I just saw the new misleading Perdue chicken TV commercial making a big fuss about their new USDA Process Verification.
I’ve only seen the commercial once so far, so I’m going on what I remember, details are fuzzy. I’ll update when I can review the commercial again.
Jim Perdue is having a press conference about the fact that Perdue chicken is the first to receive the USDA Process Verification. I remember hearing buzz words/phrases like “cage free”, “vegetarian fed”, “no growth hormones”! And then he closes the barn door, and there’s chickens sitting at little make-up tables with lights around the mirror, giving the impression that the chickens are superstars!
Here’s the REAL STORY.
What Does the USDA Process Verification Actually Mean?
At first, the pessimistic in me is thinking okay, Perdue pressured the USDA to create this verification process and applied even more pressure to make sure they were the first. Just sayin LOL
But here’s their official USDA Process Verification:
All Vegetarian Fed – Chickens are fed a high quality vegetarian diet, with no animal by-products. Raised Cage Free – Perdue chickens are free to roam within the chicken houses.
So, what does the verification mean? From :
“We feed our birds the finest natural grain products, including corn, soybeans and marigolds, with no animal byproducts,” says Perdue. Products carrying the Raised Cage Free claim are verified to come from birds that are free to move about within temperature-controlled chicken houses.
Big deal!
The official-sounding verification really means nothing in terms of humane treatment of animals, but I am sure that it won’t matter to consumers. People hear the phrases cage free and vegetarian fed, and they think they are doing a good thing by buying. I know, because I fell for it myself in the past!
They feed their chickens cheap GMO Genetically modified} soy and corn and their chickens don’t live in cages. They still can be cramped together (), and there is no stipulation for fresh air, outdoor access, lighting, etc.
Oh and they feed marigolds so the chicken skin turns a nice yellow color! But it does evoke a lovely scene of chickens roaming freely through fields of yellow flowers doesn’t it?
Sorry, but if Perdue is the first and only USDA Process Verified company, then I am sorry, but that just leads me to believe the whole verification process is bogus bull crap, actually make that bogus chicken crap.
Perdue’s Web Site Claims
Let’s take a look at some further details stated on about this prestigious recognition (insert smirk):
We’ve always known our PERDUE® chicken was good, but with our new USDA Process Verified seal, now we know it’s VERIFIABLY GOOD. Perdue is the FIRST poultry company to have a Process Verified seal. The seal verifies that the chickens have been raised without cages and fed an all-vegetarian diet. This means you can have full confidence in the way we raise our chickens. In taste tests,** we’ve also found that this means consumers prefer the taste of Perdue USDA Process Verified Chicken.
Boy that is a lot of congratulatory self-praise, a casual reader could possibly miss the actual verification details. Did you catch it?
The seal verifies that the chickens have been raised without cages and fed an all-vegetarian diet.
If you keep scanning down the web page, the content becomes even more misleading.
They list all these great USDA Defined Terms including “organic”, “Free range free roaming”, “No antibiotics”, “No hormones”, but why? Their verification has NOTHING to do with organic, free range, hormones or antibiotics, so why are these words being listed on this page? To perhaps confuse and mislead the public?
Anti-biotics vs Hormones and Steroids
Sometimes people misunderstand the words hormones and anti-biotics, thinking they are one in the same. I know I have been misled in the past when looking at labels.
Here is what Perdue states on their about anti-biotic usage:
Perdue does not use antibiotics for growth promotion in our chickens. We use antibiotics as directed by our company’s team of veterinarians, all of whom are board-certified by the American College of Poultry Veterinarians. The antibiotics are used in stringent accordance with FDA and USDA guidelines. All PERDUE® products are free of harmful residues as determined by routine onsite USDA sampling.
They will always need to administer anti-biotics because their poor chickens are crammed together in small spaces, which means they are stressed, which means they will get sick!
I love the line
“All PERDUE® products are free of harmful residues as determined by routine onsite USDA sampling.”
Does the USDA think anti-biotics are harmful? Does this mean that any and all anti-biotic residues are acceptable because they are determined as safe?
PS: Perdue’s consistent claim for non-usage of hormones is bogus, because the USDA forbids usage in poultry and pork. But they still try to mislead the public whenever they can get away with it.
So, please when choosing products for your family’s table, don’t fall for silly verifications like this, even if it does come from the USDA. It’s just a load of chicken sh*t!
We have many Rare Chicken Breeds for sale in Sundown Texas,
including Sussex Chickens, Welsummer Chickens, Turken Chickens and more.
Be sure to check out the Bargain Specials, as you can combine different
egg layers in smaller amounts and buy as an assortment. Sundown
Texas also has poultry equipment for sale, game chickens for sale in
Sundown Texas, bantams for sale, ducks for sale, geese for sale,
turkeys for sale, guinea for sale, peafowl for sale, pheasant for sale,
chukar partridge for sale, bobwhite for sale, many different breeds of
baby chicks for sale in Sundown TX.
Thumbing through a baby chickens for sale in Sundown Texas
catalog is a yearly traditions in many houses. My kids and I eagerly await
the Murray McMurray Hatchery catalog. We love looking at all the cool and
different chicken breeds available. Catalogs are free so head on over to
their site and request one if you are interested.
