How does Organic feed vs non-organic feed for chickens affect the Egg quality?

[Apis mellifera]

Variety of feed like free range flocks get would have an impact on taste but organic vs. non I highly doubt would have any difference. My problem is I dont trust the organic label or what its ever changing definitions mean. Can I really trust food and grain coming from narco states in South America or Mexico to be organic? Even in the US I dont trust the organic label. I do try and buy as much American produced foods as possible rather than organic or non organic.

 

[BDutch]

Can I really trust food and grain coming from narco states in South America or Mexico to be organic?

The ingredients in organic chicken feed they sell here come mainly from European countries.

 

[Shadrach]

you might find this interesting:
"Patrick Holden [is] the interviewee, in a conversation with Dave Chapman who runs Long Wind Farm in Vermont, in the US. A committed advocate of nourishing foods grown in healthy soils, Dave is co-director of the Real Organic Project and a member of the Policy Committee of the Organic Farmers Association.
Dave and Patrick share how they each came to be involved in the organic movement along with their hopes and frustrations in view of changes to standards. Speaking from the US, Dave reflects that, “Until very recently, almost all the organic standards around the world essentially agreed with each other... Now [in the US] we have organic CAFOs (concentrated animal feeding operations) of chickens, of cattle… We have hydroponic berries, tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers being certified as organic – things that would be unthinkable in the world standards.”

For the full conversation, see
https://sustainablefoodtrust.org/po...istory-and-evolution-of-the-organic-movement/

I've been reading a bit about this while looking at feed options.
The reality of those consumer enticing organic chicken products isn't surprising for those who keep chickens perhaps but the running about on natural land and eating bugs and stuff doesn't seem to be what's happening.
Just as an odd example the organic farms found it difficult to provide a balanced diet for their chickens and maintain growth rates and egg production. The problem was methionine requirements. Lots of studies looking at various organic feed componants to meet the nutritional requirements of the types of chickens kept. If they got the methionine right, the protein content was way to high. The end result was the organic bit was relaxed a little and 2.5% lab extracted methionine was permitted in the feed.

 

[Birdinhand]

Variety of feed like free range flocks get would have an impact on taste but organic vs. non I highly doubt would have any difference. My problem is I dont trust the organic label or what its ever changing definitions mean. Can I really trust food and grain coming from narco states in South America or Mexico to be organic? Even in the US I dont trust the organic label. I do try and buy as much American produced foods as possible rather than organic or non organic.

But you trust the non-organic label, which allows recombinant DNA technology to be employed? using non Plant genes, even altering the plant enough to produce its own pesticides, without all that much research on the effect that these changes are having on the gut micro biome. Most plants we eat are part of the GRAS list (generally recognized as safe) with a long history of proven safety. GMO technology brings all of that into question… lacking adequate, I hate to say it, regulation.

 

[Apis mellifera]

The end result was the organic bit was relaxed a little and 2.5% lab extracted methionine was permitted in the feed.

Mostly because the alternative would have been to add organic meat to the feed. What would a 50 lb. bag of organic chicken feed cost with organic meat in the ingredients?

 

[Apis mellifera]

But you trust the non-organic label, which allows recombinant DNA technology to be employed? using non Plant genes, even altering the plant enough to produce its own pesticides, without all that much research on the effect that these changes are having on the gut micro biome. Most plants we eat are part of the GRAS list (generally recognized as safe) with a long history of proven safety. GMO technology brings all of that into question… lacking adequate, I hate to say it, regulation.

Yes

 

[Chickenberg Goldenegg]

… lacking adequate, I hate to say it, regulation.

Just require them to label properly and the market would figure itself out.

 

[Birdinhand]

Just require them to label properly and the market would figure itself out.

That works for a lot of stuff but the cumulative effect of say the bio accumulation of pesticides over decades and/or the cumulative effect of GMO’s is hard to pin down, there are so many factors and once someone develops a Long term issue, it’s hard to prove which exposure and from what the health problem is from. Add to that the fact that some people are more greatly affected by others and you’ve got a recipe for an entire industry to go under the radar and not be held accountable. For instance, it took half my life to prove without a doubt that cigarette smoking caused cancer even though it was blatantly obvious to doctors that the negative health effects were many. We could just decide hey, if you want to consume unhealthy things, no biggy, you pay the price… that’s freedom right? But it’s more complex than that, because we all pay the price in higher premiums for health insurance etc. we are all liable for others poor choices and lack of education.

 

[Perris]

I've been reading a bit about this while looking at feed options.
The reality of those consumer enticing organic chicken products isn't surprising for those who keep chickens perhaps but the running about on natural land and eating bugs and stuff doesn't seem to be what's happening.
Just as an odd example the organic farms found it difficult to provide a balanced diet for their chickens and maintain growth rates and egg production. The problem was methionine requirements. Lots of studies looking at various organic feed componants to meet the nutritional requirements of the types of chickens kept. If they got the methionine right, the protein content was way to high. The end result was the organic bit was relaxed a little and 2.5% lab extracted methionine was permitted in the feed.

I'm assuming these studies were for CAFO-style 'organic' farms. Sounds like CAFO business as usual, just with organic ingredients in the concentrated feed.

 

[Loving my girls]

We used to feed with standard feed and tried quite a few over the years but my spoilt and fussy children would always find something to complain about,
The corn is too big mum,
The layers are nasty mum,
What are these little black things mum ?
We’re not eating those !
The bits are too small mum, do we look like babies ?
It was annoying and very wasteful so eventually we got to the expensive end of the range - the organic. To my surprise they went yum yum mum, jelly and ice cream, and their plate was cleared. No waste !
So, now we feed them all the time on organic layers and they still love it.
On a mumsy level the eggs taste the same and look the same but it is good to know that all their food is good - it even includes herbs and garlic (well they. Are French hens)
Waiting for the day they get bored of course, spoilt brats !
Hugz