Does vegetarian fed = grass fed?

[Ari Kestler]

I've seen this at TJs for chicken...I assume it's smart marketing, cause the prices don't seem right for grassfed chicken....so does vegetarian fed = grass fed? I'm assuming corn and grain are considered vegetarian so this is a big fat no?

[Darryl Shaw]

Chickens are omnivorous junglefowl so keeping them in fenced in grassy enclosures means that however you try and dress it up with smart advertising they aren't being allowed to eat their natural diet. The only farmed chickens I know of that are able to eat something close to their natural diet are the ones sold as free range woodland chickens.

[Scott Kustes]

No, vegetarian fed probably means lots of grains, soy, flax, etc. And the average consumer, not knowing any better, goes "vegetarian! it must be good!" They don't realize that, as Darryl said, that birds are omnivores. People that are raising chickens as properly as possible have mobile cages that they follow their cows with so the chickens can eat the grubs from the cow dung along with any grass and such they find.

[Mike ODonnell]

Originally Posted by Ari Kestler

I assume it's smart marketing

You got it right the first time...

[Garrett Smith]

Personally, I like the "range fed" label. Okay, they eat *what* exactly, out on the "range"?

[Scott Kustes]

Hooooome, home on the raaange. Where the deer and the antelope plaayeeee.

Sounds like the chickens eat deer and antelope to me.

[Tom Rawls]

Originally Posted by Garrett Smith

Personally, I like the "range fed" label. Okay, they eat *what* exactly, out on the "range"?

same as the sage hen, I'd guess: seeds and insects. good eats, if you're a fowl.

[Darryl Shaw]

Originally Posted by Scott Kustes

Hooooome, home on the raaange. Where the deer and the antelope plaayeeee.

Sounds like the chickens eat deer and antelope to me.

Well they are descended from tyrannosaurus rex.....

[Garrett Smith]

I should have made myself more clear, I meant "range fed" beef. I picture a trough filled with grain/soy stuck out on the "range".

Referring to where an animal eats doesn't create confidence in me with the sneaky food marketing these days...