The message
from "Franz Heymann" contains these words:

My curiousity drives me to display my ignorance: What is involved in
keeping chickens in a run, and what constitutes a free range chicken?

Batteries are small cages which the chickens live in. A sloping wire
mesh floor allows eggs to roll out to a ramp outside the cage, thus
remaining clean and unpecked.

Chickens in a run usually means that there is a wooden chicken house
with a wire-netting run attached.

(Proper) free-range hens have a chicken house, but are free to invade
their neighbours' gardens, get run over in the road, roost in trees or
go on holiday with Mr. Fox.

--
Rusty Hinge
horrid·squeak&zetnet·co·uk
http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/hi-fi/tqt.htm