Organic Feed-What is the difference?

[Nupine]

I am not being mean in any way but why do people use it? Isn't it like $25 a bag compareds to around $10-$12 for regular stuff? I don't know if I am missing something or what. Does it make better eggs? Can you sell the eggs for organic? It is pretty expensive I think. I have never got to ask because they don't sell it around here, but I have heard of it on BYC. Is it just for peace of mind? My family has like never bought anything organic, as my mom doesn't ''believe'' in it. So, just asking.
Ashlyn

 

[Lea71]

It's a personal choice.....I'm just concerned about what goes into my family....having organic egg-layers is just one way I can control that. Read up on what is fed and injected into commercial layers, everything that goes into a chicken ends up in the eggs. Unfortunately I am unable to afford buying everything organic....but every little bit puts me more at ease.

You ever wonder why cancer is so much more abundant in this century? We don't eat like we use to....we eat more processed foods....thanks to the industrial revolution. The individual family is no longer able to be self-sustained....unless you put out the effort.
But again....it's just a personal choice.

 

[ravenfeathers]

Quote:
price is dependent upon a lot of factors, including brand, region, etc. in my area, we have a local mill that produces organic feed, so the price is comparable to conventional grain.

Does it make better eggs?

well, that's a very subjective question! i'd say, yes, it makes a better, healthier, more natural egg. others will disagree. at the end of the day, it's about your personal priorities.

Can you sell the eggs for organic?

yes, you can, if you follow other organic production procedures. and you can also get a premium for those organic eggs! in my local grocery (not a co-op or health food store), conventional eggs sell for about $2.50/doz. organic eggs? a whopping $5/doz.!​

 

[SewingDiva]

Another argument for organic feed is that the materials used to produce it impact the earlth less because they were produced with sustainable methods (no chemical pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers going into the soil and water.)

I could never figure out why anyone would want organic garden seeds until that dawned on me one day!

~Phyllis

 

[Lea71]

Quote:
Another awesome point!!! Just think about our underground water table....all of that seeps down into the water table and then we get to drink it. Someone here once posted that Round-up is harmless, I disagree....it all ends up back in our water. The more we can steer away from ingesting chemicals, the healthier our bodies will be.

 

[DrakeMaiden]

I read that there is arsenic in conventional feeds. I never did independent research to see if it was true though.

 

[NS2A]

Quote:
Nope. You also cannot have anything like treated lumber, which I'm sure your coop has at least some treated wood in it. And, your bedding must be organic.

You ever wonder why cancer is so much more abundant in this century? We don't eat like we use to....we eat more processed foods....thanks to the industrial revolution. The individual family is no longer able to be self-sustained....unless you put out the effort.

That's only part of the story. People are living longer, and eventually everything dies, so something is going to get you. People in biblical times lived until, what 40? I'm pretty sure they never had pesticides and such to deal with.

Even a white female born in 1840 that would make it past the crucial first 10 years, would only live until 57.

While I am for the organic idea, I think a lot of it is overblown. The real benefit of organic is from foods that you "directly" eat, like apples, lettuce, tomatoes and such. Stuff like bananas, oranges and meat products use thier skins to filter. Sure organic eggs are "better", but not by much.

I'd argue local farm fresh eggs over corporate organic eggs anyday.​

 

[DrakeMaiden]

A study by Duquesne University researchers has found that the organic arsenic added to chicken feed is chemically transformed into inorganic arsenic, a known carcinogen, much more quickly than previously thought.

From this article .​

 

[Windy Ridge]

Quote:
Roxarsone is an additive they used to use to prevent coccidiosis (now it's more common to use Amprol or amprollium). That changes to arsenic in a chicken's system--yum! It is not in organic feeds (neither is amprol).

Edited to add:
Oh, duh!, I see you already found that out!

 

[risurocket]

Here's a good site that has a lot of info on organic and sustainable methods and practices. it also has a huge list of resources as well as a hotline for questions on certification and whatnot. You can have organic practices without being certified...to be certified is rather expensive.

Link: http://www.mosesorganic.org/