Organic feeds... DO you use it? How much do you pay... Is it worth it?

[Brunty_Farms]

I'm debating using organic feed but I can not find a producer close enough to me that sells organic feed or even grows it. I'm located in Ohio and the closest one was in PA and the price was $21.34 for a bag of layer mash 16%. For me to get a pallet shipped it would cost $630.00 which is about $16.00 / bag.

I asked where the grains were grown... answer: Corn comes from the west (Iowa and such), N. Carolina, Virginia, and some are grown here in PA.

Seems like organic feed is very unsustainable in my opinion. Even though I will continue my quest for an organic feed producer that grows local grains I'm very leery if this will work. The price of feed will double no matter which avenue I take and in some cases triple. But the price you pay for organics seems too hefty for even health conscious buyers.

SO... do you buy organic feed for your chickens? IF you sell eggs what do you sell them at? Where are you located? Do you know where the grains are grown? Bottom line.... is it really worth the price?

 

[GardeNerd]

I have a list of organic feed retailers and suppliers. Some are feed stores and some are mills. Here is what I have for Ohio. Are any of these close to you?

OHIO

Curly Tail Organic Farms
11464 Yankee St.
Frederickstown, OH 43019
Phone: (740) 694-8622

Dale Filbrun Farms Inc.
3993 State Route 503 S.
West Alexandria, OH 45381-9355
Phone: (937) 787-4885
Fax: (937) 787-4885

Highland Naturals
Dan Masters
3878 County Road 135
Millersburg, OH 44654
Message machine: (330) 893-2016
(330) 231-0269

Ft. Recovery Equity, Inc.
2351 Wabash Rd.
Ft. Recovery, OH 45846
Phone: (419) 375-4119
E-mail: ftequity(at)bright.net

Twin Parks Organic Farm
PO Box 592
West Salem, OH 44287-0592
Phone: (419) 846-3082
Fax: (419) 846-3082
E-mail: organicpedaler1(at)aol.com

Farmerstown Elevator
100 So. Ray St
PO Box 248
Baltic, Ohio 43804
Phone: (330) 897-6201

Mt. Eaton Elevator
15911 Berry St.
Mt. Eaton, OH 44659
Phone: (330) 359-5028
Toll Free: (800) 359-5028
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I use organic chicken feed. We eat a lot of organic food ourselves and I maintain an organic garden. Feeding my hens organic chicken feed was part of the management of my garden and compost. It is financially worth it to me because organic free range eggs locally cost us $4.99 -$5.99 a dozen. My hens produce the same (better) eggs for about $1.20 a dozen on the organic feed.

 

[bibliophile birds]

i buy organic feed from Countryside Naturals. i'm NO WHERE near your set up as i'm just getting started with chickens. my feed costs easily twice what i would pay at the Co-Op, but my birds go through it a lot slower than the previous batch did the Co-Op feed. i think it's because it's so much better, nutritionally, that they don't need as much. at this stage (4 months old) the original batch of chickens (25) was going through 50 lbs a week, Co-Op feed. the current batch (22, same kinds of chickens) is going through 50 lbs of organic in a little over 2 weeks. that makes it worth it to me.

i'm not getting eggs from my pullets yet, but organic eggs sell for around $4/dz at my farmer's market, whereas non-organic of the same caliber (free-range/pastured) are going for around $2.50/dz. so, if you can keep the feed costs down, you stand to make more money.

as for organic being sustainable or not... well, it's not particularly at this moment for most of the country. that is the biggest drawback for me. i would like to be able to buy from local organic feed producers, but that's impossible. there isn't a SINGLE organic grainery in the entire S East. the closest ones are in Virginia (where my feed comes from) and Texas (which might be a good option for you). it's because the market hasn't responded to the demand. i'm in a buyer's club for my feed that has over 100 members and that's just in my small area. things are starting to change, but the producers need us to support them now, when costs are high and availability is low, so that they can grow and branch out and make things better and easier.

my local feed stores are all getting requests for organic now and are seriously looking into carrying it. once that happens, it's just a matter of time before someone local, and sustainable, gets in on the action.

so, bottom line: for me, it's worth it- with the knowledge that i'm doing some of the crappy leg work to make it worth it for other people.

