit and it’s not our fault if you can’t understand how statistics work.

The MN demographic is heavily skewed towards those on a higher income who can afford to make the choice to buy ethically. Naturally answers on a thread like this won’t necessarily reflect national statistics. Many people outside of MN can’t afford to make that choice, and many others also don’t care about it.

We don’t eat supermarket chicken or meat because we have the luxury of living semi-rurally and we have access to meat that’s been reared locally, and the difference in quality and flavour is marked. We’re happy to pay a bit extra for it. If we could no longer afford it we would be happy to eat meat less often, and far less of it, in order to continue to buy the more expensive option. That’s what we prioritise, for ethical reasons and societal reasons and also because it tastes much, much better.

XenoBitch · 04/10/2021 14:15

@Comedycook

I'm under no illusion about factory farming. It's grim. However, I prioritise cost and feeding my family food I know they'll eat. I don't feel guilty and it makes me sick when better off people lecture those who aren't as privileged about their choices.
Yep. I have been told in this thread that not being able to afford organic is not an excuse, and another poster telling me to eat meat free alternatives instead.

I hope the high horse they are sitting on has good welfare standards too.

Claudethecat · 04/10/2021 14:15

Everything that looks plump and juicy is actually a genetical nightmare, a bird that is pretty much disabled by 8 weeks of age

Does this apply to organic chickens as well? Genuine question, not being sarky.

MrsMiddleMother · 04/10/2021 14:16

Bit of both. I buy free range raw chicken (whole/breast etc) but buy any chicken nuggets/dippers/burgers

forinborin · 04/10/2021 14:17

@OhGiveUp

I raise, slaughter and eat my own, the same as I do with rabbits.
This is a very balanced and ethical approach, actually. I do have an occasional roaster from my egg laying flock, but far, far away from self-sufficiency. Not prepared to do it with rabbits though, to much of a wuss.
Mamamia7962 · 04/10/2021 14:19

forinborin - You can tell the difference just by looking at a corn fed free range chicken. It's a different colour and doesn't have that plumped up look.

KingsleyShacklebolt · 04/10/2021 14:22

So more than half of the people who read AIBU are in the 4% who buy the organic stuff? Ok then. Hmm

HollyandIvyandAllThingsYule · 04/10/2021 14:23

Yes, that’s really not inconceivable...

HollyandIvyandAllThingsYule · 04/10/2021 14:24

And it’s not necessarily a percentage of those who read AIBU is it...it’s a percentage of the people who’ve answered the question. Big difference.

BringPizza · 04/10/2021 14:29

Hardly have meat because it’s dear but ours comes direct from the local farm shop so I’m confident it’s proper free range- you can see the chickens down the side.

forinborin · 04/10/2021 14:29

@Claudethecat

Everything that looks plump and juicy is actually a genetical nightmare, a bird that is pretty much disabled by 8 weeks of age

Does this apply to organic chickens as well? Genuine question, not being sarky.

Yes. It is not due to the welfare standards, it is the genetics that is specifically selected in the line. I tried to hatch a few broilers from popular commercial lines (have a small backyard / hobby flock here). Many of them actually die of heart attacks / overheating / breathing difficulties before reaching maturity, as the pp said very aptly - they are indeed frankenbirds. I suspect (not an expert though) their immune system is also non-existent, as they seem to catch any bug going round. I feel very strong now on the topic. There's a very fresh RSPCA report on the topic - they actually go as far as saying these birds live a life "not worth living". Report below, probably I should give a trigger warning too.

www.rspca.org.uk/webContent/staticImages/BroilerCampaign/EatSitSufferRepeat.pdf

Jensonfromtheblock · 04/10/2021 14:29

I would prefer to buy organic free range everything but sadly money doesn’t allow it. You can buy an extra large chicken from Tesco for about £4 which feeds us all for a roast and then leftovers to pick at for the next couple of days or to make into another meal. I bought an organic one before for more than twice the price, it was much smaller and it didn’t even taste as nice. I know it’s sad for the chickens but organic is just too expensive.

RedRiverShore · 04/10/2021 14:33

Free range if a chicken but more often birds eye chicken grills and stuff like that which I dare say is highly processed battery hen

ducksalive · 04/10/2021 14:35

There are less than 200 responses on this thread.
There are obviously many thousands of people who buy free range or organic meat, free range meat isn't that much more expensive.
So it seems perfectly possible that this number of people chose to answer the question.
They are more likely to answer the question than standard chicken eaters as they are going to be more invested in it.