Some of the reasons we like this breed are:
- Produces tender, succulent meat
- Does not have the health issues that the commonly used breeds do
- Grows at a moderate rate, reaching peak weight of 5-6 lbs in 9 to 11 weeks, compared to the 4 to 6 weeks of the Jumbo Cornish used in standard commercial poultry operations and the 6 to 8 weeks of the Cornish X used in most pastured poultry farms
- Active and robust breed for pastured environments
- More yellow omega 3 fat and less saturated fat than fast-growing breeds
A brief history of the Freedom Ranger(TM):
The Freedom Ranger(TM) birds were derived from an American and European heritage breeds, and was developed in early 1960’s to meet the high standards of the French Label Rouge Free Range program. This program, started by the French government in 1960, requires very specific slow-growing genetics that have been qualified through taste and other sensory evaluations to be significantly superior to other products in the marketplace. The program also has very specific growing and processing requirements that are much more stringent than any other program in the world. To learn more about the Label Rouge program the ATTRA (Appropriate Technology Transfer for Rural Areas) put out a document that goes into more detail.