 

[Cindy in PA]

I'm going back to the local guy who has conventional & organic using Fertrell minerals. His conventional feed is $17/80 lbs and his organic is $21.50 for 80 lbs. The organic translates to $13.44 for 50bs. It is mash (has lots of grain in it), but i never had a problem with mash. I also used Natures Best out of Kreamer, PA which the chickens loved, but cost $25/50 lbs. at the feed store. Hope this helps.

 

[CityChicker]

That is incredibly cheap for organic, Cindy. Are all the ingredients certified organic or just a few?

The main drawback with organic, to me, is the price. I have also looked at buying it by the pallet. Even doing that, the price would be a little over $40 for 50 pounds (in my locale). Over a year's time, that would be thousands of dollars. If I were selling eggs (which I'm not right now), I would have to be able to sell them for double to triple the price to make organic a good business decision, financially speaking (and in my opinion). I don't think we could do that, since it would mean needing to get $6-$9 per dozen eggs. Of course, this presumes that a person sees feed cost as a percentage and sells eggs as a business (or a business mindset). I am sure others may disagree with the financial benefit, that is just my impression. All that said, I still am pursuing options for being able to feasibly try organic, especially if I ever go back to selling eggs for eating.

 

[colowyo0809]

We have the opportunity to get organic and near as i can tell local feed for .35 a # for layer and .50 a # for starter. At .35 a # thats only a dollar or so more than the nonmedicated 25# bag i can get in the store. the starter is several dollars more expensive but i believe we will be switching to that. We started this first round of chicks on the non medicated purina chick starter feed but I believe I will order through the organic and call it good. Especially since they have a pick up location in my area! Although, now that I have started thinking more in terms of locality and sustainability vs organic, I will need to ask where it comes from and how. Bugger this new set of environmental responsibilities i've laid upon my shoulders! Everything was easier when I was non thinking!! Bah!

 

[elmo]

I use Countryside Naturals, too, despite the fact that where I am shipping doubles the price (ouch). But Countryside is a soy free food, and that's important to me. I switched my chicks over to Countryside while they were still in a brooder in the corner of my den, and I noticed an immediate and dramatic elimination of chicken odor and a change in the composition of their droppings. Countryside feed contains Fertrell's nutritional supplements, too.

If I was choosing between an organic soy based feed and a nonorganic soy based feed, the choice for me would not be so clear.

 

[awmartian]

We buy our organic feed locally at Modesto Milling (Central Valley California). Their feed seems to be pretty good quality compared to what the other feed stores sell around here. We pay $22.25 for 50 lb bag of Ceritified Organic Chick Starter & Grower Crumbles (22% protein). We will be buying their 50lb Layer Pellets & Crumbles (17% protien) for $20.30 once our chickens are old enough. We also buy 50 lb bags of Diatomaceous Earth for $26.40 which we use for our garden and our chicks. The prices I listed are from my January 2010 list and usually includes tax.

Modesto Milling does offer shipping and a toll free phone number 800-897-9740.

Here is their website http://www.modestomilling.com/products.htm

You can also email Chris Wagner (manager) at [email protected] with any questions.


Hope this helps....

 

[Organics North]

I mix my own currently 80% organic. I buy in bulk once a year for 36 chickens. It ends up being about $15 per 50lbs. (Premix organic is around $17 per 50 locally.)

I charge $3 per dozen.

Is organic worth it?.. That is a loaded question, depends on alot! I like organic, for health reasons, taste and my to help push my personal political agenda against what has happened to our countries agriculture and our diets..
Yes I wished I could get more organic grains locally as I am big on buy local... I feel that will come with time, as more people want organic.

ON

 

[whillergee]

We got some of the Modesto Milling Grower/Starter crumbles too, and I was a bit concerned that the protein content was too high at 22%. In the one reference book that I have (Chickens for Dummies) it recommends that grower rations be at 18% so the birds don't grow too fast. My 8-week-old ladies seem to love it, so I don't think there's a problem from their perspective! The two-week-old babies like it too. Does anyone else worry about too much protein for grower feed?