ORGANIC POULTRY FEED

[alpinefarm]

Most thinking farmers *would* be handling their land with a minimum of waste/expense of chemicals. But if it were true that all farmers are conscientious and care deeply about the health of their soil (because if they didn't they would lose money? or out of principle/concern for the health of their own families and those they serve?), why don't more of them go in an organically sustainable direction, given that such practices have been clearly shown to improve the health of the soil and give better yields...and given that American consumers are literally begging for them to do so?

 

[blueheaven]

Quote:
buck creek: do you have a 'recipe' you follow?
i have been researching what/how i should make grower for my chicks and cannot find really good info out there. my chicks are on organic starter now and are 1 week old.

thanks for your help.

 

[hollyk]

Thank you for the link
I am in the process of looking up organic feed. I do think that by checking labels and looking up the companies that are producing the feed, much can be learned and "better choices" made. The whole grains I buy now are not "organic", but they are produced locally from local sources. By buying grains and not pellets, I can cut out a lot of mystery in the feed. As summer comes in I find I am growing much of my chicken's food with no chemicals- grasshoppers, ticks, fleas - my chicks are loving it. Honestly, all this fuss over which feeds are best- isn't it what nature grows on its own.

I believe that most family farms big or small have been considerate of the soil and animals with which they work. No human can work day in and day out with nature and not care about it. I believe the problem in agriculture comes from the big businesses that buy up the smaller farms and turn it into a machine. I come from a long line of truck farmers, my family always took care of the land. Would they be considered organic? No, but they were responsible with what they had to the best of their abilities. I read a lot of report and maganzines and MANY frarmers and ranchers are working to stem the tide of big agriculture. I love this country and the farmers- if weren't for them we would not be the power house of a nation we are today.

 

[StupidBird]

In that you all sound pretty knowledgeable about feeds, how much of what chickens eat is in the eggs?
I'm pretty allergic to milk, soy, and now wheat; & Sulphites and a wide range of antibiotics. Feeds I can find a label on, all have something I should avoid, organic or not. I don't seem to have problems handling the off-the shelf feed, so I'd guess the exposure from whatever proteins make it into the eggs would be less than what I inhale. Your opinions?
Also, is it possible for a backyard to grow the grains needed for five hens? (at least I HOPE they're gonna be hens) I sure couldn't afford these organic prices.

 

[alpinefarm]

I'm very interested in growing my own grains, too. Easy enough to plant/grow them, but I can imagine harvesting a plot of grain would be much too labor intensive to consider, w/o equipment. Although chickens could, at least, range though the plot in the fall after the grains drop naturally!

 

[Buck Creek Chickens]

Quote:
buck creek: do you have a 'recipe' you follow?
i have been researching what/how i should make grower for my chicks and cannot find really good info out there. my chicks are on organic starter now and are 1 week old.

thanks for your help.

I'll look it up, I keep it on file at the co-op. so I've got to dig for it. Paula

 

[lovemychickies]

Yay organic!! I'm lucky enough to live in Northern CA and have easy access to organic everything for myself and my chickens. It just makes sense. What costs a little bit more up front pays off in the long run. I am thinking about making the next step and mixing my own blend. Do any of you know of good recipes for adult chicken food? I've heard of a few, but I trust you fellow BYC goers the most!

 

[Buck Creek Chickens]

you can google recipes, but when you get to the older ones they use meat scrapes and a few other things that might be hard to come by now. also you might need a binder some recipes don't say what to use.

 

[Wifezilla]

how much of what chickens eat is in the eggs?
I'm pretty allergic to milk, soy, and now wheat; & Sulphites and a wide range of antibiotics

This is a really good question. I tested as intolerant to chicken eggs (which is why I have ducks). But was it really the egg I was reacting to or was it the wheat the chicken was eating? (I am also wheat intolerant)​

 

[alpinefarm]

I think we'd have to find some science/nutritional research on this question. I've wondered it, too, as my son's physician advised him not to take synthetic vitamins and I've been concerned about the added (likely low-quality) synthetic vitamins in commercial chicken feeds. That is why I've gone to whole grain feed only.