You have probably already taken that extra mile, or in our case, that extra drive to get your delicious pastured chicken in Phoenix! I
f not, here are the simple reasons to choose pastured over conventional “cage-free/free-roaming”!
DATE CREEK RANCH PASTURED CHICKEN -Sunshine, fresh air and fresh grass each day -No antibiotics or hormones -Omega 3:6 ratio in balance -Happy Chicken = Healthy chicken
“CAGE-FREE” STORE BOUGHT (data from fda.gov under “cage-free/free-roaming”) -Little to no regulations on access to outdoors or size of outdoor area -Often 1/5 body weight is water + up 13 different antibiotics in feed -Omega 3:6 ratio depletes while in containment, due to little sun exposure -No regulation on flock density; exceptions allowed to keep poultry indoors
Fresh grass and sunshine: Health begins in the roots of any life! There are just things that life needs to prosper; clean air and vitamin D are just basics. Ryan and I move the 12’ x 12’ chicken tractors to a fresh, untouched spot of pasture every day. In comparison, the FDA has no regulation for “cage-free/free-roaming” access to pasture other than requiring some access to the outdoors. There is no requirement for number of square feet/bird, number of doors leading to the outdoors, or time required outside. Often, these chickens are processed as young as 6 weeks, and during winter months they rarely see the outside of their facility.
Antibiotics and hormones: Chickens are not ruminants, which means they only have one stomach. (Think of a cow with 4 stomachs) This means their diet must consist of more than just grass. We give them feed that is free of antibiotics and hormones. The reason the majority of chickens are fed antibiotics is because they live in very tight conditions, which makes them much more susceptible to sickness. Hormones are fed as a growth stimulator, which has a negative effect not only on the chickens, but on the human consumer. In addition, after processing, most factory farmed poultry is injected with a salt water solution which can make up to 1/5 of their total weight. More bang for the buck, they say.
Omega 3:6 ratio: Omega 3’s and 6’s are a very important part of the human diet. “Omega-3s are called “good fats” because they play a vital role in every cell and system in your body. For example, of all the fats, they are the most heart-friendly. People who have ample amounts of omega-3s in their diet are less likely to have high blood pressure or an irregular heartbeat. Remarkably, they are 50 percent less likely to suffer a heart attack.” (http://www.eatwild.com/healthbenefits.htm) In contrast, animals in “cage-free/free-roaming” environments tend to gradually lose high amounts of good fatty acids because of diet, lack of exercise and little time in the sun.
Happy Chicken = Healthy Chicken: We raise our chickens for our honored customers, but also for ourselves. Just as you are keeping in mind the quality value for your home, you can rest assured that is in our hearts as well. From the get-go these pastured chickens are outdoors amidst the bugs and breeze of the open land. The chickens at Date Creek Ranch have protection from predators without inhibiting the welfare of the animal. Our chickens are happy chickens because they get to live, behave, and spend their days doing just what chickens do—peck, scratch, eat bugs, and enjoy the sunshine.
For all of us at Date Creek there is no greater joy than providing you with happy, healthy, quality food.
Pasture-raised, the way it ought to be!