Organic chick starter food or not?

[4kids*2dogs]

My first chick order comes March 31. Should i pay more for the organic feed? Does Organic Feed affect the chicks poopiness or overall health? What about the feed for the chickens when they are older? I plan to give them lots of treats when they are older and I don't expect those will be organic. We don't need the eggs to be completely organic either. Does the type of feed affect the eggs in any way, such as taste or production?

I am a newbie!

 

[superchemicalgirl]

First, welcome to BYC.

Your question is one that only YOU can answer.

I'll tell you why *I* didn't choose organic:
1. Everything else they'll eat isn't "organic" (especially not that styrofoam insulation they found and quickly devoured)
2. The organic label to me doesn't really mean that much - there are all kinds of weird rules... and the product might not be what YOU think it is based upon the labeling.

I fed my chicks a game bird starter from Blue Seal that has 22% protein. All of my chicks have survived (although it's only 50 some) on it and they look gorgeous. I switch them to turkey grower at 20% protein when they're older.

The type of feed will affect egg taste a bit... but you most likely won't be able to tell.

If you feed your chickens lots of treats as they get older that might decrease egg laying... but as long as their feed has the nutrients they need (calcium in it or on the side) they should lay what they're supposed to based upon the time of year and type of bird.

Hope this helps.

 

[Lesa]

My first batch of chicks I fed regular, medicated chick feed. My second batch, I went with non-medicated organic chick feed. Didn't loose any, either time. I do, however, feed organic layer pellets. I keep chickens, so that I can have the healthiest eggs, I can get. I feel better about them eating organic. That means no GMO's, etc. The feed is about twice the cost. To me it is worth it. If I want "regular" eggs, I can get them at the store, a lot cheaper than I can produce them....JMO. Everyone has chickens for different reasons. Enjoy yours!

 

[4kids*2dogs]

Thank you so much! That was my thought...it can't be very easy to raise purely organic chickens with all of the treats and other things they eat. I mean how do you give them organic crickets??? Ha!

Since my kids don't even eat organic food, why would I possibly spend so much extra so my chickens ate organic? It’s the fresh eggs that I want and the experience raising them for my kids. We can't wait!

 

[wingsofglory]

When gmo corn first came out, the parrot breeders used it. To their horror, the next generation lost color. The third and fourth generation were weak and did not thrive.

Hog farmers also report sterility on gmo corn. They yelled and cussed loudly - it put many out of business for a season till they figured it out - but
the story has been ignored by the main stream media.

Internal organs have shown terrible changes on inspection of animals and birds fed gmo.

A prison in Illinois I think was put on a all-vegetarian diet, gmo several years ago. Many many prisoners have had serious health problems, like having
to have large sections of intestines removed.

I would like to start a file of these news releases - wasn't able to at the time I saw them, now I can - if anyone has links I'd appreciate it. I don't want
to spread unsubstantiated stories.

There is a reason Europe banned or will not import gmo. They are being pressured heavily by the US to allow or sneak it in.

 

[clairabean]

I choose organic. We wanted to cull the roos after a bit, so we wanted to feed our kids organic meat. Another reason we choose nonmedicated.
And for the egg layers, there is a high demand for organic fed eggs.

Yes, not everything they eat is organic, sich as kitchen scraps. BUT I can make the majority organic.

It is a very personal preference.

 

[CrittersNPets]

I think I missed something - but what does gmo stand for??

Thanks from a newbie.

 

[wingsofglory]

There are three aspects to organic feed: one is that the crops were grown without pesticides and without artificial fertilizers. This reduces toxin intake of pesticides.

Artificial fertilizers block vitamin A - a chicken researcher veternarian from a university in Colorado from the forties told me (he's now our local vet) when artificial fertilizers were introduced, all of a sudden livestock began getting sick. He and others at the university researched it and discovered artificial fertilizers blocked carotene in the plants from being turned into Vit a in the animals. They researched a remedy and started supplementing the animals with cod liver oil to fix the vit a deficiency, and vit A supplementation in the animal feed.

The third aspect is that organic feed must not contain genetically modified grains or beans. Corn and soy and cottonseed are three. Wheat and rice are in the growing out
phase. I too didn't pay extra for organic feed when the issue was pesticides and fertilizers because the farmers only have to give their word it is. And I know they won't
watch an entire crop die w/o trying to save it. But I do now do everything to avoid gmo food.

Link about the hogs going sterile on gmo corn: http://www.naturalpedia.com/GM_corn.html

Currently, thousands of farmers in India are having tremendous difficulties with gmo crops. A common practice for centuries is to turn livestock out in harvested fields
so the animals can eat whats left of the crops. Turned out in gmo cotton fields, the animals die in a short time. This has never happened with traditional seed. The
organic cotton also causes terrible contact allergies in the pickers.

 

[4kids*2dogs]

Quote:
I believe that it means genetically modified?

 

[chickened]

It is a choice as a previous poster said. Cost is the biggest factor for most people. Remember that studies can be swayed to support a theory so don't rely too heavily on propaganda from one group or another just consider the source. GMO foods have helped hunger in this world tremendously and made food affordable to all. As far as organic is concerned I hold to the idea that it all comes from the Earth... so far. I have raised chickens for 35 years and I assure you there are other more lethal issues for your chickens than feed choices. More commercial birds die from water issues than feed. Just because something is natural does not always mean it is best.