Understanding Where Your Chicken Comes From: Free Range vs. Farm-Raised vs Pasture-Raised in New York

When it comes to selecting high-quality chicken, many terms are thrown around. Each method has unique characteristics, and they all claim to enhance the quality and flavor of the poultry. However, which method produces the most flavorful and ethically raised chickens? Below, our butcher shop in New York City discusses how chickens are raised in the US and how these various methods impact quality and flavor

Farm-Raised Chicken

“Farm-raised” chicken is a generic term that is unregulated by the USDA or any other official source. All chickens are raised on farms, so this label is nothing out of the ordinary. It’s generally a marketing term used to make corporate-style farms and processing facilities sound more appealing.

How It's Raised

Farm-raised chickens are simply chickens raised on farms, but we don’t know much more than that. There is no regulation on how big the farm facility is, how much living space the chickens get, or whether the chickens have access to the outdoors.

Flavor Profile

Farm-raised chickens are typically raised in corporate-style farms that process large quantities of chicken every day. The confined quarters and consistent grain diet produce fatty, tender poultry with a mild flavor. 

Pasture-Raised Chicken

Pasture-raised chicken is another term that isn’t regulated by the USDA, but is often used by small, family farms across the country that are dedicated to raising livestock sustainably and ethically.

How It's Raised

Pasture-raised chickens primarily live outdoors in an open pasture, with little enclosures. These chickens forage through nature to eat, feeding on grass, insects, and whatever they can find naturally. This produces natural, healthy chickens that are ethically raised. However, an open pasture also makes the flock vulnerable to predators that can easily enter the pasture. As a result of this inherent risk, pasture-raised chicken is typically more expensive and may have a more inconsistent supply than other types of poultry.

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The chicken’s all-natural diet of grass, grains, and insects gives pasture-raised chicken a more distinguished, earthy flavor. Fat deposits on the poultry may appear yellow and richer in taste.

Free-Range Chicken

The USDA defines free-range poultry as chicken that has regular access to the outdoors. This is one of the most popular methods for raising chickens. Many of our farm partners that we source our poultry from at Piccinini Bros raise free-range chickens that are allowed to move freely when desired.

How It's Raised

Free-range chickens can engage in natural behaviors like foraging, stretching their wings, and accessing feed when desired. While they must have regular and continuous access to the outdoors, there is no regulation about the size or quality of the outdoor access. Free-range chickens allow for natural movement, exercise, and growth, with reasonable limits to protect the flock.

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These birds live active lifestyles that translate into the poultry's flavor when processed. This active lifestyle provides leaner, firmer, and more muscular birds. They are fed a fortified diet of vegetarian grains and nutrients to help increase nutrients and enhance flavor.

What About “All Natural” and “Organic” Chicken?

For a chicken to be certified organic by the USDA, the farms where the chickens are raised must adhere to strict guidelines to ensure no pesticides are used on the property. The chicken feed must also not contain pesticides or GMOs. Nearly all organic chicken is also free-range chicken—but not all free-range chickens are organic. All-natural chicken, according to the USDA, is a product that doesn’t contain artificial ingredients or added colors and is minimally processed. By the nature of how chickens are raised using the methods discussed above, all the chickens we stock in our store at our butcher shop in NYC are all-natural.

 Piccinini Bros: Sourcing High-Quality Chicken for Sale Online and at Our Butcher Shop in New York

When you buy chicken for sale online at Piccinini Bros, you'll know exactly where your meat comes from. We partner with small, local farms in the tri-state area that we’ve developed relationships with to understand their poultry-raising practices and ensure every cut we bring into our butcher shop in NYC  is the highest standard for quality and flavor, and is ethically sourced and produced. Sourcing from small, local farms allows chickens to grow and mature naturally, which impacts the flavor of the poultry and makes delicious dishes every time. Our farms never use growth hormones (as mandated by the USDA for all poultry in the US) or antibiotics. Some of our farms, like Murray’s Family Farmed Poultry are Certified Humane, which is awarded to farms that promote humane and ethical chicken farming practices. Taste the difference for yourself! Stop by our New York City butcher shop in Hell’s Kitchen, or order online for in-store pickup or curbside delivery.