So last night, Hubby was flicking about on the TV and found… shock horror …channel 4! It’s actually on channel 135 here which is presumably why we missed it, being used to finding it on 104. And guess what? Hugh’s Chicken Run was on. We missed the first ten minutes but the rest of it was a total eye opener. Finding himself unable to gain access to an intensive rearing chicken farm, he set about building his own, genuine intensive chicken farm, with approximately 2500 chicks. He also made his own free range chicken farm, and had 1500 of the little blighters on that side too*. For a guy who’s into welfare in a big way, it was obviously a hugely upsetting project and there were some genuinely moving moments: when he had to dispatch his second undersized chicken of the day (there were actual tears) and when he took local families in to the stinking, packed chicken shed: their horrified faces spoke a thousand words. There were also, I have to say, some classic moments: the stockman trying to chase all the free-range chickens back into their hut (escapologists, every one), and Jamie Oliver visiting the shed and being visibly disgusted, telling people how they were ‘pissing and shitting’ on each other. Never one to mince his words, our Jamie.
Hubby, whilst not exactly being a cynic, is certainly a realist, and was glad that Hugh also had on board a single Mum with two kids on a budget who said she couldn’t afford free range and who made a fine point for the intensively farmed birds: ‘they’ve got food, water, shelter and a heater - and let’s face it, they’re going to die anyway’. Even she blanched a little, though, when her son came out of the chicken shed in tears. I think he did well, though, in cooking a fine free range bird and then showing how to make a really nice chicken and cob nut risotto with the leftovers.
Anyway, I’m working on Hubby regarding the chickens, and will shortly be talking to Big Jim (remember him: our tiling/plumbing/carpentry genius?) about a quote for knocking up a nice little chicken enclosure. Wish me luck!
Oh and don’t forget to catch the last instalment of Hugh’s Chicken Run on Channel 4 tonight at 9pm, and Jamie’s Fowl Dinners: 11 January at 9pm also on Channel 4.
* The sheds were of equal size, but as stocking densities are much lower for free range birds than for ’standard’ birds, there were more birds on the intensive side.
(Thanks to Nikki O’Shea at Channel 4 for her help and clarification, and to the lovely Susannah at River Cottage for all the info. Mwah xx)
Both sides of the shed provide the same amount of floor space for the chickens, but there are a lot more of them in the intensive side - Hugh is following the EU/UK guidelines on the maximum amounts he can have in each side.
Taken from last nights program summary on the C4 website:
The rapid growth of Hugh’s 2,500 chickens is a stark contrast to their 1,500 free range neighbours who get to frolic in the sunshine, and as the days pass, the grim realities of commercial farming start to weigh heavily on Hugh’s mind.
Comment by elly parker — January 9, 2008 @ 1:56 pm
Enter Big Jim… ohhhhh, this is getting soo exciting, I can’t stand it.
Have you seen The Eglu from a company in Oxfordshire (omlet.co.uk)? These are quite stylish (although bright), and might even match your wellies!!
Comment by Sandra in Maryland — January 9, 2008 @ 3:16 pm
Sandra: Just been looking at the Eglu website! Wonder if you can get such a thing in Ireland?? x
Comment by englishmuminireland — January 9, 2008 @ 3:55 pm
Completely with you on this one.
Comment by Isitjustme? — January 9, 2008 @ 4:01 pm
Comment by Wee Jen — January 9, 2008 @ 4:13 pm
Comment by englishmuminireland — January 9, 2008 @ 4:35 pm
Comment by englishmuminireland — January 9, 2008 @ 4:56 pm
Comment by ALAN — January 31, 2008 @ 2:42 am
Comment by englishmuminireland — January 31, 2008 @ 3:27 pm
[...] the back seat of the jeep the most pathetic begging and pleading, and no matter how much I quote Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, and give empassioned speeches about the miserable fate of intensively farmed chickens, it all [...]
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