Organic or not?

[KnightsMist]

Newbie here, trying to learn and weigh future options. I have several Qs for folks that I would love input on.

• Do you feed your chickens all organic or not?
• What factored into your decision?
• Do you sell egs?
• Does the decision to feed organic relate to egg selling?
• Do people buying eggs really care if they are organic or not?
• Are there really health benefits (to chickens or people eating eggs) of feeding exclusivly organic??

Thanks!

 

[CluckNDoodle]

Yes, I feed organic from the moment they hatch. I've never even fed medicated chick feed. I really feel this is a personal choice though, it matters a lot to some people and not at all to others.
Organic feed is a lot more expensive but you can also sell your eggs for more if that's ultimately your goal.
While I don't believe that everything is as "organic" or even "non GMO" as I would like it to be I still do my best to avoid pesticides, chemicals, and other undesirables. A big reason I started keeping chickens was for healthier eggs to be available to my family BUT with that said, if I couldn't afford to get organic feed I still see eggs from healthy backyard chickens as a huge step up from what is available from the grocery store.
My experience has been that about 1/3 of the people that get eggs from me are interested in whether they're fed organically but I actually think this will depend on where you live as well.

 

[Folly's place]

I don't feed organic chicken feed, for several reasons. One, While I buy and raise some organic produce for us, everything we eat is not organic, so feeding the chickens exclusively organic feed isn't a priority. Two, the cost is significantly higher. Three, the folks who buy my eggs don't really care; healthy free range chickens do produce better eggs regardless.
It's a personal choice, so it's really fine however you decide.
It makes little sense to me to feed some organic, and then not follow the actual guidelines for a organic flock.
Mary

 

[rosemarythyme]

Yes I feed my chickens organic feed, though not all their treats are organic (most are, including all fruits, veggies, but mealworms/BSL are not). I try to eat organic as much as possible so the eggs along with my vegetable garden are all part of that - not quite organic but pretty close.

I don't sell eggs.

 

[Cindy in PA]

I try to feed organic or non GMO. I don't eat everything organic, but do try to buy organic milk, meat & vegetables as much as I can. My beef is grass fed, but not organic, but I like the local farmer's practices. I don't sell eggs, but I like my eggs to be better for me. I grow a large garden & use no chemicals on my land. The organic feed I buy is less than $10 more & since I have only 10-12 chickens at a time, the cost works for me. Either way, your eggs should be better than store bought.

 

[ColoradoPip]

• Do you feed your chickens all organic or not?

Yes.

• What factored into your decision?

A very large number of things. If I try to sum it up I will miss a lot of points but something like...I want to be closer to my food and closer to my food's food, and food's food's food, as far as I can go...within reason. After reading the USDA guidelines I feel they set a good (albeit low) bar for farmers to know how to be organic and for customers to know what they are getting when they see that label. There's always grey area and lots of room for improvements, nothing is perfect. I eat organic as much as possible.

• Do you sell eggs?

Not yet, but have plans to.

• Does the decision to feed organic relate to egg selling?

Yes, it was one variable in the equation

• Do people buying eggs really care if they are organic or not?

Some do, some don't. It's somewhat of a niche, but I believe as people get smarter about their food there will continue to be more people supporting local and organic.

• Are there really health benefits (to chickens or people eating eggs) of feeding exclusively organic??

I could tell you how my body feels and performs once I changed to organic myself. But that's not just eggs and it's only my experience/opinion!

 

[Tooshay89]

I've only ever fed organic feed, and all of my chickens are hatched here at our farm. I buy and grow organic food, so it seemed like the obvious choice for our flock. It's definitely more expensive, especially in our area where organic/non-gmo feed options are extremely limited. We have a super healthy flock, though I don't really contribute that solely to feed choices.

My 11 year old son sells eggs to our family and friends. They rave over the eggs. Some people care that they are organic, some don't, but enjoy them just the same because they're better than what they can buy at the grocery store.

I try to avoid as many chemicals as possible on my homestead, and I feel like it does make a difference. Though it sometimes makes things more difficult, especially in the garden.