Pasture-raised chicken, free-range chicken, and cage-free chicken sound like three ways of saying the same thing. They...
Pasture Raised Chicken vs Free Range vs Cage Free Guide
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Pasture-Raised Whole Chicken — Fresh & Frozen
Pasture-raised whole chicken is the most honest way to buy a bird — nothing removed, nothing hidden, priced better per pound than any parted cut. Ours live outside on Maryland grass, moved to fresh pasture every single day, foraging bugs and clover alongside a Non-GMO, soy-free feed milled locally in Pennsylvania. No antibiotics, no added hormones. Buy them frozen year-round with shipping to 24 states, or reserve fresh birds with a deposit around our seasonal bulk-chicken dates and pick them up at the farm.
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Why the Whole Bird Is the Smart Buy
One whole chicken is three meals wearing one price tag: the roast, the leftovers, and the stock from the carcass. Per pound, it’s the best value in the poultry case — you’re not paying the butcher to part it out. And a pastured bird makes the math even better, because the frame that spent its life walking, scratching, and foraging carries more flavor into that third meal than any confinement bird can.
“Pasture-raised” on our farm is literal, not a label. The shelters move to clean grass every morning; the birds range from there all day. That’s a different life than “free-range,” which legally requires only outdoor access — often one small door on a packed barn. You’ll see the difference in the deeper color of the meat and taste it in the stock.
“Pasture-raised” on our farm is literal, not a label. The shelters move to clean grass every morning; the birds range from there all day. That’s a different life than “free-range,” which legally requires only outdoor access — often one small door on a packed barn. You’ll see the difference in the deeper color of the meat and taste it in the stock.
Fresh or Frozen — How Each Works
- Frozen, year-round: whole birds from the most recent processing date, vacuum-sealed, shipped to your door or picked up at the farm. Sizes vary by batch; the current weight range is on the product page.
- Fresh, in season: several times each spring, summer, and fall we process chickens and offer them fresh — never frozen — for farm pickup. You reserve with a small per-bird deposit and settle the balance at pickup. Order four or more, and you can have them cut into parts, each individually packaged. Fresh dates sell out; the deposit listing shows what’s coming up.
Roasting a Pastured Bird
Pastured chicken rewards simple treatment: dry the skin well, salt it generously, roast at 425°F until the thigh reads 165°F, and rest it before carving. The one habit worth changing from grocery birds — don’t overshoot the temperature. An active bird’s leaner muscle wants exactness, not extra minutes. Then simmer the carcass with the wing tips and neck, and the bird pays for itself.
Frequently Asked Questions
How big are your whole chickens?
Sizes vary by batch — the current weight range is listed on the product page. A typical bird feeds a family of four with leftovers.
What's the difference between pasture-raised and free-range chicken?
Free-range requires only outdoor access. Pasture-raised, the way we do it, means the birds live on grass and are moved to fresh pasture daily.
Is the chicken sold fresh or frozen?
Shipped chicken is always frozen and vacuum-sealed. Fresh birds are available for farm pickup around our seasonal bulk-chicken dates — reserve with a deposit.
How does the fresh chicken deposit work?
Pick your number of birds and whether you want them whole or cut up, pay a $5 deposit per bird, and settle the balance at pickup or shipping. Cut-up orders come in quantities of four.
Can I buy chickens in bulk?
Yes — the same deposit system covers bulk orders, with deeper discounts at 12 and 50+ birds. See our bulk buys for what’s currently scheduled.
What do your chickens eat?
Whatever they forage on pasture — bugs, worms, grasses, clover — plus free access to a Non-GMO, soy-free ration from a local Pennsylvania mill. The feed does contain corn; no soy, no GMOs.
Related
Shop all pasture-raised chicken — breasts, thighs, wings, and more
Chicken backs and necks — turn every carcass habit into a broth habit
Bulk chicken and shares for 12+ bird orders
What Customers Are Saying
From the Farm Blog
Cooking guides, pasture-raised know-how, and the occasional farm story.
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