F.A.Q. Frequently Asked Questions

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FAQ

I heard that males are killed… why? Where can I find more information?

Both males and females are used for broilers, so when we buy a chicken at the supermarket we can find

Are white eggs really healthier?

No, they are identical to dark-shelled eggs. In different regions people like different colours of eggs. For example, in the

Why are they all white?

Simply because the best selections used today come from breeds with natural white plumage. A few decades ago, chickens that

Do they suffer?

Understanding whether an animal is in pain is often a matter of common sense and difficult to fully assess. One

How long do they live?

Broilers have a life cycle of 32 to 56 days. Slow-growing ones have a cycle of up to 84 days.

Why are some meats more expensive than others?

The cost of meat and eggs is closely linked to the type of farming. The poultry industry has over the

How does organic farming work?

The regulations for organic farming and animal husbandry are contained in EC Reg. 834/07 and EC Reg. 889/08, which contain

What is the difference between free-range and non- free-range?

In a conventional breeding farm, the birds are kept indoors. In an ‘outdoor’ farm, the birds also have access to

Are they treated with antibiotics because they get sick from the life they lead?

When they get sick, chickens are treated with antibiotics, in the same way as our children or puppies are treated.

Are they pumped up?

The answer is simple: no! Modern’ chickens are bigger than they used to be because over the years, breeds have

Can anyone be a breeder?

Certainly not. This is especially so if by the term farmer we mean someone who does this professionally and deals

What is animal welfare?

The concept of animal welfare generally refers to the five freedoms developed by the Farm Animal Welfare Council in the

Do they stay in the dirt?

No. Broilers are kept on a litter of soft wood shavings that absorbs their droppings. At each cycle, the litter

What does ‘intensive farming’ mean?

This term is used to distinguish hobby farms (up to a few dozen birds) from those designed to provide meat

How many chickens do you put in a cage? And why aren’t the chickens in a cage?

Broilers are not raised in cages. They never have been, except for a few experiments in socialist countries. Because of

Do they stay in cages?

Chickens have never been reared in cages, with a few exceptions in Eastern Europe. Cages were only used for laying

Are they badly treated?

Modern poultry farming systems have progressively created optimal conditions for healthy and stress-free growth of animals that do not have

Do they carry diseases?

Every animal being (including humans) coexists with different germs, bacteria and microorganisms inside and outside itself, for which it naturally

I have heard that on farms chickens are called broilers. Why?

The term ‘broiler’ is a simplification from the 1950s, a time when professional chicken farming was beginning to develop in

Is there a chicken that can provide both the meat and eggs?

There is, it’s called “dual purpose” breeding. These birds can be a good option for a small family farm because

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