Feeding 100% organic without going broke?

[U_Stormcrow]

Small scale, "Organic" (meeting US Definitions) is a niche offering for hobbyists, NOT for production. If you want to produce Organic in the US w/o going broke, you need to either scale WAY up (some of the organic certification, paperwork, reporting requirements seems pretty clearly intended as a barrier against entry by new competitors), or get a better day job - do this as a break even side hussle.

If you are very fortunate, you may have a local mill which can produce certified organic feed for you at decent pricing. Your local Ag Extension office can likely make recommends. In that way you "scale up" by piggybacking on someone else's size.

New York is a big state - maybe these guys can provide what you need at decent price? https://www.stonehousegrain.com/ They don't provide guaranteed nutritional labels on line, so I can't comment as to the quality of their feed from adietary standpoint, but they are in your market, in your state, and would seem to be much cheaper than Scratch & Peck (which I feel to be overpriced, though popular). There may be other options. Likely are.

https://www.coldspringsfarmorganics.com/ likewise

https://www.keystonemills.com/animal-feed/poultry-feed#natures likewise


https://kingbirdfarm.com/products/certified-organic-feed/ (distributor for Cold Springs)

etc.

Hope that helps you improve your search

 

[My Very First 6 Chickens]

One suggestion I have off the top is that if you found certified organic starter that wasn’t expensive just keep them on that and provide oyster shell on the side when they reach POL. I have no idea if there is such a thing as organic oyster shell though. That’s a different rabbit hole

Go to the beach and collect your own oyster shells. I do but beach is only 30 mins away.

 

[Mother of Chaos]

Small scale, "Organic" (meeting US Definitions) is a niche offering for hobbyists, NOT for production. If you want to produce Organic in the US w/o going broke, you need to either scale WAY up (some of the organic certification, paperwork, reporting requirements seems pretty clearly intended as a barrier against entry by new competitors), or get a better day job - do this as a break even side hussle.

If you are very fortunate, you may have a local mill which can produce certified organic feed for you at decent pricing. Your local Ag Extension office can likely make recommends. In that way you "scale up" by piggybacking on someone else's size.

New York is a big state - maybe these guys can provide what you need at decent price? https://www.stonehousegrain.com/ They don't provide guaranteed nutritional labels on line, so I can't comment as to the quality of their feed from adietary standpoint, but they are in your market, in your state, and would seem to be much cheaper than Scratch & Peck (which I feel to be overpriced, though popular). There may be other options. Likely are.

https://www.coldspringsfarmorganics.com/ likewise

https://www.keystonemills.com/animal-feed/poultry-feed#natures likewise


https://kingbirdfarm.com/products/certified-organic-feed/ (distributor for Cold Springs)

etc.

Hope that helps you improve your search

Yeah, I grow organically, but I would never even dream of certification. Many of the small farmers I buy from at tailgate markets do the same (I have to trust them on this, of course.)

 

[Mother of Chaos]

One suggestion I have off the top is that if you found certified organic starter that wasn’t expensive just keep them on that and provide oyster shell on the side when they reach POL. I have no idea if there is such a thing as organic oyster shell though. That’s a different rabbit hole

FWIW, for organic certification, one is allowed to use non-certified products if you can’t access certified.

So unless someone is raising (and selling) shell from an oyster bed being fed curated seaweed or something, I wouldn’t dwell on organic oyster shell.

 

[My Very First 6 Chickens]

OP specified certified organic and presumably is in the US (New York I assume?) which would mean "piece of paper" organic to USDA standards, in order to sell eggs as such.

S&P Grower shouldn't be $90 a bag though - is that ordered online or something? Or is it because it has to be shipped across the country to you? If you want prebagged feed I'd start by looking at feed manufacturers/distributors closer to your neck of the woods, OP.

$90 is the price......I wish I could afford the S&P! Currently looking for a 'perfect' All Flock feed. Coming up short. I have my youngens and young boy on a grower feed.

 

[BDutch]

$90 is the price......I wish I could afford the S&P! Currently looking for a 'perfect' All Flock feed. Coming up short. I have my youngens and young boy on a grower feed.

For how many kilo’s or pound?
I pay € 17,79 for 20 kg organic layer pellet in the Netherlands. And € 19,07 for 20 kg organic chick crumble. Collect only and a minimum of 5 bags (or its gets way more expensive). My ‘neighbour’ and I combine the order. Doing so the feed doesn’t expire.

 

[rosemarythyme]

$90 is the price......I wish I could afford the S&P!

$90 from where though? That's double what I pay, but I'm somewhat local.

 

[My Very First 6 Chickens]

$90 from where though? That's double what I pay, but I'm somewhat local.

Last time I checked scratch and peck it was about $90 for 50(pd) layer feed shipped to CT

 

[BDutch]

Last time I checked scratch and peck it was about $90 for 50(pd) layer feed shipped to CT

Maybe the local feed shop can give a better price if they order their own brand for you to pick it up. Some shops don’t sell all kind of feed bc they dont have enough buyers, but are willing to resell if ordered.

In the past I ordered organic chick feed at our local mill that way. They only sold chick feed in the season (spring), but I needed it in winter too bc I had older hens that don't lay from autumn till spring.

 

[My Very First 6 Chickens]

Maybe the local feed shop can give a better price if they order their own brand for you to pick it up. Some shops don’t sell all kind of feed bc they dont have enough buyers, but are willing to resell if ordered.

In the past I ordered organic chick feed at our local mill that way. They only sold chick feed in the season (spring), but I needed it in winter too bc I had older hens that don't lay from autumn till spring.

Thats a great idea. I asked my local feed store (Lock Stock and barrel), but they only deal with their vendors and S&P is not one of them. I do purchase the S&P 3 grain scratch tho!