Organic feed (confused)

[GrannySue]

The supermarkets sell factory eggs for about $3/dozen but they were on special last week for $2. My regular customers are happy to pay $4 for my eggs, knowing that the chickens are free range and happy.

 

[SC_Hugh]

My neighbor sells eggs for $3 per dozen (40 laying hens), tasty fresh eggs but not organic.

Other people in my area sell them for $4-5 a dozen, but don't taste any fresher or better.

 

[deanna&rich]

The reason behind the "rule": that you can only call it an organic egg if you feed your chickens certified organic feed AND pasture your chickens on certified organic pasture::

Non-organic feed has been exposed to the pesticides and whatever other chemicals that were used to grow those plants. Science shows that the plants take up those chemicals and store them in their tissues. Then, when the chickens eat those plants/seeds/grains, they consume those chemicals also, which become concentrated in the chicken's tissues.

The chemicals then get into the egg as it is being formed. Chemicals designed to kill insects are also toxic to other living creatures.

My husband and I have discovered that we are much healthier now that we eat all organic. We save money on hospital bills from chronic asthma, and we're happy to spend it on organic food instead.

 

[GardeNerd]

Quote:
I have raised my pullets organically. Their feed is more than double the cost of conventional feed, but I will still come out ahead financially. Organic feed locally is $25 for a 50lb bag. It lasts me a little over a month. After doing my math, my eggs will average $2.50 a dozen. That is still half the cost of store bought organic eggs around here, and about the cost of regular eggs. Plus, my reasons for getting chickens wasn't about saving money.