Jamie Oliver's Chicken Chat

I'm watching Channel 4's excellent programme Hugh's Chicken Run with Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall. It's running over three nights. Last night's show had him inviting Jamie Oliver to the chicken shed which the birds are tightly packed into. It's not pleasant for them, and Oliver was on good form in articulating their plight. Double-Barrell asked him if he'd like to cook one of them. "I've just seen Charlie here shit on his mate! NO! I wouldn't want to cook 'im". Hugh then asked Oliver what he thought of such an operation. Jamie looked down at the floor, with a carpet of white feathers before him. "Well, they're incredibly unfit freaks of nature!" came the reply.

That kind of summed it all up for me. Wretched existence for the birds, and when it comes down to value for money, not a lot in it over the free range birds. As a family, we went towards the free range some while ago. As the show pointed out, they taste better and they go further menu-wise.

Who exactly is kidding whom in this industry? One thing is for sure - they've got people working in it who are prepared to threaten others for publicising the trade!

See also the realities of egg production, as Jamie Oliver suffocates chicks on TV -

Did you know about this? I think Jamie puts it over quite well, without any sensationalism.



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ALSO: Jamie Oliver apologises to Sainsbury's

Posted in: chicken production,Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall,Jamie Oliver