> I talked to a local farmer and rancher about free range chicken.  He
reminded me that they are prey, that any producer who claims that the
chicken are true free range, but who lives in an area with predators, might
be exagerrating the degree to which the chickens are truly free to range.
>

I am told free range simply means roaming around in barns with *some*
theoretical access to the "outdoors". They are not caged like non free range
chickens, but they are not running around outside either.

Ranchers/farmers I have spoken to here in Virginia and Maryland point out
that "pasture raised" or some such term should be applied to truly free
range chickens.

Some set-ups they have mentioned use a moving pen that the ranchers
reposition on a daily basis so the chickens can forage in the pasture, but
still be contained. The chickens get a mixture of bugs and natural seeds as
well as grains they are provided.

The birds are said to be much tougher which makes sense if they actually
have to use their muscles.

BTW, a while back I commented on a discussion with a friend of mine who is a
prof emeritus at U Maryland, who had discussed the "naked chicken", a
featherless variant developed at the university. Apparently these are going
to be marketed soon as they save the growers a great deal of money.

--Richard