Feeding chicks commercial or non-commercial

[Mommysongbird]

Our chicks haven't gotten here yet, they are still in the bator but I want to have everything they need waiting for them and was wondering on feed for them.

I would like to do as much organic as possible (no feed store stuff) is that really possible when they are chicks??

Ours won't be free range, we just don't have enough room and it would be too dangerous beside a road. They will have an exercise pen though connected to their coop. I may have hubby to put up another pen on the other side of the yard so they will have a little more room, we'll see.

So back to my question. Feeding chicks commercial or non-commercial foods, what do you do?? All the books I have read so far talk about feed store foods (commercial) and we have a WONDERFUL family owned feed store a couple of miles from us, but I am not sure if they do anything organic, or is it considered organic anyway since the feed is made with corn?? Not sure exactly what their chick feed is made from, I need to go down and check it out.

 

[Mommysongbird]

These are the feeds that the family run feed store has

POULTRY FEEDS

We stock Starter & Grower Crumbles in 25 lb and 100 lb bags.
We also stock Lay Crumbles and Lay Pellets, both in 25 lb and 100 lb bags.
We have Hen Scratch (a mix of wheat and cracked corn) in 25 lb and 100 lb bags.
We have Whole Corn (100 lb bags), Cracked Corn (100 lb bags), and Intermediate Cracked Corn (20 lb and 100 lb bags).

 

[WoodlandWoman]

There are a lot of commercial feeds that are organic, it's just a matter of what's available in your area. Most area's of the country have multiple places that you can buy feed. What area of the country do you live in?

When it comes to organic chicken feed, in addition to the traditional benefits of organically grown ingredients, it will also not contain GMO corn or GMO soy. I think it can be harder to source many different organic ingredients to mix your own feed than it is to source one organic feed. Especially since your chickens are in the incubator already and you need food by the time they hatch.

 

[Mommysongbird]

We are in Montgomery County, Virginia. The only feed stores that I know of is the family owned one I mentioned and then there is Tractor Supply and Southern States, so not much of a choice. We do have the Agriculture Department at Virginia Tech that I could probably get more info from. Not sure what they feed their poultry there.


Thanks for the info on what to stay away from though when I a looking for a good feed.