I want to feed them Organic & Non GMO -- but the price is just too high!

[speckledhen]

My friend brought me a 3 lb bag of organic chicken oats, which I sprouted over and over this summer so I guess mine did get something organic, LOL. I mostly fed it to the bantams who rarely ever get out of their pen, so they don't get the green forage the LF birds do.

 

[chicbaby]

apps, if you are looking at any kind of processed food, its going to have some stuff in it you may not like. especially if its by kashi or any of those pseudo organic labels owned by a big corp such as kelloggs. there are several things you can buy by smaller companies that are much better. if you want pure organic, you will have to buy the raw ingredients and then cook them yourself. if you go to organic consumers they have a list of who owns what labels. we do buy frozen pre made dinners for work and we have found several of them that are actually okay. whole foods has alot of pseudo organic products. we prefer natural grocers. it takes some reading and research but its worth it to take care of ourselves better and also make these companies more accountable by voting with our dollars.

 

[matt44644]

What an eye opener that was, after all the work and trouble to produce something organically they then managed to add just as many and in some cases more ! artificial colours, flavours and enhancers than the regular products.

In the US,USDA Organic can not have any artificial colors,flavors.

 

[keesmom]

Hi!

,
Well, My heritage Light Sussex do real well on Agway Meatbird, made by Cargill/Naturewise. The "sister product" to it is Naturewise Meatbird crumbles. They are both 22% protein. After doing a lot of looking and listening, I am convinced the protein % is what matters most in these heritage birds. Was told so by an experienced breeder and it has been so for my birds. They subsisted on 16%. Did a lot better on 17% but they just weren't thriving. 18% protein brought a nicer finish. But when I put them on Meatbird 22%, wow! It was like I had a whole new flock of birds! They gained weight, feathers shined more. They were more content. I am a convert. Some of these heritage breeds like Sussex were originally meat breeds. Then they were tweaked to increase egg laying for the home flock enthusiasts. But basically, the Sussex is still a Meatbird and feeding them that Meatbird ration has been the real ticket to thriving birds. Just because we use a lot of breeds for egg layers doesn't mean the layer feed is historically the best feed for that breed. Maybe yes, maybe no. In Sussex, I am finding out it is "no".
That said, even if you free range your birds, who says they will have an organic diet? Chickens eat all kinds of weird things. They even pick seeds out of livestock manure and who knows what feed and drugs those livestock have been given?
I think the best I can so for my birds is feed them the right % of protein for their breed. Plus, I start them out the 1st month of life with Poultry Nutri-Drench or Goat Nutri-Drench in their water to get them off to a strong start. ( I always use the poultry usage and dosage instructions). Then I supplement their feed with Black Oil Sunflower Seeds (BOSS) for shiny feathers. Sprouted oats 4-7 days old fed as green feed( a supplement to their daily ration) is great for bringing the hens into lay and helping the males create more robust sperm, helping to result in more robust chicks. Finally, I use the three sizes of Gran-I-Grit granite poultry grit , try to feed the correct size at the correct age( see BYC Gran-I-Grit review). This can result in their gizzard growing large and healthier which can result in up to 20% more eggs and broilers putting on more poundage during finishing time.
Best,
Karen

I have Faverolles. I feed Blue Seal Multi-flock starter grower (formerly known as gamebird crumbles) which also has 22% protein. I am another that believes the protein content is a key to healthy birds as mine are thriving on it. Of course Faverolles are another early meat bird breed. I just wish some of the commercial feeds still contained some animal proteins.

 

[speckledhen]

We can't get Blue Seal down here. Lots of regional differences and we're sort of stuck with what we have available, unfortunately.

 

[Michael Apple]

I have Faverolles. I feed Blue Seal Multi-flock starter grower (formerly known as gamebird crumbles) which also has 22% protein. I am another that believes the protein content is a key to healthy birds as mine are thriving on it. Of course Faverolles are another early meat bird breed. I just wish some of the commercial feeds still contained some animal proteins.

Whey is a carrier of probiotic bacteria in Probios dispersible powder. I started using nutritional yeast on occasion too, which has a great amino acid profile in addition to B vitamins. Many feed rations have brewer's yeast listed but it is not the quality of nutritional yeast. 1% Buttermilk is something I give on occasion as well. Fish meal was a common ingredient in poultry feeds, but the source could be a problem, and too much fish meal has been blamed for enteritis in higher percentages of diet. I spoke to a Scratch N Peck representative once and she said they use Pacific caught menhaden fish meal tested for pollutants. Some people are on an anti-soy kick, and I understand to an extent. However, organic soy has a better amino acid profile than linseed meal, canola meal, and a few other fillers commonly used as a replacement in soy-free labeled rations.

 

[CrazyTalk]

disease is not normal or natural. we have been conditioned to think it is. disease only comes about from imbalance and poisons. its natural to be healthy and to feel good. we have to stop buying these lies. do we deserve to be poisoned and lied to just for some profits? i dont think so.

I'm sorry, but this is absolute lunacy. Disease is absolutely natural. The presence of disease is why we have immune systems.


This is the naturalistic fallacy at it's heart -everything natural is good and healthy and happy, and everything man made is terrible - and it absolutely is a fallacy. Our life expectancy has gone up from about 30 years to 75 in the last 100 years - because of "synthetics" and "man made technology" and all these things that you call "poisons" because you're ignorant of the issue at hand.

 

[speckledhen]

Let's be careful with name-calling, please. We can certainly disagree without it, I'd hope.


Michael, I appreciate that information. I have contacted Tucker Milling to ask about the fish meal used in their new non-gmo feed. Since I know someone whose Marek's positive flock has had many issues with necrotic enteritis, I would definitely want to know about that before recommending this feed to her or anyone else with current health issues in the flock. Another issue I have is that the protein content never goes above 16% with these. Tucker Milling has an excellent 22% Super Layer feed I have used from time to time and I still have that available to me. They have porcine animal protein in their feeds, which I like.

 

[mebuff daisy]

I am in MN and get non GMO feed for 14 .95 a 50 pound bag , My hens love it

 

[speckledhen]

I am in MN and get non GMO feed for 14 .95 a 50 pound bag , My hens love it

What is the brand and the protein content of that feed?