Free Range Chicken Farming #Gavrani chicken

Chicken is the most common type of poultry in the world. It has been domesticated and consumed as food for thousands of years. There are many varieties of chicken, including free range chicken, organic chicken, and conventional chicken, the difference being on the basis of their breeding.

While free-range chicken, as the term implies, is allowed to roam freely in the pastures; conventional chicken, which is also the most controversial, is kept in cages and not allowed to move freely.

Conventional chicken is injected with hormones to fasten its growth and make it unnaturally big. This chicken variety is usually kept in unhygienic and unhealthy conditions. There have been so many news stories about why conventional chicken can be so dangerous to our health, not to mention what an unpleasant way these birds live their lives.But quality isn’t the only issue — conventional chicken meat has been found to contain some seriously unwanted pathogens, such as Salmonella.

Of the three, organic chicken is the most expensive because it is bred freely and is allowed to eat only organically prepared food, as per the USDA standards. It is kept in healthy and clean conditions and is allowed to grow naturally without any medications to disturb its hormone cycle. Organic chickens are also vaccinated and therefore safe to eat.

some of these places treat their birds horribly and produce some low-quality chicken meat.

That’s why free-range chicken is the only way to go when you consume this common protein food.

So if you’re going to choose chicken as a protein source in your diet, you want to make sure that it’s both organic and free-range. Let’s talk about why free-range chicken is so important for both chickens and chicken consumers. Also, maybe you’re interested in raising your own free-range chickens so I’ll touch on how you can raise them in your own backyard as well.

Benefits of Free Range Chicken

Great Protein Source

One of the healthiest things about free-range chicken is its high protein content. Just one free-range chicken breast can supply around 52 percent of most people’s daily protein needs. Protein is so crucial to the health of our bodies. It is made of amino acid. It’s so crucial in fact that it’s even referred to as “the building block of life.” Generally, the recommended amount of daily protein requirement is 1 gram per 1 kg. For athletes the daily requirement of protein is about 1.2 to 1.5 gram per kg. When you don't get an adequate amount of protein in your diet, your cells can have a much harder time growing and repairing themselves as they should. For growing kids and pregnant mothers with growing babies, protein is especially vital. Chicken breast, with 31 grams of protein per 100 grams, is one of the best foods for protein.

Rich in Vitamins & Minerals

It is not only a good source of protein but is also very rich in vitamins and minerals. For example, B vitamins in it are useful for preventing cataracts and skin disorders, boosting immunity, eliminating weakness, regulating digestion , and improving the nervous system. They are also helpful in preventing migraine , heart disorders, gray hair, high cholesterol, and diabetes.

Vitamin D in chicken helps in calcium absorption and bone strengthening. Vitamin A helps in building eyesight and minerals such as iron are helpful in hemoglobin formation, muscle activity, and eliminating anemia. Potassium and sodium are electrolytes; phosphorus is helpful in tackling weakness, bone health, brain function, dental care, and metabolic issues.

Weight Loss

Diets with high levels of protein have been known to be effective in reducing weight and chicken has been one of the main contenders in weight loss. Studies and trials have shown that significant weight control was observed in people who regularly ate chicken breast. This can be attributed to its high protein content and low calories.

Control of Blood Pressure

Chicken consumption has been found to be useful in controlling blood pressure as well. This was observed in people with hypertensionand in many African Americans, though the diet was also comprised of nuts0, low-fat dietary products, vegetables, and fruits.

Reduced Cancer Risk

Studies have found that in non-vegetarians, a higher consumption of red meat, pork/ham increased the risk of colorectal cancer, while in chicken and fish eaters, the risk of developing this cancer in later life was reduced, although the evidence is not conclusive. It is also said to reduce the risk of colon cancer.

