what is the difference between caged and free range chickens?
473765
Hens that produce cage eggs are kept in cages, while cage-free hens have much more space but no access to outside areas. Hens that produce free-range eggs have some form of access to outside spaces, though the specifics depend on the certification program.
803647
FRESH CLASS A Our free range corn fed chicken is rich in flavour, from farms where the chickens are free to roam outdoors. ... They have free access to food and water, and a diet high in natural maize gives their meat an appealing golden colour and rich flavour.
303102
Unlike battery hens, cage-free hens are able to walk, spread their wings and lay their eggs in nests, vital natural behaviors denied to hens confined in cages. Most cage-free hens live in very large flocks that can consist of many thousands of hens who never go outside.
958550
Cage free doesn't mean free to roam, they are still confined usually to a building and they are provided nesting boxes with a floor that is slightly pitched backwards so the eggs roll to an opening in the back and onto a conveyor belt behind/under the nesting box that take them to an area where they are stored...
1307006
Essentially, cage-free eggs are barn-laid eggs. Hens are not kept in cages but instead are able to move throughout large sheds. All barns have nest boxes, but not all barns have perches or litter (some barns have slats or wire-mesh flooring).
351038
Caged: Hens are confined to cages with a 67-square inch space each. ... Free-Range: Allotted less than 2 square feet per hen, these animals have more space than their caged and cage-free peers, but they don't get outdoors as much as you may think.
684251
The nutrient content of eggs from free-range hens is the same as those from hens housed in production facilities with cages. ... Egg laying hens are not given hormones. Some egg cartons say that the eggs are hormone free; however, this is true for all eggs in commercial egg production in the United States.
936726
At Tegel, we take our commitment to free range farming very seriously. ... For the first few weeks, our free range chickens live in large, open barns that provide the right amount of warmth, humidity, food and water. This ensures they are protected from the elements and predators.
347099
How are PERDUE® Organic Chickens Raised? Our organic chickens are raised free range on certified organic farms. That means they have the ability to roam freely and do all of the other things chickens naturally do.
481048
Nando's reference the non-free range raising of their chickens, which are in accordance with the Red Tractor standards on their website and on their menus. Chicken raised in accordance with Red Tractor standards is not free range.
1431323
The USDA defines free range eggs as basically the same as cage-free eggs, with the exception that free range hens have access to the outdoors. Note that this doesn't mean they're able to roam completely free and might just have access to the outdoors at certain times of the day.
586774
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has defined the term "free range" only for chickens, not for eggs or for other livestock, such as cattle. For chickens to be free range, the birds must be "allowed access to the outside," according to the USDA.
1041752
KFC, being a budget fast-food restaurant is constantly looking at cost-cutting methods. The cheapest chicken is the caged and so they will use the caged. If KFC were using free-range they would tell everyone. The cost is what stops them from using free-range.
1410684
Free range sheds can contain up to nine birds per square metre – that's like 14 adults living in a one-room flat. Some multi-tier sheds (still “free range”) contain 16,000 hens. ... One way to avoid eggs laid by beak-trimmed hens is to buy them from organic farms certified by the Soil Association, which bans the practice.
568020
Organic chicken is fed with organic feed, only. They're usually locked inside without access to the out of doors. Free range chicken supposedly "has access" to grass but, most times that means there's a small door on the massive coop with a small fenced in area that's supposed to have grass.
189867
So, while cage-free does not necessarily mean cruelty-free, cage-free hens generally have significantly better lives than those confined in battery cages. The ability to lay their eggs in nests, run and spread their wings are tangible benefits that shouldn't be underestimated.
1139995
So for 4 chickens that free range, you only need a coop/run area that measures about: 4 by 4 feet (16 square ft). But it is always best to give them as much space as you can. For chickens that will be inside the run all the time (never free ranging), you need to bump that number up to 10 square feet per bird.