Is there such thing as a NON-GMO bird

[ChickenLeg]

Just to spice things up, animals can also be GMO not just plants as some have stated.

Animal DNA has been altered many times in recent history to add new traits to animals.

Look up glow in the dark animals, they have GMO chickens that legs and beaks glow under ultraviolet lights was bred a few years back while trying to fight the bird flu

 

[1cock2hens]

Talking about the chicken in the stores. Commercial growers use steroids.

I was raised on a commercial broiler farm, I have helped raise millions of chickens. i can assure you, no steroids.

 

[Briani]

Wow thank you all for your help. Ok its selective breading I was wanting to stay away from I guess not the non-gmo. I'm kinda afraid to ask but hear it goes. Let's say I want to quit buying chicken feed. What all plants should I grow to feed my chickens and give them a good amount of protein?

 

[townchicks]

What all plants should I grow to feed my chickens and give them a good amount of protein?

Unless you're a full scale farmer, and a nutritionist, I don't think it's worth even trying to go that route. Some people find that their chickens eat less feed if they free range, but, then you risk losses from predators that can more than eliminate any savings you gained from feed. If you want to feed non GMO, buy organic feed. Trying to make your own feed can be a challenge.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Briani, where are you located? I'm thinking about climate and what you can grow. If you modify your profile to show your general location that info is always available.

It's not just plants, they need certain amino acids that come from animal products. It is permissible within the organic rules to add synthetic amino acids to organic chicken feed to fulfill that need.

Some people will tell you that you cannot grow your own feed or mix your own but some people do. It is not real easy. I suggest you start a new threat in the feeding section and title it something like "Growing your own feed" so maybe you can attract the attention or those that do it.

 

[ChickenLeg]

Wow thank you all for your help. Ok its selective breading I was wanting to stay away from I guess not the non-gmo. I'm kinda afraid to ask but hear it goes. Let's say I want to quit buying chicken feed. What all plants should I grow to feed my chickens and give them a good amount of protein?

Black soldier fly larvae, chicken fodder cakes, and free range.

Find a breed thats going to be best free range or a nice egg laying bantam breed.

This way you might be able to produce enough food for a small flock. I'd prefer actual feed anyday of the week, best for chickens health IMO, but at least you have some ideas!
Best of luck!

 

[Dona Worry]

Wow thank you all for your help. Ok its selective breading I was wanting to stay away from I guess not the non-gmo. I'm kinda afraid to ask but hear it goes. Let's say I want to quit buying chicken feed. What all plants should I grow to feed my chickens and give them a good amount of protein?

What is your actual goal here? That would help. Do you want meat for your family? To sell? To be self-sustaining? Or avoid chemicals?

 

[feathermaid]

Interesting subject... I appreciate the clarifications being made here. I've never been one to be too concerned with GMOs, more power to the farmers! But there's a lot of hype and negative connotations surrounding everything GMO and organic. It may all be a marketing scheme to scare people into buying more expensive products, or at least so you can feel better about yourself when you buy them. Whether or not you're actually better off... is a mystery to me.

Eating GMO feeds and Organic feeds do the same thing for you. They feed you, they give you nutrients. The only difference is the quantity produced.

Exactly. Makes life easier for the farmer to produce more to be able to meet the enormous demand.

To the OP, God still makes all the creatures of the world! Selective breeding is just a way to help domesticated animals produce healthier offspring. In the wild, males fight for the opportunity to mate and the female chooses the strongest... this enables the strongest offspring to be born and grow up to become the strongest survivors. And also the reason that weak animals may be killed by their own mother, or just become a predator's meal. It's God's system, survival of the fittest.

And yes, humans have definitely manipulated some breeding over the years, that's how we ended up with domesticated animals. But it doesn't mean that they're unnatural. I wouldn't think you'd want to raise wild birds for meat and eggs. But maybe after a few generations of choosing the best producers for breeding stock, you might get something worth sustaining. So why not take advantage of what's already been "manipulated" and proven to produce well?

So by "heirloom style" I think you mean Heritage breeds. They are American Poultry Association purebreds (similar to the AKC registration for dogs) that remain true to the regular old-fashioned types of chickens that were around long before agriculture became industrialized. Some of those breeds are endangered and sought after for showing and breeding purposes. There are many excellent dual-purpose varieties. You can buy heritage breeds from hatcheries or feed stores but they may not meet the exact standard characteristics of APA birds.

You can still raise broilers... they're not genetically modified, they're hybrids that happen to grow really fast on their own without steroids or antibiotics or whatever. But like most hybrids, they can't really reproduce successfully or at all. Some vegetables are hybrids (cross-pollinated, not GMO), but if you plant the seeds you won't get the same hybrid to grow -you get a parent variety. Mules (horse and donkey cross) are born completely sterile. Genetics are a strange thing.

I think what it mostly comes down to is what you feed... as others have said. If you want "organic "eggs and meat, you have to buy organic non-GMO feed or make your own.
I personally don't think it makes that big a difference unless you're trying to sell to a particular market of consumers, or if you're operating your own homestead and living a truly organic sustainable lifestyle.

 

[feathermaid]

Sorry... I took so long to write my previous reply I didn't see the new comments.

Wow thank you all for your help. Ok its selective breading I was wanting to stay away from

Are you saying you don't want any chickens that were selectively bred? All domesticated animals throughout history have been developed this way. It even happens naturally in the wild like I mentioned before, only the strongest survive... it's natural selection.
I'm confused.

 

[annageckos]

Wow thank you all for your help. Ok its selective breading I was wanting to stay away from I guess not the non-gmo. I'm kinda afraid to ask but hear it goes. Let's say I want to quit buying chicken feed. What all plants should I grow to feed my chickens and give them a good amount of protein?

If you want to stay away from selective breeding you will want to stay away from all domestic animals and plants. Selective breeding is not bad in itself but it is what is done with it. My opinion on GMO is that it also in itself isn't necessarily bad, but it is often used to not be killed by the herbicides/pesticides. So if you want to avoid those chemicals be aware. You have to make the choice for yourself if you are ok with it or not. Some think it is great and others think it is the devil.
You can absolutely feed your chickens without buying pre made food, many are just not willing to put that kind of effort in to it. Think about it, do you need a degree to feed yourself? I feed my dog, cats and ferret on raw/homemade and have for many years now. I have heard over and over that I can't do it, they will suffer from some imbalance, they need X. Well guess what? They do great and once you get the hang of it, it is really simple. But chickens need a mix of foods, plant and animal/bug. So it isn't as simple as growing a variety of plants.
Also, there are GMO animals. Not that I know of for the food industry. But I'm sure you've seen Glo Fish. They are zebra danios that have been modified with coral or jellyfish DNA. They were first used to monitor pollution and are now very common aquarium fish. I know there are other examples but I don't stay on top of it.