Free-Range/Hormone Free Chicken in the Valley?
|
Submitted by andraliz on Wed, 28/09/2011 - 3:30pm.
|
|
|
Posts: 4
Joined: 08-06-2011 |
I'm new to the Valley and living in Hosmer and am curious if anyone knows where to get 'happy-ish' chicken - preferably that doesn't cost a fortune? In the meantime I got one of those chicken breast packs from the grocery store and they just look so lifeless and questionable whether they've ever had an association with a real, nutritious chook in their short lives... While I'm at it, curious what the locals' favourite butcher shop is? Thanks! |
Joined: 23-03-2007
Hormones or steroids are not used in the Canadian poultry industry. They've been outlawed for years and banned by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency which tests and regulates the industry. What you've heard about is a myth.
Joined: 08-06-2011
Thanks for the info - I wasn't aware of that. I'm from the Island, and have just heard horror stories about Lilydale (even though the chicken I bought was Western Family or something). Does the law apply to antibiotics as well?
Joined: 23-03-2007
Antibiotics are used, yes, but it is to protect the chickens and the brood from illness or disease. Chickens, like most animals (even humans) are susceptible to several diseases that are easily protected against. Antibiotics keep diseases from spreading and wiping out the whole brood. In a certain widow of time before they go to market, they are weaned off the antibiotics, another regulation by the CFIA. I grew up on a farm, and we used antibiotics in the feed in small amounts and I'm sure any "organic" "free range" farms would do the same.
Joined: 14-05-2007
As a certified organic grower in Hosmer who has raised birds for 20 years, I can tell you that "Medicated" feed is 100% banned in classifying your flock as organic. You can have your chicks vaccinated when they hatch for Cocchiodosis and Mareks disease but using any medicated feed after that is not permitted.
Joined: 23-03-2007
Fair enough, we never raised chickens for sale, and antibiotics was cheaper and easier than vaccination, and it was a long time ago, I'm sure the technology and knowledge has much advanced. My main point was a lot of people are misinformed about the whole growth hormone/steroid thing...they think chain grocery stores are pumping out Frankenstein chickens when this is not the case.
The ethics of large scale farming and feeding, which is truly the only way to produce enough, affordably, for a vast market is another argument altogether.
Joined: 15-09-2008
Thanks for the discussion. This was informative.