French Heritage Chickens

I found a local souce close to me for French Heritage Chickens and they sell for $3.90 per pound. Is this reasonable, and those who know, is the flavor that much better?

http://kccnaturalfarms.com/free-range-chicken-farm.htm

Drew

[Jenise]

I'd bite. I pay 2.99-3.99 a pound here for organic, and I never know the breed that I'm buying. But some chickens from some suppliers are definitely better than others, what they're fed and freshness may matter more than family history but when someone goes to the trouble to specially breed something there's usually a good reason. Sometimes, one you can taste. Why not try?

I'd definitely give it a try, too. I've been a little disappointed in the local free-range birds that we get at the farmers' market here, but what the heck. Maybe yours will really be good.

The pictures on the site look like typical free ranging barn yard chickens of mixed breeds. Keeping everything else equal and having the only independent variable being the breed of the chicken the only difference in the meat is the amount of it on the carcass. Some breeds and hybrids do require a higher protein ration. If the ration in lower there can be some deformed legs. Typical barnyard mixed breeds "mutt" chickens usually require less protein. In a couple of generations the mutts evolve into birds that can get along on a lower protein ration. Lower protein rations also mean a slower rate of growth.

In chicken meat flavor comes from diet, gender and age of the bird.