If you are a fan of free range chicken hurry up and eat to your heart's content - because you won't be able to do it for much longer. A couple of days ago I was watching a German news program where they interviewed chicken farmers about the bird flu, which has already hit Germany. The flu has forced them to keep their chickens inside, and they don't anticipate they'll be able to let them out for a long time. Therefore the free-range chicken industry in Germany will be, for all intents and purposes, dead.
I can't imagine the same thing won't happen in the States. The bird flu hasn't hit here yet, but it's only a matter of time. When it does, it will be too dangerous to keep birds outside as well, where they can get in contact with flying birds carrying the virus. Sure they can keep them in large cages, but as the German farmer said, a cage is a cage, and you don't have free range chicken when you keep it in a cage.
So let's fill up on free-range chicken now, 'cause we may not be able to have it again.