4m x 3m Omlet pen, cube, new auto door still boxed and coop light

[*mummy_hen*]

Hi All,

 

I'm sure a lot of you on here already watch it, but River cottage with Hugh F-W is on tomorrow night at 9pm on More 4 and he is going to rescue some ex-batts direct from the farm.

I don't usually watch it as i can be a bit squeamish but my Dad told me ex-batts were on it this week so am definately going to tune in.

 

Just thought some of you may like to see it too and alert those who aren't yet converted to have a look at what they are buying into!!

 

Amy

[peanut12]

Unmissable telly, and

 

 

if you happen to be near a copy of Country smallholding this month, watch out for my article on our school (cover story and p54) and Dave and Jane from Hugh's chicken run re on p56, having just hatched their first hens.

 

I'm not on commission

[Bexiboo]

Thank you, I shall watch this.

[Fleur]

we're going to watch it, am slowly converting OH to a chicken-lover, so every tv programme helps!

[Stevie]

I already had a reminder set on sky box.

[cluckbok]

Will set the reminder on my sky box aswell, don't wanna miss that!! Good old Hugh!!

[AnnieR]

I will watch that,

thanks.

[beach chick]

OH watched it, and I did with half an eye.

 

first thoughts: DEFINITELY ex-batts should be rehomed somewhere lovely, for however long they have left. told OH I'd put our name down for 2 at the end of Aug and he's delighted (having been very anti-chooks before buying me the eglu for my birthday in may 07).

 

was interested in the different opinions about the taste of cooked chicken and if you could tell between freerange and not. I have to say that we've done this experiment, and not really noticed a difference either (and we are quite foodie). I dont know if it is down to the cooking method? ie if you roast a bird with plenty of herbs, butter and wine underneath it, in my experience it always tastes good.

meanwhile, most chicken ready meals might as well be quorn...

 

I think this is quite a difficult debate. I'd love to always - and do try - to buy freerange, but yes, we do eat the odd ready meal, and I'm pretty sure none of them were roaming the fields! and the economics - in the current climate, how many families will buy the freerange bird at £10+, when they could get a much bigger bird - and hence more meals - for £4+?

[Willow]

re ready meals

 

I understand that Waitrose use their select chicken in their ready meals. Not free range but not as bad as batttery (I know that's not the term for the penned up meat birds but I can't remember the proper term)

 

My struggle is cat food, having laughed in the past at those cat owners that say 'my cat only eats x' I now have a cat that loves felix and spurns the better quailty, more ethical food (although he does like Bozita dry food). I've moved to the fish felix but I have a nasty feeling they contain chicken as well...

[WitchHazel]

I watched this programme, and I think the battery hens that came out of that farm seemed in pretty good condition (considering they are battery hens I mean).

[bronze]

I don't get how he

won't taste far better than this one

ever could

 

I don't ever plan to find out though

[Nature Chick]

Who gives a #@?* what it tastes like - free-range organic all the time - and those people who say they can't afford it don't buy it - you won't all drop dead if you don't have chicken with every meal. Sorry but this really annoys me. I was brought up on a tight budget and we were only allowed a small amount of meat with the roast as we know it would have to last us until Thursday as soup, curry and cold with chips!

I am not saying that I am not tempted by a Chicken Korma ready meal but any time I am tempted I think of my girls at home and opt for prawns or veggie option. I would rather buy free-range organic chicken and make my own curry at home when I have the time.

(rant over!)

[WitchHazel]

What I found surprising is that the number of people who PREFERRED THE TASTE of the intensive bird was more or less the same as the number who PREFERRED THE TASTE of the free range bird (34 preferred the free range one, 32 preferred the intensive one).

 

This has nothing to do with how people feel about intensive rearing vs free range, it's their taste preference.

[Mrs Frugal]

Maybe they preferred the taste that they were used to? If they'd eaten nothing but intensively farmed cheap chicken, that's what they'd expect chicken to taste like, wouldn't they? I can't understand them not preferring the free range either and that's the only explanation I can think of.

