Why is free range bad?

Answer 1

Raising animals in a "free range" environment isn't bad, it's just more expensive. Free range livestock are kept in a more open, natural environment which allows them to "range" around to forage. Most farmers raising such livestock do so with the intent of being able to sell them at a higher price to counteract the greater expense per bird or per egg. These animals tend to be more prone to disease and wild animal attack, so the farmer must add a percentage of cost to the animals sold to pay for the ones lost.

Answer 2

It's not all that bad because animals have more room to move around and socialize. The negative thing about it is that it takes more land to raise free-range livestock than it does to raise animals that are in CAFO operations. Some people believe it doesn't exist because most animals are still confined in some way or other, but there's a fine line between being confined to an area for productivity and confined in an area where they still have lots of space to roam.

Answer 3

Loss to predators is one of the main problems for a free range flock.

Misplaced eggs are another, hens usually will go back to the nesting boxes but occasionally will lay under a bush or make a nest in a hay stack.

Slightly less of a problem can be nutritional , as the birds tend to eat less of the balanced feed provided and fill up on "findings" around the farm. Solution to this is to allow free range after early morning feeding and re-feed when they head back to the chicken coop in the evenings.