Are free range chooks better?

    Standing in front of the ColesWorth chook section looking at the whole chooks and trying to decide what to buy?


    The Coles brand normal chook is @$5kg. The Coles Free Range is @$7kg. LilyDale Free Range $8-9kg. The upmarket ones range from $10-$12kg.


    So I wander over to Aldi and their Free Range is $6kg.


    Next to check out the butchers and dedicated chicken shops.


    A "premium" chook is @$20 for a bantam size chook. I guess they're the only ones nowaday allowed to runaround free.


    Is it really worth it to spend the extra for a premium chook to roast?


    and what with the chook sizes getting smaller and smaller. Large is looking pretty small nowadays.

    Maybe, the wife usually just grabs the Aldi budget ones for about $4kg and they always taste good.

    When I have to buy them I always get what’s on special at the local Woollies which is sometimes the free range ones and I don’t really notice that much of a difference but I’m sure if you bought one from a specialty breeder the would taste better just like beef and lamb.

    weber performer, weber compact with gas conversion, napoleon rodeo, pro q 20", PBC, ziggy portable, ozpig with rotisserie, pro smoke offset, pit boss mini kamado, asmoke portable, master built 560.

    It's definitely better for the chooks to be free range. Australia's definition of free range has a fair amount of poetic licence though. Organic is much more regulated and reliable.

    Organic chickens (and real free range chooks) have a more varied diet, get more exercise and are (at least for the organic) much older when slaughtered.

    The amount of fat changes (reduces) significantly. Taste is harder to tell because we always add flavour to the meal so it becomes difficult to determine what's what.

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    Meat at Billy's near me sells a brand of roast chicken for $17/kg can't say i'm very interested in paying that much for a chicken.

    20" Reverse flow Offset, Weber GA, Weber kettle

    My wife swears the ... I think "Slow Hills" brand chook from Coles tastes better even in chicken soup.


    I'm dubious but at least the chooks ate better off and it goes on sale regularly enough so I stock up when it does.

    Quote from joey blow

    Just came back from NZ were cage hens are now banned. Guess what

    ! supply cannot meet demand. Eggs our now $12 a dozen if you can find them. And only 1 carton per person .

    That's fine, free range supply will eventually ramp up. Sometimes the move just has to be made.

    Quote from Bruckster

    the Aldi budget ones for about $4kg and they always taste good.

    I agree with that. Tried free range a few times & different brands ..... wouldn't waist the extra coin again.

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    Like 1

    I'd love to know where they're getting them from to be selling them so cheap! I've been hit with 3 prices rises in as many weeks and just can't afford to sell them for under $10 per kg. (free range)

    Once you put my meat in your mouth, you're going to want to swallow.

    Quote from PLButcher

    I'd love to know where they're getting them from to be selling them so cheap! I've been hit with 3 prices rises in as many weeks and just can't afford to sell them for under $10 per kg. (free range)

    ColesWorth and ALDI have free range under $10/kg.

    Quote from PLButcher

    I'd love to know where they're getting them from to be selling them so cheap! I've been hit with 3 prices rises in as many weeks and just can't afford to sell them for under $10 per kg. (free range)

    I'm going with scale of supply chains

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    Quote from PLButcher

    I'd love to know where they're getting them from to be selling them so cheap! I've been hit with 3 prices rises in as many weeks and just can't afford to sell them for under $10 per kg. (free range)

    There's 'free range' and there's 'free range'. Pre-covid Costco had a choice of free range eggs - 15000/ha and 1500/ha. The Manning Valley eggs are 2500/ha.

    I assume it's the same with meat-chooks and that the big stores aren't getting their chooks from lower density farms.

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