That chicken programme, on at 9 tonight, hugh someone...

[charliecat]

3p a chicken the supermarkets pay

I gave up chicken years ago when for part of my job I had to visit a chicken slaughterhouse. I can still smell the smell now, it was horrific. Beef wasn't nice but not too bad but the chicken was just nasty. I try to buy the DDs organic chicken but sometimes it's difficult to find.

People like my DP, SIL etc annoy hell out of me, they love chicken, take the mick out of me for not eating it yet when I have tried to expain animal welfare to them they don't want to know. It's ears and eyes shut lalalalala don't want to know kind of thing. I think everyone should know exactly where the food in their mouths comes from.

Well said that woman!

Message withdrawn

For anyone who was moved by the issues raised in the programe, you can show your support for Hugh's campaign here:

www.chickenout.tv/

I enjoyed it but he's preaching to the converted here

SEA, when my mum was a child, chicken was considered a bit of a luxury and was eaten for Christmas dinner rather than turkey.

Agree about preaching to the converted. I have only eaten free range for 2 years, have seen all the chickeny programmes I need.

Thing is, you think it's better to buy local, but that doesn't mean they are free range. I have never seen butcher chicken marketed as organic or free range. Just because it's not at a supermarket, doesn't make it good.

Yes, Mercy, both my mum and MIL said as much about chicken this Christmas. And the truth is we all would've preferred chicken to turkey (tis tastier and moister, lets be frank) but we don't have it as a treat any more, we view it as an everyday food.

Good post, Daphne.

If you can't afford decently-reared, properly-fed chicken (or any other meat, for that matter), don't buy it. Or buy it once a month and make the most of it. I'm not denying it's far more expensive, but you get what you pay for - or rather the chickens do.

Regular battery-farmed chicken dinners are not mandatory, afaik, and no-one ever died from not eating them.

How many people who complain about the price of a decent chicken will quite happily buy a new DVD every week? Or however many packets of cigarettes costs the same? Or pints of beer?

We have a distorted view about food and how much we should pay for it, yet seem quite happy to spend loads of money consuming other 'essential' things.

And don't forget it's not just whole chickens or chicken pieces we need to think about; ready meals, takeaways, chicken nuggets etc (although I think M&S only use free-range range chicken now).

Good point about chicken from the butcher actually. How local is a London chicken?

Btw, part 2 is on tomorrow followed by another couple of similar programmes.

If people do change their ways and buy free range oragnic etc and there is an increase in demand due to programmes like this then will the supermarkets put the prices up to amke ven more profit ? as the lower priced ones will not sell as much .

Applauds daphneharvey.

Why the hell should animals be raised in such atrocious conditions just because someone will only pay £2.50. Buy something else. And that goes for chicken in restaurants, from take-aways and in convenience foods too.

Sheep, pigs & cows all get a much better deal, even those at the cheapest end of the market.

And Hugh is partly responsible for the hens that live in my garden and give me beautiful eggs every day. And hopefully from this spring, a roast dinner every fortnight.

thought the programme was excellent. I would only eat free range chicken now anyway after watching another one of his programmes but he did say something like - it's not that the free range stuff is too expensive, it's that the battery chickens are too cheap. There was one woman who bought the 2 for £5 chickens and gave one to her dog

I'm not too sure that pigs get a good deal with intensive rearing tbh. I read a piece in the Observer food magazine about 5 years ago about the conditions that farms that supply Tesco kept their pigs in, it nearly made me puke. I was particularly upset about the report of decomposing dead piglets left for weeks beside their mothers as it was so crowded that the 'farmers' couldn't see the bodies to remove them. more distressing because pigs are such intelligent animals.

Lamb I believe is the least fucked up production afaik and it is one of the last meats to almost retain its seasonality.

Asda have outdoor reared pork products, but not much, you have to search.

I thought it was a very disturbing programme, but good, and I'm glad he made it. Had to go and say a big goodnight to my hens afterwards though. (am sad like that!)

carmenere - horrid pigs story. I want to keep my own but DH really likes pigs and doesn't think he could eat them.

t/shell - how are your lovely hens? I will post a picture of my new cockerel soon - he is quite magnificent! And he's found his voice. .

i get free range chicken from my butcher. others were buying chicken backs, don't think they are free range. but it is more choice than fucking tesco.

Oh at having a cockerel!!! Our hens are fine, one was sick last week but she seems (fingers crossed) have recovered!

LOL at saying goodnight to your chickens!

The woman who went on about not being able to afford all organic really wound me up. I bet she buys loads of processed junk when she shops which is a really expensive way to shop. Maybe things are tight but you've just got to rethink the way you cook and eat.

We can't afford to eat organic or free range meat every day - so we don't! We eat what we can afford and get creative on the other days. Yes organic chicken costs more but the co-op often has ones that are close to date so are reduced. A genuine reason for cheap price. We enjoy a roast meal one night and then boil up the carcass to make stock for soup the following night. You just have to make the most of it. Could probably make it go further if we removed breasts etc and used the meat in pasta dishes etc too. The more people who eat this way, the greater the demand and the more farmers will switch process - free-range should be standard not special.

That sort of attitude is what has created this awful supermarket price war that drives the prices down so much. But equally I don't see why as a country gov/defra etc can't legislate on better conditions and the gov ban imports of battery birds. As long as people are allowed to keep birds in those conditions then people will argue they are doing nothing wrong.

BTW someone mentioned about battery eggs in products and I struggle with this one too. We keep our own hens and in the summer we are overrun by eggs but come the Autumn they stop laying and we have 3-4 months without eggs. Is it possible to freeze them or preserve them in some way (not pickled!) that can then be used in cooking through winter?

Thread re freezing eggs
freezing Hen Eggs

HTH

Or this

'I finally found your answer in a Better Homes and Garden book. This is what it says:

Eggs may be frozen at home quie easily, but it is important to use only high-quality freh eggs. For convenience' sake, freeze eggs in serving-size quantities.
Although egg whites freeze satisfactorily without any additives, frozen whole eggs and egg yolks become lumpy when thawed. To prevent this, add one tablespoon sugar or corn syrup or one teaspoon salt to each cup of whole eggs and two tablespoons sugar or corn syrup or one teaspoon salt to each cup of egg yolks. Sweetened eggs are suitable for desserts, while salted eggs can be used in main dishes.
To freeze eggs break the eggs into a bowl, separating yolks and whites, if desired. After stirring the eggs to blend (do not beat), strain them through a medium strainer or put them through a food mill. Add sugar or salt, if required, then freeze at 0o or lower in freezer containers leaving sufficient room for expansion. Eggs can be kept frozen for 9 to 12 months.
Frozen eggs should be kept solidly frozen until needed, then thawed in the refrigerator. Use promptly.'

Oh yes and another thing that annoyed me was that several people on the prog. referred to the 2 for £5 birds as 'normal' chickens. How can poultry raised in those conditions possibly be normal. Grrrr.

allmytime - I think the only way you can preserve the eggs is to cook it as food and freeze - sandwich bags of pastry is particularly useful, just defrost and use. Sponge cakes freeze OK. Ice cream and meringue is always handy etc. Pickled egg anyone...?