The Price of Chicken: 1940 vs. 2024
Have you ever wondered why the price of chicken at the grocery store is so different from the price of pasture-raised poultry from a small farm like What The Cluck Farms? To understand this, we need to take a journey back to 1940 and compare how chickens were produced then to how they are produced now. The differences in methods, industrialization, and the scale of operations reveal why there is such a significant price difference and why the chickens we raise are still a great value when adjusted for inflation.
How Chicken Production Has Changed
In 1940, broilers, or chickens raised for meat, were typically slaughtered at around 85 days old and weighed about 2.9 pounds. Fast forward to 2024, and broilers are now commonly slaughtered at just 56 days old, weighing closer to 6.5 pounds. This dramatic increase in growth rate and size is the result of years of selective breeding. Modern broilers grow faster on less feed, have larger breasts, and fewer feathers. These changes not only meet consumer preferences for more breast meat but also streamline the processing by making the birds easier to pluck.
The Cost of Chicken Then and Now
Back in 1940, chicken was about $0.41 per pound, meaning a typical bird cost around $1.20. Adjusting for today’s inflation, that same bird would cost approximately $30, or close to $10 per pound. In stark contrast, today’s mass-produced factory farm chickens available at your local grocery store are priced at about $1.30 per pound, or around $8.45 for a whole bird.
At What The Cluck Farms, our pasture-raised poultry is priced at approximately $7.50 per pound, with an average bird weighing about 4.5 pounds. This brings our average price for a whole bird to around $33, which, when you think about it, isn’t far off from the inflation-adjusted price of chickens in the 1940s. Despite the higher cost compared to grocery store chickens, our prices reflect the true cost of sustainable, ethical farming practices that were common in the past.
Feeding Practices: Then and Now
Feeding practices have also evolved significantly. In the 1940s, chickens were fed simple diets consisting of whole grains like corn, oats, and barley, along with basic protein sources such as meat scraps and fish meal. This feed was naturally non-GMO, as genetically modified organisms were not introduced until the 1990s.
Today, the poultry industry uses a precision-based approach to nutrition tailored specifically to broiler genetics. This includes alternative proteins like insect meal and algae, antibiotic-free production, and advanced feed processing techniques such as pelleting and extrusion. However, the primary ingredients, such as soy and corn, are now often GMO-based.
At What The Cluck Farms, we feed our chickens a non-GMO, soy-free diet, similar in many ways to the feeds of the past. We also take advantage of modern advancements like pelleting and organic poultry boosters to enhance gut health and the broilers’ immune systems. This approach not only supports the birds’ health but also aligns with sustainable and ethical farming practices.
The True Cost of Doing the Right Thing
Large-scale commercial operations often feature chicken houses that are 40’ x 500’ or larger, housing over 20,000 birds per house. These farms might have 12 to 36 such houses, producing close to 1,000,000 or more birds per year. The typical stocking density ranges from 0.70 to 1.0 birds per square foot, creating significant odor and waste management challenges.
In contrast, at What The Cluck Farms, we use a much lower stocking density of 2 to 3 square feet per bird, and our chickens are raised outdoors on grass. Our birds live in 10’ x 7’ mobile chicken tractors with no floors, which are moved daily (and twice daily during the last 10-14 days) to fresh grass. This not only reduces odor but also allows the manure to naturally fertilize and rebuild our pastures.
Raising chickens this way is more labor-intensive and costly, but it results in healthier birds and better-quality meat. We believe that doing the right thing, even if it costs more, is worth it for the health of our chickens, our land, and our customers.
Conclusion
The differences in chicken production from 1940 to now are stark, but they help explain why pasture-raised poultry from farms like What The Cluck Farms costs more than mass-produced chickens at the grocery store. Despite the higher price, our chickens offer superior quality, health benefits, and support for sustainable farming practices. When adjusted for inflation, our prices are not much different from what your grandparents might have paid for a chicken in the 1940s.
By choosing to support small-scale, pasture-raised operations, you are not only getting a better product but also contributing to a more sustainable and ethical food system. We invite you to visit What The Cluck Farms, purchase our pasture-raised chickens, and experience the difference for yourself. Share this post to spread awareness about the benefits of pasture-raised poultry and help us continue our mission of providing healthy, sustainably raised food for our community.
Thank you for supporting small farms and making a difference with your food choices.