<p>Cage free really means nothing. The solution…find a local farmer and see how the chickens are raised. Basically, you want to look for what is called ‘pastured’ poultry, beef, chicken, eggs, pork.</p>
<p>"There is no legal definition for the term “cage-free.” The USDA has no regulatory policy regarding cage-free eggs. Usually, cage-free eggs are ones that come from hens that, instead of being kept in overcrowded cages, are housed in large overcrowded sheds. Typically, there are so many birds packed in one of these sheds that the hens are unable to flap their wings. These birds still have their beaks cut off with a hot blade and no pain killers. They live in sheds soaked with urine and shuffle around in their own feces. "</p>
<p>“Unlike the term “cage-free,” the USDA does have a requirement that must be met in order to earn the certification of “free-range.” According to USDA policy, in order to be certified as free-range, birds must be raised with access to the outdoors and provided a traditional high-protein diet. The policy states that the birds may be temporarily confined for reasons of health, safety, the animal’s stage of production, or to protect soil or water quality. For many free-range chickens, the access to the outdoors they receive is when they are transported to the windowless chicken sheds and then again when they are removed from the shed for slaughter. The USDA offers no specifications as to how much outdoor exposure the birds must receive”</p>
<p>Haystack: Thank you so much for all of that information! It’s horrible how even the “good ones” aren’t really good at all. I’ll definitely look into seeing how my local farmers raise their chickens</p>