Is the difference simply that the meat is meat from a well fed, exercised chicken vs. a force fed obese monstrosity?
Kind of like eating me vs. eating an Olympian.
Kind of like eating me vs. eating an Olympian.
That said, the difference that being able to forage green grass and insects in the short period they were out on pasture (usually 4-6 weeks, weather dependent) was so remarkable in terms of the flavour and the texture of the meat, that we're effectively ruined for eating any other non-pastured chickens. The fat was rich and velvety, the dark meat was meaty and deep in flavour; everything was just moist and juicy and delicious.
We didn't do many on a yearly basis (about 1000 +/-), and I was primarily using them for fertilizing pasture that I was grazing with our dairy herd. The fact that they were spectacular eating was just a side benefit.
If you're ever able to track one down, I'd highly recommend giving one a go.