Reduced Cholesterol

The amount of saturated fat and cholesterol found in red meat such as beef, pork, and lamb are much higher than the levels found in chicken, fish, and vegetables. Therefore, the American Heart Association has advised consuming chicken or fish instead of red meat for a lowered risk of cholesterol and subsequent heart disease development. [7] The AHA also says that consuming chicken or fish must be limited to normal levels, as excessive consumption can also lead to the development of heart disease.

Treatment of Common Cold

Intake of warm chicken soup also provides relief from common cold, including symptoms like a congested nose and a sore throat.

Free-Range Chickens Make Healthier Eggs

Free-range chickens are known for producing eggs that are much more nutritionally dense than the eggs laid by caged hens. According to one study conducted in 2007, free-range eggs are a much healthier choice in a lot of specific ways. This study showed that compared to eggs from battery-caged hens, eggs from free-range hens contained)

⅓ less cholesterol¼ less saturated fat⅔ more vitamin A2 times more omega-33 times more vitamin E7 times more beta-carotene

Conventional Chicken Linked to Hormone Disruption

A scientific study published in 2017 looked at the effects of feeding commercial chicken feed, conventional chicken meat . To evaluate the effects, researchers took measurements of the subjects’ percent growth rate and cholesterol levels as well as their progesterone, testosterone and estrogen levels.

What did they find? Consuming both commercial chicken feed and commercial chicken meat resulted in increases in growth, increases in cholesterol levels and an imbalance in hormone levels. Overall, the study concludes that “commercial chicken feed and commercial chicken meat may be the potential cause of development of polycystic ovary syndromein females due to steroid hormonal imbalance.” (9)

Free Range May Taste Better

Many people find organic free-range chicken to be tastier than conventional chicken. One possible reason that organic free-range chickens may taste better is that they eat a higher quality diet than conventional birds.

A study published in the journal Poultry Science divided 600 chickens into three groups: those raised completely indoors, those given outdoor access with artificial shelters and those given outdoor conditions shaded by willow trees. Researchers found that the birds that had outdoor access and natural shelter had juicier, more tender and better textured meat. The researchers believe that the amount of exercise free-range chickens are able to get on a daily basis helps develop their muscles, which results in better flavor and texture.

Free-Range Chicken Nutrition

One four-ounce (112 grams) serving of free-range chicken contains about:

240 calories

21 grams protein

17 grams fat

750 international units vitamin A (15 percent DV)

1.4 milligrams iron (7.8 percent DV)

2.4 milligrams vitamin C (4 percent DV)

20 milligrams calcium (2 percent DV)

Conventional Chicken Dangers and Concerns

These days, companies that produce conventional chicken meat are getting the meat from what is now being referred to as “super chickens.” These are are unnaturally large chickens whose growth results from a steady flow of antibiotics in small doses.

In 2013, Consumer Reports conducted some highly revealing testing of chicken meat. It purchased 316 raw chicken breasts from various retailers around the country and found that a whopping  97 percent contained potentially harmful bacteria, including Salmonella, Campylobacter, Staphylococcus aureus and Enterococcus. Approximately half of the chicken tested also contained at least one bacterium resistant to three or more antibiotics, which means it is a multidrug-resistant bacteria or “superbug.” In addition, over 11 percent contained two or more of these superbugs!

It’s not very surprising that when you put animals of any kind indoors in very tight spaces in high numbers, the areas that these animals live in becoming very unhealthy very fast. For conventionally raised chickens, living conditions are known for being nothing short of gross and highly disturbing.

Patrick Martins, founder of Heritage Foods USA, says that indoor confinement makes birds more prone to sickness with one of the major reasons being that these chickens are so young they haven’t had time to build much of an immune system. Martins also points out that while conventional poultry farmers may say that outdoor free ranging increases a chicken’s likelihood of being exposed to pathogens, he suggests that this incorrect viewpoint makes it seem as though “biodiversity is a threat; they’re saying the opposite of what is true.” A free-range chicken quite clearly lives an overall healthier lifestyle.