ORGANIC CHICKEN FEED

[chickaboo7]

try

www.groworganic.com

I don't know what the shipping is .

 

[MTchick]

Azure Standard (azurestandard.com) is a supplier of Rogue Feeds. Members of wholesale co-ops can get organic feed from them for $15/ 50lbs of either starter or layer pellets. They are based out of Oregon and I believe they only have a Western market. If there is a co-op near you that orders from Azure, you can probably sweet talk them into buying you some feed. Shipping would be free. You just need to do the research.

I buy through my local co-op and have been very happy with their feed and price.

-MTchick

 

[4myHennyPenny]

Quote:
Thanks for the ideas, chickaboo7 and MTchick.

Logged onto Peaceful Valley's site (groworganic.com), and it looks like it would be just under $30 to ship. So that route's a bit more expensive than the others (the feed itself is about $14 than other organic feeds). Rest of the site looks interesting, though!

Shipping from Azure is a few dollars more than that. My co-op doesn't carry them (or any poultry feed). In fact, none of their suppliers offer poultry feed. The person in charge of ordering is at least willing to look at websites from companies I know offer the products. But unless they have a huge demand for it (and hence, can buy in bulk), I'm not sure it'll work. Worth a try, though.

Yesterday, I phoned a nearby organic farm which sells eggs to see if they might have some feed I can buy from them. Haven't heard back yet, but that might be my best option locally at this point.

Other than that, the least expensive option I've found is CFS (cfspecial.com). The feed is $12 for 50# and will cost me about $22 to ship via FedEx ground. I'll be following up with them today to find out more about their product (ingredients, etc).

I'm just extremely frustrated that I can't find anything locally. For heaven's sake, I live in Colorado!! Outside the Republic of Boulder!! Can you get more health conscious than that??!!!

Thanks again for your help.

 

[Jsto]

If you're having trouble finding what you want, you may consider mixing your own. There's some good info from 4hkidsandmom in this thread from when I asked her about it a while ago: https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=4848

I just found out the other day that my feedstore/hardware store has a station with most of that stuff so you mix your own on a smaller scale, but in looking at the Country Side Natural quotes, you can buy most of what goes into that mix, end up with a gigantic amount of food, and end up paying less in the long run. Although, as she said, the start up cost is quite high. I'm sure you could find those ingredients around town for much cheaper.

 

[4myHennyPenny]

Thanks, Jsto. That's definitely what I'm planning on doing further down the road (whey they're laying). I'll need that time to find out who around here carries the organic grains I'll need--not as easy as I'd hoped.

BTW, how have others made their own feed in the past in terms of grinding it/rolling it? Do you have your own grain grinder, for example? What do you recommend (for equipment)? How small do things need to be ground/rolled for your full size hens?

As for an update on CFS, I called and their feed is organic. PLUS, they allowed me to only order what I needed!

That means they'll just be shipping me a 10# bag of starter to cover the first 6 weeks. I decided to go ahead and order a 50# bag of the grower as it will cover things until point of lay. We weren't able to arrange FedEx Ground (shipping is least expensive), but they will ship via UPS (not much more). Their customer service was fantastic! Will post later re: what I thought about the feed itself. Great option to consider when you need to ship organic feed and aren't on either coast, or when you just need a small quantity of feed.

 

[dlhunicorn]

you might try a feedmill...they will mix according to your wishes ... If you want to buy a larger quantity I would strongly suggest you buy in packages just big enough that it can be eaten within 3 weeks of opening ...mycotoxins and oxidative damage to nutrients will be a problem if open any longer.

 

[usalbrechts]

I had a thought while reading this thread. There is a co-op farm down the road from me that is organic. You can join and get veggies through the summer. I know they sell organic eggs too (I stopped once and they were about $3-$4 dollars a doz!!). I e-mailed her and asked where she gets her feed from. She said she gets it about 2 hours away from here but would save me the trip and sell me some of hers. She sells 50# bags for $20. So, if there is anyone around you that sells organic eggs, maybe you could buy feed from them and save on shipping costs...

 

[4myHennyPenny]

Quote:
Did that a few days ago. Still haven't heard back yet. Will consider that for the future (whey laying), but went ahead and ordered starter and grower from CFS for now.

dlhunicorn... Looked into this (feedmill) last week, but I can't find anyone around me using organic grains!!! I've not totally given up yet, but this is getting incredibly frustrating. As for the online suppliers, until CFS I hadn't found anyone willing to sell me the small amounts that I'll need for just 3-4 hens.

As far as keeping the feed fresh, I know I need to protect it from moisture, but how long will it generally keep?

 

[dlhunicorn]

to be honest with you, I think you would be better off feeding them a good quality starter (preferably medicated as cocci is so very common...when it hits , it hits hard and can leave your birds with damaged intestines which will affect their immune systems and leave them easier to succumb to illness later on)... this will give you time to inform yourself properly on feeding information and also to find a good resource for it......in answer to your question I have a good paper on mycotoxin and feed which is easy to read and understand and though long it is well worth the trouble especially re your question and plans:
http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/disaster/drought/dro-29.html

 

[4myHennyPenny]

Thanks for all your time and concern, dlhunicorn.

I'm fortunate enough to have an amazing holistic vet for our dogs who also specializes in avian medicine. I was able to speak with him last week about our upcoming chicks/chickens. He agreed with and encouraged my avoidance of the vaccinations and medicated feed.

While I realize there is always some risk involved with a choice such as this, it is a risk I am willing to take. This is how we approach the care of our other pets and ourselves and child, too. I realize that it's a different philosophy than many people take and can be difficult to understand.

Luckily, sounds like CFS's starter and grower feeds are good quality organic feeds. Again, I'll post after I've tried them to let you know. Also, I might have found a possible source for organic feeds a little closer to home. (fingers crossed) I posted a reply to a listing at craigslist regarding organic eggs. They told me I might find organic feed in a neighboring town; here's hoping!