Green Mountain Organic vs. Poulin

[chickened]

They have a very unique system for freeranging chickens, I was impresssed with the set up and the operation.
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I know they keep the Old Testament Holy Days like the Feast of Tabernacles and such. I have friends who know them as well. I did not even know this until I asked her if she knew about Azure because she too is in Oregon.

 

[happymom99]

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Can you mention the brand? I am in California and would love to use local organic feed.

Thank you,
CJ

 

[Noymira]

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I too would like to hear more from anyone on the Green Mountain Organic as well!

Like Latebloomer, I'm in Vermont, so they are both local companies with good reputations. I really like the idea of the Green Mountain Organic, but have a hard time stomaching the cost difference, it is twice as much as the Poulin. I've got all Poulin products now- starter for my chicks, grower/finisher for my pullets and layer pellets for my hens. We buy organic products for ourselves when we can, but mostly just try to avoid over processed food and eat lots of fresh stuff.

 

[sixofus09]

Just started them on green mountain pellets. They love it. 10 week olds eat it just fine. Was using blue seal. I think $17 for 50 pounds. The green mountain was 22, so not a big deal.

 

[fran gaudet]

I believe organic is the way to go, & I don't believe organic is nutritionally inferior

 

[WildRumpusFarm]

I wanted to comment on the whole "organic not being as nutritious" idea. Things grown organically are not necessarily more nutritious. That is the goal, obviously, but it is possible to obtain foodstuffs that are grown non-organically that have more nutritive value than something that has been grown organically but in an environment where the organism growing did not bioavailable nutrients. This is true for anything organic, whether you or your chickens are eating it. As an example, you could buy a bag of organic chicken food that was 50% organic rocks (I made this up). It's technically organic, but it's not nutritious. But, the same argument holds true for non-organic foods. So, you really have to take a look at the tags for the ingredients and analysis that you want to see. To me, the term organic says more about the practices used to create the item than its nutritional value.

For what it's worth, we have a flock of 60 layers, all different kinds, and we use Poulin. They really take pride in having a high-quality product, and have been a huge resource for us. Any time we have a question, they are eager to help. They are extremely pleasant to deal with. The ladies do really well on their layer mash, and we've had no issues with it. It smells nice too - almost looks like you could mix it up into a multigrain bread, (haven't tried).

 

[alana124]

Hi all, I'm a newbie poster, but have been with this forum for a while. I wanted to comment on the organic vs conventional poultry feed, and why organic right now is the best way to go. Organic poultry feed in a nutshell is GMO FREE, and I like the fact that Green Mountain is GMO free. All commercially corn grown in this country is genetically modified seeds and the dangerous engineering behind these seeds gets passed down the food chain.

Specifically, and without getting too technical, GMO corn known as BT (bacillus thuringiensis) corn, is allegedly the main culprit for a lot of health problems in children as well as adults. Aliments such as leaky gut, asthma, diabetes, acid reflux, and more. In the GMO corn field, the ingested corn kills the pest by exploding its stomach thus killing it.

Now, it would make sense that if you feed your chickens GMO corn (commercially processed), that the chickens would then pass on that BT chemical via their eggs and meat. I know organic feed prices can be ridiculous (Nature's Best is another good brand, and I've used it for years, and my chickens do very well on it but it's 50 bucks a 50lb bag now!!). I would rather see congress pass a bill forcing food manufacturers to label their food GMO FREE so consumers can make informed choices--including livestock feed. And don't be fooled by the websites and mainstream that pish-shaw and flit away the dangers of Monsanto GMO and Bt corn. They are real, the studies have been done, and the facts are in. But our own government protect the monsters such as Monsanto, Cargill, BASF and hence these companies continue to poison our food system(s).

I highly recommend organic feed for the chickens. To me it's like a health insurance policy, because if our chickens are eating right, then we know we can eat better, and our health won't suffer. My chickens have never been nutrient deficient on organic feed. They have never been sick, and are smart as hell. Beware of all foods that contain commercially grown corn, high fructose corn syrup, rape seed (canola) and soy--all GMO.

 

[WildRumpusFarm]

Just an FYI - organic does NOT mean GMO-free, unfortunately. I contacted several producers of organic feed - none were GMO-free. The two are not necessarily related.
We're currently using a locally produced feed that is GMO-free, but is not organic.


Also, BT corn is just one type of GMO corn. There are many.

 

[Cindy in PA]

Just an FYI - organic does NOT mean GMO-free, unfortunately. I contacted several producers of organic feed - none were GMO-free. The two are not necessarily related.
We're currently using a locally produced feed that is GMO-free, but is not organic.


Also, BT corn is just one type of GMO corn. There are many.

Who in the world did you contact? Organic feed is not suppose to contain GMO. Some manufacturer's test and some may not. Nothing is 100% GMO free because the crap spreads. I believe 5% or less of organic certified feed an be non organic. GMO is not organic. Organic is the closest you can get to GMO free. GMO free does not mean organic, just that the seed is not GMO. Herbicides & pesticides can still be used, it is not the same as organic.

 

[elissamay]

I buy Green Mountain every time I go to VT from NJ to visit. My girls took a bit of time to adjust to their pellets, but they caught on. I also ferment their layer pellet, and it starts fast and smells great. The soy-free version does note that you may have less production, but you can always supplement protein with table scraps.