What Came First, the Chicken or the Egg?

MAN There are more than 24 billion chickens Chickens are mainly raised for food The average person eats an average of 75 pounds of chicken a year. Man engineers most of the chicken that we eat. It is no longer a natural process for the most part.

“Broiler Chickens” Chickens raised and killed for meat for mass production by companies such as Tyson and Perdue 50 years ago, it took 84 days to raise a chicken Today it takes days to raise

The Natural Chicken Chickens Natural lifespan: 7 years Lifespan of chicken killed for food: Broiler chickens: 5-7 weeks Layer hens: 2 years Male chicks hatched as byproducts of egg industry: 1 day Chickens reside in small flocks, Like sunbaths, dustbaths, and perching in trees The mother hen and rooster stay with their flock and protects them

Types of Chickens/Eggs Organic – certified by third party Feed must be 100% organic, may provide vitamin and mineral supplements May not be given hormones or antibiotics. All organically raised animals must have access to the outdoors. They may be temporarily confined only for reasons of health, safety, the animal’s stage of production, or to protect soil or water quality. Free-range/organic chickens raised outdoors are still denied many of their natural behaviors

Free-Range, Free Roaming: Producers labeling poultry as free-range or roaming must demonstrate to USDA, Food Safety and Inspection Service, that the birds have been allowed adequate access to the outside. LOOPHOLE: No specific amount of space or time outside is required and stocking density (crowding) is unregulated.

Cage-Free: Cage-Free is applicable to egg-laying hens. Broiler hens, or birds raised for meat, are rarely caged prior to transport. This term is not regulated by USDA. Outdoor access is not needed and stocking density (crowding) is unregulated

Pastured Poultry: Modified free-range system Birds are raised on pasture and provided shelter that can be moved by hand or tractor. Get up to 20% of food from pasture Often times, birds are moved daily This term is not regulated by USDA

All Natural: Contains no artificial ingredient or added color and is only minimally processed Does not affect animal welfare. Unlike the organic label, the natural label does not have to meet requirements for feed, antibiotic use, or pasture

No Antibiotics: Poultry products that have provided documentation to USDA FSIS demonstrating that the animals were raised without antibiotics Does not affect animal welfare.

No Hormones: The USDA does not permit the use of hormones in any poultry production Does not affect animal welfare.

Shoprite Pathmark Stop-n-Shop What Markets We Visited

Shoprite Chicken Variety Tyson Perdue Pollo Fresco Readington Farms The Natural

The Natural: Minimally processed No Artificial Ingredients Up to 1% retained water Pollo Fresco: All Natural No Artificial Stimulants Minimally Processed Readington Farms: All Natural Meets the American Humane Association standards for raising farm animals in ways which reduces stress

Perdue: Family owned – breeding stock Hatchery, Plants on family farms Make Own Feed: whole grains, yellow corn meal, marigold extracts, and soybeans Fresh All Natural: Minimally processed means it has just gone through a water spray down, no added flavors or chemicals. Just plain and wrapped. Cornish Hens – 30 days old Fresh young Chicken: days old; 3.5 – 5 pounds Oven Stuffer Roaster: 80 days old; 6.5 – 10 pounds Chickens raised in family houses about size of football fields Has cpu controlled doors – chics are running free in the houses Access to food and water at all times Only access to fresh-air when weather permits or at certains times of the day

Tyson Chicken

Shoprite Egg Variety Country Fresh Pete & Gerry’s Shoprite Brand Egg Land’s Best Land-o-Lakes Egg Innovations

Pete’s Gerry’s Organic Eggs Omega 3 Grade AA Large Country Fresh: Grade A Jumbo Eggs Egg Innovations: Cage Free Eggs USDA Organic No Medications, Antiobiotics, or Pesticides Shop Rite Certified Organic Eggs Grade A Large Shop Rite Omega 3 Eggs Extra Vitamins and Minerals Vegetarian fed, no hormones Egg-Land’s Best Farm Fresh Grade A Brown All Vegetarian Diet No hormones added

Pathmark Chicken Variety Perdue America’s Choice HarvestLand

America’s Choice: All Natural Minimally Processed No Preservatives No Artificial Ingredients Harvestland: All Natural No Hormones or Steroids Added No Antiobiotics Ever Fed 100% All Vegetarian Diet

Pathmark Egg Variety Pathmark Brand Egg Land’s Best Land-o-Lakes ISE Farm Eggs

Pathmark: Fed pure grains w/o the use of antibiotics All Natural Cage Free Feed free of pesticides and herbicides Land o” Lakes Vegetarian Feed No animal fat or animal byproducts ISE Farm Eggs: Locally Produced More Cholesterol

Stop-n-Shop Chicken Variety Stop-n-Shop Fresh White Gem Perdue

Stop-n-Shop Brand: All Natural Minimally Processed No Artificial Ingredients Up to 3% retained water

Stop-n-Shop Egg Variety Nature’s Promise Pete & Gerry’s

Nature’s Promise: Organic Cage Free Naturally Raised Hens – No antibiotics, no synthetic hormones, no synthetic pesticides

Conclusion: If you shop at a big supermarket, there really is no completely chicken-friendly brands. There are brands which are more friendly than others, but in the end, these companies ARE killing chickens and mass producing eggs for profit. BUT, if you don’t want to be a vegetarian and still feel the need to eat chicken, organic would be the best choice in our opinion