GTB
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Free range chickenI was in the Trowbridge branch of Tesco's on Saturday to just get a few bits of shopping when I went down the aisle that keeps all the chicken. They had completely sold out of all their free range chicken, even the leg/thigh, breast and wing portions. There was a sign on the fridge compartment apologising for the fact that they had sold out and gave this reason: "due to a recent television programme on channel 4 there has been a greater demand for free range chicken and we are currently looking to increase our suppliers of this product".
That, in my book, is great progress for the welfare of a very down-trodden farm animal.
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Geddi
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GTB - back in the 1990s I campaigned with Compassion in World Farming organisation for better conditions for animals, as the title suggests.
They forced an agreement within the EU that dry stall sows would be phased out, and by 2012 all battery farm were to be banned. This is set to occur but is a long way from where we could be.
Here's an interesting thought: If all the eggs in Britain which claim to be from Free Range hens as the best Free Range hens are kept, we'd need a field as big as England for the flock to forage in.
Love those free range everything, especially local and fed on organic stuff.
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Local lass
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Chicken can be let out side for a hour a day and be classed as free range .For 23 hours they can be squat in a shed. 
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GTB
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| Local lass wrote: | | Chicken can be let out side for a hour a day and be classed as free range .For 23 hours they can be squat in a shed. |
You are wrong on this claim, Local lass. To be classed as free range a chicken has to have a certain amount of m2 space per bird to be allowed to "act normally". Birds that are allowed to roam free (albeit in a safe environment away from predators) on grass will produce eggs that are far more superior than any caged bird. Their is not only an ethical issue with caged birds but also a culinary issue.
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