Pasture-Raised Chickens Roam Rafter’s Ranch
At Rafter W Ranch, we get this question a lot … ORGANIC or PASTURE-RAISED? And, as consumers, we are bombarded with label after label when shopping for any type of food. So, what does this all mean and which is really best? When the choice is between a pasture-raised chicken and one that is labeled organic, the difference comes down to how the chicken was treated during its life-span.
Pasture-Raised Chicken
A pasture-raised chicken is one that has been allowed to roam free in a pasture. It eats seeds, insects, and earthworms found in the field and spends all of its time on grass, out in fresh air and sunshine.These lucky birds live on a minimum of 2.5 acres of outdoor space per 1,000 chickens. They are given no hormones, drugs, or antibiotics. In other words, these chickens live as naturally as a chicken can and are under no unnecessary stress.
At Rafter W Ranch, chickens have complete access to pasture. They live an incredible life outdoors. You, the consumer, get to enjoy tender, succulence while satisfying dietary restrictions such as no wheat, no corn, and no by-products. This is honestly the healthiest chicken you can buy and eat. And, the tastiest too …
Organic Chicken
Organic chickens are those that have been raised according to guidelines that make a food product organic. They are only allowed to eat USDA-certified organic feed, making them free of pesticides, synthetic fertilizers, additives, or animal by-products. “Free-range” criteria, which is basically access to the outdoors, must be met. They may carry any of the following terms: natural, antibiotic-free, farm-raised, fresh, cage-free, and hormone-free. It all sounds good, but sometimes minimal accommodations are made to fit within compliance.
Knowing your farmer is the best way to guarantee that proper protocol is being followed in how a chicken is raised. At Rafter W Ranch, a family-owned business with a history of treating livestock right, you get the best of both worlds, pasture-raised AND organically fed. Chickens that live well, taste better. Visit us if you desire to feed your family right.