People often get confused about the terms ‘free range’ and ‘organic’. They’re not the same thing, and a chicken can be both, one or neither.
Free range refers to how much freedom to move around the chickens have. Instead of being in cages or tightly packed in, they spend at least half their time being able to roam around as they please.
Organic refers to what the chickens can be fed – an organic only diet. But, as with free range they also have to be allowed more space to roam are reared for a longer time than intensively farmed birds allowing the birds to develop at a natural rate.
Restricted farmed birds can lack flavour as many might be very restricted in their living space so are unable to develop as an outdoors bird would. However, try to look for farms that have welfare standards in accordance with the RSPCA as these have more space to roam.
If you’ve got the money, I’d always recommend buying the nicest meat you can, but if you’re going to go for just one of these, then go for free range: not only is it better for the chicken, the exercise really improves the taste of the meat.
