Poultry FAQs

Animal Care

How can I be sure the Case Farms Poultry I buy is Healthy?

Our producers, flock supervisors, and poultry veterinarians monitor the health of every flock. Our monitoring system assures the detection of any disease affecting the birds' health. In addition to our many quality and food safety checks, USDA inspectors in every Case Farms plant ensure the wholesomeness of every Case Farms product.

What are your chickens fed?

All chickens are farm rasied cage free and fed a diet that is predominantly corn and soy-based and supplemented with vitamins and minerals.

Do you use Antibiotics?

Specifically designed environmental management and disease prevention programs help ensure the health and well-being of our chickens. Should the use of antibiotics become necessary, they are used under the direction and supervision of a licensed and accredited Case Farms Veterinarian. We do not use any antibiotics that are not licensed and approved for use in food animals by the FDA or USDA.

Do you use Steroids or Growth Hormones?

No. Despite what you may hear, no artificial or added hormones are used in the production of any poultry in the United States. FDA regulations prohibit the use of such hormones.

Nutrition

Why are chicken bones dark in color? Does darkening around the bones mean the cooked chicken meat is spoiled?

Darkening around bones occurs primarily in young chickens. Since their bones have not calcified completely, pigment from the bone marrow can seep through the porous bones. Freezing can also contribute to this seepage. When the chicken is cooked, the pigment turns dark. It is perfectly safe to eat chicken meat that turns dark during cooking.

What color should the chicken skin be?

The skin color of chicken varies from cream-colored to yellow. The color is simply a result of the type of feed given the chicken and is not a measure of wholesomeness, nutritional value, flavor, tenderness or fat content. Various areas of the country have different color preferences; therefore, growers in a particular area feed chickens a diet to produce a desired color.

How can I be sure chicken is done?

The most accurate way to ensure your chicken is done is to use a meat thermometer. Whole chicken should be cooked to an internal temperature of 180°F. Insert the tip of the thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh without touching the bone. Bone-in parts should be cooked to 170°F, and boneless parts should be cooked to an internal temperature of 165°F. 

Is white meat chicken healthier than dark meat? Which chicken parts are white meat and which are dark meat?

White meat chicken is not healthier than dark meat. Chicken breast, white meat, is generally lower in calories than dark meat, but all chicken has a high nutritional value. It is one of the best sources of low-fat meat protein. It is low in calories, sodium and cholesterol and a good source of iron and other key vitamins and minerals. Chicken breasts and wings are white meat while drumsticks and thighs are dark meat. The wishbone (or keel) and tenderloins (or tenders) are part of the breast; therefore, they are white meat.

Avian Influenza

Should I be concerned about eating poultry products?

Absolutely not, because avian influenza is not a food safety issue. No one has been known to be infected by eating poultry meat, even in Asia. Furthermore, proper cooking kills any germs that may be present, including avian influenza. Of course, we always recommend you follow proper handling and cooking methods, including washing your hands, avoiding cross-contamination, cooking thoroughly and refrigerating leftovers promptly.

What's being done to protect U.S. flocks?

The U.S. has multiple lines of defense to prevent the introduction of Avian Influenza here, including bans on the importation of bird and bird products from affected areas, aggressive surveillance of migratory birds and domestic flocks and enhanced farm biosecurity. U.S. poultry from companies like Case Farms are raised in environmentally controlled houses, which protects them from contact with potential disease carriers. Strict biosecurity procedures for all aspects of live production are designed to prevent the introduction of disease onto a farm. Our producers, flock supervisors and poultry veterinarian monitor the health of every flock. In addition, 100% of Case Farms flocks are being tested for key strains of Avian Influenza before processing. These tests are conducted on the farm using National Poultry Improvement Plan protocols established through state and federal partnerships. Any flock found to have Avian Influenza in the H5 or H7 types will be promptly and humanely destroyed on the farm and disposed of in an environmentally acceptable manner. None of the birds will be sent to the processing plant or otherwise enter the food chain.

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