[abc03]

I buy chicken at a farmer‘s market from a farmer which has different breeds and few chickens. This reduces the amount of medicine used. The chicken is so slim that my wife first complained. Of course I pay 3 times the regular price but although I donˋt earn a FAANG salary I can afford it. Just eat less! I also recommend to visit once a chicken farm and wonder why there are dead chickens. Alternatively watch some YouTube videos.

[aww_dang]

The chickens you describe are the only ones I find acceptable for soups and stocks. Mass produced broilers just don't have enough flavor for these uses.

[riffraff]

is there a culture of "old hen soup" where you live?

In Italy there's a folk saying, "gallina vecchia fa buon brodo" ("and old hen makes for good soup", meaning there's value in old people/stuff), and in Hungary it's relatively easy to buy a literal old hen at farmers' markets, which makes for much better soup than meat-oriented chicken.

[aww_dang]

They generally prefer the older rooster, non-broiler, heirloom varieties for soup here. You can easily find these in any village, but if you buy them downtown you'll pay about 3x. If you like the countryside it is worth the trip. You can buy other produce while you're there.

Old laying hens are usually cheaper. Not as desirable.