What is the difference between.

muffin2, May 6, 9:44pm
Free Range and Free Farmed?
Wife and I always by free range eggs, chicken and pork, but we've seen a couple of pork / bacon products in the supermarket labeled as 'Free Farmed' - is there s difference and if so what is it?

thanks in advance

buzzy110, May 6, 10:17pm
"The difference is free range pigs are allowed to move freely between paddocks. Free farmed means that pigs are only allowed to move freely within their own paddock".

Google is your friend. Check out this link:

http://bunnyeatsdesign.com/2011/08/20/free-farmed-vs-free-range/

pickles7, May 6, 11:51pm
I would say as far as 'eggs' go, free range is out in the paddock, free farmed, the birds run free in a barn, not caged. just guessing though.

buzzy110, May 7, 12:16am
I think chickens are different. Barn raised is the term used for chickens that do not live in cages but are not let outside.

It usually applies to chickens reared for meat, rather than farmed for eggs, I think.

Having seen Hugh Fearney Whittingstall's programme on barn raised chickens I'd have to say that the conditions are so bad and the condition of the chickens is even worse. They are crowded into the barns like sardines in a can. They live in their excrement for their entire lives and the stench is horrendous apparently. They are fattened up so fast that they cannot support themselves. Their feather moults. They peck each other. The farmer has to go through every morning and break the necks of unwell and incapacitated chickens. It was horrible. HFW was in tears by the end of the week.

I'd only ever buy chicken that was free range farmed. They take longer to grow so cost more. I doubt that their feed is any better than the barn raised hens but at least they get to run around outside, get sunshine and rain on their backs and scratch around in the dirt. Definitely somewhat better than the alternative.

buzzy110, May 7, 12:21am
With free range eggs the hens get to run around outside everyday from 10am. They voluntarily go inside their barns to roost at night because chickens like roosting. My f/r chickens used to be inside by nightfall without any input from me. They are let out after 10am in the morning after they have laid their eggs or they would lay them all over the place.

pickles7, May 7, 1:02am
We had chickens free ranging for year. They were never out roaming the streets though, for their safety, they were in a huge pen outside and were given silverbeet and big clumps of weeds to scratch in. We also bred worms for them in the compost. I agree barn fattened is shocking, barn egg production must be kinder than caged.
Too often those who sell free range eggs buy caged, and pop on another few $'s for profit. Very tempted ourselves when we sold eggs, as we could not keep up with the demand. We bought caged birds and free ranged them, they took a while to settle but they did lay well.

rainrain1, Aug 18, 8:49am
To me free farmed would mean they have the run of the paddocks, (possible if you are very rural) and a place to roost at night, but could have fun finding the eggs. Free range, would be allowed freedom and a place to roost at night, all retained within a certain fenced area