[WitchHazel]

Maybe they preferred the taste that they were used to? If they'd eaten nothing but intensively farmed cheap chicken, that's what they'd expect chicken to taste like, wouldn't they? .

 

Yes, I'm sure you're right Kate. Hope it hasn't put them off buying free range especilly as there are actually differing degrees of free range; Hugh's birds are pretty much on one extreme of free range.

[chickencam]

The test was which one they preferred the taste of, and I think people who have always eaten cheap chicken will go with the familiar. A freerange chicken has a good meaty flavour rather than that tasteless or worse still that slightly odd taste that when you know it, is the ammonia in their surroundings.

 

One lady actually said that the standard chicken had a more mellow flavour, she is obviously not someone who is used to real flavour.

[beach chick]

Nature chick - there are some very worrying ethics to do with prawns... I cant remember all the details at the mo and am on my way out the door, but prawns are not necessarily a good option either in terms of welfare.

 

re the freerange, organic, handreared bird vs the supermarket chook and the taste factor: tbh, I've never bought a 'value' chicken, so I probably wasnt comparing the extremes if you see what I mean...

 

also re the cost issue: I agree with you about eating less meat, but lets face it for a lot of people, looking at a £10 chicken vs a £4 one - its quite difficult to justify the £10 bird. I dont agree with it, but its the way of the world at the moment.

[KarmaMama]

I agree it's definitely the way of the wold, at the moment - but I also feel we are on the brink of a massive shift. Does anyone else feel there is an unrest at the moment, a coming to terms with where we are at, and where we want to be?

 

Supermarkets gave us so much freedom and time saving - everything under one roof - but they have taken away so much more, and I think we are waking up to that fact. I know I find it hard to find the time, never mind carrying it home, but I love to walk through the town, to get my meat from the butcher, veg from the grocer, find out what is in season, how to cook it, what would taste good with what, and know that it was grown up the road.

 

Sales of veg seeds beat sales of plant seeds this year - more people are keeping hens, we have finally found out where our food was coming from, and quickly realised we do care, and we can do something about it. I personally feel the junk food boom of the 80's and 90's is coming to an end and we are totally done with tasteless pap in fancy packaging (please don't get me started on the packaging, lol) we want good quality food, we want to know who made/grew it, and if it was once alive we need to be reassured it was as happy as it could be.

 

God, even knitting and crochet is back in fashion, make do and mend, keep calm and carry on. It's like we are reverting back to the 40s when everyone pulled together, which is no bad thing at all.

 

Not sure where I'm going with this 'soap box' speech, but I do think we will soon see a shift in the way our food and buying is approached.

 

OK, I promise to shut up now

 

Jacquie x

[bronze]

Who gives a #@?* what it tastes like -

 

I do. Luckily I'm convinced that my lot will taste far nicer than something with hock burns and breast blisters.

I do think its important though as if you want to convince people that its better then its another argument in free ranges favour

[Mrs Frugal]

I do too. If I can't buy free range, I don't buy chicken full stop. I'd rather go without than buy bland tasting chicken which has had a miserable life. We've never regretted changing to free range because it tastes so much better!

[New2this]

Hi All,

 

I suspect it's my naivety, but was anyone else horrified at the way the gentlemen carried those poor birds out of the battery ……I winced when I saw it.

 

Also, as much as I was pleased for the group with taking on the responsibility of raising chickens, a little part of me could not help thinking, ‘re-homing of battery hens needs special treatment'. Are they prepared for this? I do wish them luck though.

 

Christine.

[Egg Lou]

Oooh on now!

[*mummy_hen*]

watching.....so far no chickens though!!!

 

Worried i may get upset thinking that's where my poor darlings were only 3 weeks ago.

[Egg Lou]

Ok.. who else is sat in tears right now

[*mummy_hen*]

When they lady took her off him and gave her a little cuddle that really got me . I didn't think they were in too bad a condition actually which is one good thing but thank goodness they are now free.

I was a little dissapointed they have only got chicken wire on the run though