No free range chickens this far north......its too cold. Bolleaux of the highest?

[niceglasses]

According to my local friendly butcher its too far north up here for free range chickens. They don't like the cold. We live in the Arctic, sorry, Newcastle.

Is he talking tommy rot?

I have been buying his chickens, (tho when strapped must admit to buying any old chick) nicely labelled 'Northumbrian Free Range Meats', but when I asked he said oh no, they are Barn chickens........

Any northern chicken experts out there.?

I know of somebody who keeps their free range chickens out in fields in North Yorkshire (which is higher ground) and they are perfectly happy.

Also my butchers in Harrogate managed to sell free range chickens that were bred in north Rigton.

So he's talking out of his bottom.

Oh totally agree. Thats the harsh reality of it. I do me best, but must admit this week it will be 2 from Tesco for a fiver or wotever it is, cos we is BRASSIC

That sounds like a load of old cobblers. I get eggs from people up here (West of Scotland) who have photos of their lovely hens running around outside in the garden. Don't know if chickens for eating are different, but I very much doubt it.

Load of rubbish. Chickens can free range 'up north' no problem.

As to the cost, that's a contentious one. Yes, it does cost more and some people really do struggle to feed their families at all, but many many people really could afford free-range.

Buy less meat, cook more veggie meals, get the most from your meat (I get 3-5 meals for 5 from one chicken), and keep meat as a treat rather than meat-and-two-veg every day. We eat meat a couple of times a week only, that's how we afford organic meat.

While I know some people who really are rock-bottom financially, I know plenty more who claim they can't afford free-range meat or organic veg or whatever, yet spend huge amounts on cable TV, mobile phones, eating out, beer, clothes... And I know others who are on a very tight budget yet still buy 'ethical' food.

Sometimes it's about the choices we make.

i bought some free range organic thighs yesterday. woudl rather have less of good meat than more of crap stuff iykwim

Tesco didn't deliver my free range chicken yesterday and Asda didn't have any this morning. Will try again later in the week but am I don't even eat it, it's for the carnivores (DP and DD1)

exbatt, I may be needing you, Tesco delivered me a mahoosive chicken this morning, nearly twice the size of what I asked for so I shall be trying to persuade the inlaws over for dinner, if not I need recipes for leftover chicken.

Niceglasses, can you not get them from Tesco/Sainsbury/Waitrose/Asda etc?

absolute bolleaux. My great gran kept freerange chickens in darkest Northumberland - and so do my mum's neighbours and she's up by Kielder.

Gran used to have a barn the chickens would retreat to when they were cold. In fact, you might say that they ranged in there freely ...

Well, I can, but I was trying to support a local independant butcher and I was under the impression his were free range. His stuff is good and local.

The last time was in Sainsbos they didn't have any.