What are the requirements for an egg to be considered "organic"?

[Farmer Mike S]

I'm not worried about labeling or anything, I'm just curious. Do the chickens have to eat organic food or be veggie fed for there eggs to be organic? Or does that just mean that I didn't give them medications or growth supplements?

 

[Kazfam]

This is a good start: http://organic.lovetoknow.com/Requirements_for_Organic_Eggs

 

[aart]

I'm not worried about labeling or anything, I'm just curious. Do the chickens have to eat organic food or be veggie fed for there eggs to be organic? Or does that just mean that I didn't give them medications or growth supplements?

They don't need to be 'vegetarian' to be 'organic', but anything they eat should be grown organically, including animal products.

You could go vegetarian <rollseyes>, but chickens are omnivores, they love bugs and worms and mice and chicken(really!) and lots of other kinds of meat.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

This is a good start: http://organic.lovetoknow.com/Requirements_for_Organic_Eggs

The fourth requirement under feed in the above link is "...no animal by products."
This is a sure way to ensure that you can never buy organic eggs because hens will sicken and die if not fed animal protein. Call it what you will but animal protein in one form or the other is required for healthy hens who produce many eggs. The animal protein can be anything from milk by products to offal but it must be in a hens' diet for her to lay eggs. There are only so many earth worms, slugs, and cockroaches available for chickens to feed on in a free range setting.

 

[Cindy in PA]

The fourth requirement under feed in the above link is "...no animal by products."
This is a sure way to ensure that you can never buy organic eggs because hens will sicken and die if not fed animal protein. Call it what you will but animal protein in one form or the other is required for healthy hens who produce many eggs. The animal protein can be anything from milk by products to offal but it must be in a hens' diet for her to lay eggs. There are only so many earth worms, slugs, and cockroaches available for chickens to feed on in a free range setting.

Animal by products is different then animal protein. I know there is fish meal & crab meal in some organic feed, but most are vegetarian like everything else.

 

[shoregirl68]

They don't need to be 'vegetarian' to be 'organic', but anything they eat should be grown organically, including animal products. You could go vegetarian , but chickens are omnivores, they love bugs and worms and mice and chicken(really!) and lots of other kinds of meat.

They love chicken! I gave them some left over salad (that had chicken in it) all they ate was the chicken :cd They also love raw eggs, shells and all. We have mallards and don't care for the taste of the eggs ourself but watch the heck out when I show it to my girls...they will jump and try to peck it even before I can crack it for them. Also if I find a broken egg that too is all theirs!