Frequently Asked Questions

What is the proper way to handle raw chicken products?How are your chickens raised?

House of Raeford Farms chickens are raised cage-free on family farms in housing designed to keep them safe from the elements, outside predators and potential diseases. The houses are climate-controlled and ventilated with fresh air.

Are your chickens put in crates for transport?

For their own safety and well-being, our birds are carefully caged when they are transported from the farm to the processing plant.

Are your chickens raised humanely?

Absolutely. We have in place strict procedures, policies and practices—established by the National Chicken Council and required of our growers and employees—to keep our chickens free of fear, pain, stress, and suffering.

You can read more about chicken welfare at the National Chicken Council’s Chicken Checkin.

We have created an Animal Well-Being Advisory Board, with four highly respected independent experts evaluating our animal welfare programs and advising us on best practices. We have third-party outside firms conduct annual animal welfare audits of every facet of our operation, from hatcheries to farms to processing. We train every employee who’s in contact with live birds on humane handling.

And we respond with swift repercussions if a farmer or other employee is found to be abusing a bird in any way.

You can read more about chicken welfare at the National Chicken Council’s Chicken Checkin.

What do you feed your chickens?

Because we own and operate our own feed mills, we have complete control of our chickens’ diet. Our nutritionist develops our feed formulas, stipulating the precise mixture of high quality corn and soybean meal, supplemented with vitamins and trace minerals, for the high-quality diet needed for high-quality chicken.

Are your chicken products all-natural?

Yes. You can rest assured that the fresh chicken you’re buying from House of Raeford Farms is natural and contains only one thing. Chicken.

Do you use growth hormones or steroids?

Some misinformed folks believe the reason chickens now grow so big in such a short time is due to genetic engineering or the use of hormones or steroids. Not even close to true. Today’s larger, plumper, meatier chickens are the result of selective cross-breeding, better nutrition, and improvements in animal husbandry. Period. In fact, the use of hormones or steroids in poultry is expressly forbidden by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA).

Are your chickens genetically modified?

In a word: NO. Breeding is done in the traditional manner.

Do you give antibiotics to your chickens

Antibiotic use in animal production and the potential for antibiotic resistance are important issues for consumers and House of Raeford Farms. Our approach is simple: No Antibiotics Ever (NAE). The USDA Process Verified Program certifies that there are no antibiotics used during production.

We have reduced the need of antibiotic use through modern management practices, good nutrition, and the use of vaccines intended to improve animal health. For example, we have found that certain probiotics and essential oils in the feed will improve intestinal health without the use of antibiotics. Additionally, no antibiotics are used in the feed to improve growth.

Unfortunately, with all those systems put in place chickens may occasionally get sick. When that happens, antibiotics may be administered to restore the health of that flock. Our corporate veterinarians determine if antibiotic use is required. If needed, all medically important antibiotics are required to be under a veterinary prescription. Birds treated with antibiotics are segregated from NAE chickens for processing.

Do you vaccinate your chickens?

We vaccinate our chicks as soon as they hatch for a couple of common respiratory disease agents that may be common in a particular geographic area where the chickens are grown. Like with people, we are better to prevent infections than to have to treat for them. Although not technically a vaccination, you should know that most of our birds receive no antibiotics ever. In addition, we do not administer hormones or steroids to the chickens. It is against Federal law.

Do your chicken products contain gluten or MSG?

Our fresh chicken products are gluten-free; some prepared food items, such as breaded chicken nuggets, may include gluten but would say so on the package. MSG? Never.

How long is it safe to keep your products in my home refrigerator or freezer?

Fresh, uncooked chicken should be kept in the refrigerator no longer than 48 hours. If you don’t use it within two days, freeze it. If properly packaged, poultry will maintain its quality in a home freezer for nine months to a year. (source: National Chicken Council)

What is the proper way to handle raw chicken products?

Keep raw meat and poultry separate from other foods. Wash working surfaces (including cutting boards), utensils, and hands after touching raw meat or poultry. (source: USDA and National Chicken Council)

What’s the best way to thaw frozen chicken?

Thawing your chicken in the refrigerator—never on the countertop—is the safest method and provides the best results. (Plan on about five hours per pound.)

How do I know when my chicken is thoroughly cooked?

An internal temperature of 165° Fahrenheit as measured by a meat thermometer is the safe temperature. Cooking chicken to 165°F ensures that any possible bacteria is completely killed.

Do you have recipes for your products?

We have lots! Just go to our recipes page Here.

Does House of Raeford Farms import poultry or do any processing in other countries?

All our chickens are hatched and raised on family farms in the U.S. and processed nearby.

Are your farms spread out all over the country?

No. House of Raeford is a cooperative of family farmers, all located in the southeastern U.S.

What does it mean when you say that you are fully integrated?

From the hatcheries to the feed mills to the grow-out facilities to the processing, we control every aspect of our chicken arriving to you. It ensures that House of Raeford chicken products are safe, delicious, and nutritious.

Where can I get information about a particular House of Raeford product?

This website includes a description and nutritional facts for each product in each category: