Organic Chicken/Eggs

[AndiceChickens]

If I feed my chicks non-organic feed (starter or grower) and then switch to organic layer can I still sell there eggs as being organic?

 

[extraordinaryfowl]

I guess it would depend - if you are Certified they may have to be raised organically, but as long as they were on organic for a couple of weeks I personally wouldn't have a problem selling them as organic. The customer I don't believe would care, and they are the ones you want to please, not the government regulators.

 

[mikecnorthwest]

If I were to buy something marketed as organic, I would expect that it would be organic from the beginning.

 

[justsomeguync]

Quote:
Telling your friends they are organic and qualifying for what the standards say is organic are two different things. From what I have read, it has to be from day two or three.

 

[saladin]

Unless the birds are raised totally on wire, I wouldn't want to feed a starter/grower that wasn't medicated.

Personally, freedom for the birds (health and vigour) is a whole lot more important than being able to claim something is 'certified organic.'

I promise you that my birds eating grass and being free (after medicated chick starter) are alot more organic than those who can meet such claims and remain in a caged condition their whole lives.

 

[turtlewomyn]

Depending on where you are you may not be able to legally use the term organic in selling your eggs unless you are certified organic (and I know that certification is a lot of work from any organic farmers I buy from locally, they have to be organic from the beginning).

In the United States you cannot sell something as organic unless you are certified organic per the National Organic Program. If you are selling less than $5,000/year you don't need to certify, but you still need to follow all the rules.

As a consumer I buy from lots of local farms with the understanding that while they may not be organic they may still use many of the same practices (and I ask them questions about their growing methods). I would expect that anyone selling something as "organic" is certified or following the rules of the NOP.

 

[Phenomenon]

Not sure what the guidelines are, however, the difference in cost between organic and free-range is such that I'd expect the hen to have been fed organic matter from day one. Also remember that no antibiotics can be given to sick hens unless there is a critical outbreak or infection.

My hens are free-range but eat regular layers and mixed corn, along with a few treats. I have no problem with eating their eggs.

 

[saladin]

Quote:
Why would antibiotics be given to birds (non-commercial) if they weren't sick?

 

[clairabean]

Certified organic? No.

Uncertified 'organic'? Yes. But uncertified organic can be as wide of a range as 'all natural'. Think of what else your chickens eat. Do they free range? (organic area? no pesticides or fertolizers?) Scraps? (only organic kitchen scraps?) If you claim organic, but feed them your non organic kitchen scraps, then they are not organic.

I am uncertified organic. I only feed my chickens with organic feed, and organic scraps. (I work in an certified organic produce warehouse and bring home the food scraps) When I sell my eggs, I say they are uncertified organic. They were also raised on NON medicated organic starter. We felt no need to medicate them.

ETA: Thinking about this again, I need to add that EVERYTHING that chicken eats needs to be certified organic if you wish to claim organic eggs. Everything from feed, to the aple cider vinegar you put in their water.

 

[Phenomenon]

Why would antibiotics be given to birds (non-commercial) if they weren't sick?

I didn't say that, I said they cannot be given to sick birds.

Did you read what I wrote? Didn't think so.

Organic hens cannot be treated with low-level antibiotics for various infections etc. However, serious outbreaks of disease or infection in a flock can be treated.