ORGANIC POULTRY FEED

[alpinefarm]

I'm at the early stages of selling eggs on the Western Slope (farmer's market and home delivery). I have been feeding a whole grain diet to my flock, as well as free ranging them 3 seasons. I would *love* to be able to feed organic grains and possibly a high quality pellet that was organic, but cannot find this locally and can't justify the expense of shipping it.

I would be very interested in working together with other like-minded Colorado flock folks to study the possibilities?

 

[GardeNerd]

That is the mill that supplies organic feed to the feed store I use. I pay $25 or a 50lb bag. We are happy with it, but I haven't used any other brand to compare.

Being in an urban city, there really aren't any mills close by. Part of trying to be more sustainiable or organic to me is reducing the distance food travels. If the feed had to ship any further than the central valley, I would choose a conventional feed from a closer source.

I guess am part of that new market of chicken keepers. Fortunately a number of the local feed store do sell their feed by the pound for the small flock owners, it is just more expensive that way. But they don't do it with the organic feed. I have a friend I split the bag with. We alternate who buys the bag each month.

 

[NYREDS]

If all the world's agriculture somehow magically changed to totally organic growing about half the world's population would starve to death including many in this country. Organic meathods just aren't as productive & they are much more labor intensive. All well & good for those who can afford to pay extra but many don't have that luxury.
Odd how for as long as I can remember I've heard how unhealthy modern foods are & yet we keep living longer & longer.

 

[alpinefarm]

Actually, the life span in the US has begun to decline.
Tissue samples of US human corpses show large amounts of preservatives and farm chemicals.

I would enjoy discussing here how to find organic feeds for my flock. Not interested in any arguments with those who have no positive interest in my interest.

 

[NYREDS]

Quote:
A-assuing there are "large amounts preservatives & farm chemicals" in tissue samples [and I don't see a source cited] that doesn't at al mean those residues are harmful.
B-when you post on an open forum you run the risk of others having a different point of view [I too would prefer it if everyone was reasonable & saw it my way] but-what ya gonna do?
C-Since you didn't start the thread why do you now claim it as yours?

 

[alpinefarm]

My statement about tissue saturation comes from a coroner acquaintance, who was musing about the average levels of human tissue chemical saturation being reported as having gone up significantly in his profession in recent reports. Nothing in writing I can point you to on that, sorry.

The statement about lifespan declination in the US has been on all the news programs recently.

But yeah, you're right. It would be silly to assume that a thread begun by folks trying to find organic flock feed would not morph into something else. A little frustrating, tho, that nuttin' is ever simple these days!

 

[Puck-Puck]

Okay, folks, settle the ruffled feathers!

Yes, NYREDS does have a point, that if everything went organic overnight, we'd starve pronto. It's not about going organic overnight, though. We didn't get to this genetically-modified, internationally-shipped, chemically raised state overnight, and it's not going to get fixed overnight, either. (Heck, I'm trying to be as organic and self-sufficient as possible, but if I'd had to survive solely on what I've produced over the last four years, as a city kid learning "from scratch", I'd have starved by now!)

But, I strongly believe in turning the tide back to working with nature instead of fighting nature. So much falls back into place, works synergetically, and becomes easier. I truly believe that the current mainstream system is going to fall, and it won't be pretty. No point sticking our heads in the sand. The better prepared we become now by re-developing more sustainable systems, the less we'll have to learn under duress. That, and re-thinking the way we use what we produce. Organic is more labour-intensive? Personally I don't have a problem with that. I find agriculture to be purposeful and meaningful work, unlike, say, being a telephone sanitizer in the city.... There are so many occupations that are just busy-work, when you sit down and think about it. And don't forget, we don't have zero unemployment. Labour-intensive work is an employment opportunity!

For people in B.C., Otter Co-op does have a line of organic chicken feeds. Yes, it costs a little more, but (by my backyard hobbyist standards) is an acceptable break-even price for me.


EDITED for paragraph break.

 

[alpinefarm]

Okay, okay...taking a deep breath here in the Rockies. Sorry 'bout that...it is a subject that is way too close to my heart.

My reasons are based in my own life's experience.

I live very rurally, surrounded by farms and ranches, but I can't get chemical-free food for my family (unless I travel long distances), and can't find anything organic for my chickens at all.

Just searching for something that goes "against the grain" and seems to stir up a lot of feelings and contrasting opinions.

 

[Ladyhawke1]

Quote:
Thank you.

 

[K-Chick]

I just want y'all to know that we farm 3500 acres and we put on less "chemicals" on an acre of land than a person would put on his yard to control weeds. Our food in the good ole USA is very safe. We farmers have to farm the same land year after year and if we put on too much of something it would ruin it for the years to come. We have grown corn, soybeans, seed corn, pickles, green beans, and tomatoes. Organic is good, but I don't think non-organic is bad. I just had to get my 2 cents in.

I have a customer that is more worried about hormons in the feed, which there is non.