Typically hatcheries online offer both standard breeds
and bantams. Bantams are fun hardy little chickens, they lay tiny eggs
that kids especially love collecting. Bantams typically weigh less than 2
pounds when full grown. Just like ordering anything online there are pros
and cons to ordering baby chicks online. Pros of buying baby chicks in
Sundown Texas * Big Selection - If you are wanting a large
variety of different chicken breeds and egg colors, you will find the best
selection at an online hatchery. * Both Bantams and full sized chickens
available * You get to choose what sex you want. If you want a mixture of
both male and female then choosing a "straight run" will save you money
and you will get a mixture of male and female chicks. You can also choose
all males or all females too. * Weekly specials. Hatcheries have sales on
chicks, you are likely to get a good deal if you are flexible with the
breeds you are wanting. Cons of buying baby chicks in Sundown
Texas * Order early to get the best selection. Certain breeds sell
out fast, sometimes as early as 6 months in advance of shipping! If you
are wanting a certain breed it's best to order your chicks in the fall
before their orders sell out.
Quantity - you must order a certain number of chicks. Typically hatcheries
will require you buy a minimum of 25 chicks at a time. The number is
necessary for the chicks survival during shipping. All 25 chicks are put
in one small box without heat. They are crowded in the box and produce
enough body heat to arrive in good shape. * The wait - If you choose to
buy chicks from a feed store you will have them the same day but if you
choose to go with a hatchery you have to wait until they are ready to ship
and then wait for the chicks to arrive. Ordering baby chicks online in
Sundown Texas is easy and has always been a very pleasant
experience of me. It can be a little frustrating waiting for the chicks
but it's so worth the wait. When the post office calls and you hear all
those little "cheeps" or "chirps" in the background you'll know the wait
was worth it! How to Care for your new baby chickens in Sundown,
Texas Baby chicks are quite
adorable and
hard to stand up to,
however it's ideal to prepare for their
arrival before you obtain them. Prepare first
by gathering not only the
appropriate materials, yet
additionally the correct
expertise to look after
them. Raising baby chicks is reasonably
simple, you just have to offer them with the following: A
clean and also cozy
habitat Lots of food as well
as water Focus and also
love Environment Your habitat can be a straightforward box, aquarium,
pet cat carrier, or guinea
porker cage. Line it with old towels and
coverings (without any loose
strings!) to start, as well as after a
couple of weeks use straw over newspaper.
Keep in mind: Avoid making use of just
paper or various other slipper
surfaces-- or your chicks legs can grow
malformed. You also need
something to serve up food and also
water in, such as a chicken feeder as well as water
dish from the feed shop, or a pickle jar
cover for food as well as a pet bird water dispenser from a family pet store. Additionally, as the chicks age you can present a perch
into the environment to obtain them
educated on perching. Heat To
keep your chicks warm you have to
offer them with a heat resource.
This could be as straightforward as a 100 watt
light bulb in a reflective clamp design lamp from an equipment store, or an infrared reptile heat
light bulb likewise work very
well (my
suggestion). Chicks require this
warmth 24/7 up until their downy fluff is
replaced with feathers (which could occupy to 2 months). The freshly
hatched require a temperature
between 90 as well as 100 levels,
and weekly this can
be lowered by
about 5 degrees or
so. The heat resource should get on merely one side of the cage
to allow chicks a variety of
temperature levels. The chicks are your best
thermostat- if they are hiding in the
other corner of your heat
lamp, you need to
lower the temperature level. If
they are smothering each various other under the
heat (not just curling up),
you need to add some heat.
Housekeeping
Sanitation is key and also it keeps your chicks healthy and
balanced. Make certain to change
the bed linens
often as well as
constantly offer clean
food and water Food as well as water.
Chicks grow very quick
which needs lots of clean
food and also water. Provide
enough at all times and also check
commonly to
stop thirsty and
hungry chicks. Chick food is various compared
to grown-up chicken food, as well as it comes
in both medicated and
also non-medicated selections. Feed chick food for the
initial two months, after that
change to a grower food (~ 17 %
healthy protein) for another 2 months,
and after that to a somewhat
lower healthy protein feed or a level feed
(if you have levels). Dirt Some chicks like to obtain a head start on taking
filth bathrooms, while others will not use up that task till they are
older. If you have the room in your chick
enclosure, introduce a tray of sand or
filth for them to shower in.
Focus as well as love There are a couple of advantages to spending time with your chicks. First of all, they will probably bond with you and
not flee as adults. Second, if you
analyze your chicks daily and also
see their behavior, you could
capture ailment or various
other troubles earlier. Watch out for wheezing, limping, or
various other undesirable
signs. Make certain to
likewise consider
their poop, as looseness of the bowels can cause matted feathers and blocked cloaca.
Finally, it is essential to look out
for social problems, such as the
tiniest chick obtaining picked
on. Empty nest disorder So your
chicks are now fully feathered
and its time for them to leave the
security of your home
as well as relocate outside into a
coop. Check out our
area on chicken cages to read more
regarding coops as well as
appropriate coop environments.