What's up with organic?

[louis]

So I seem to remember from a chemistry class that scientifically organic means carbon-based. These days who knows, except I realize the basic idea is free from drugs, chemicals, etc. I've heard to label something organic you have to be certified by the state-another way to pay a tax I'm sure. Anyways, I've been raising a few meat birds (so far delicious as long as I give them a couple days in the fridge before cooking to "age") and I'm looking forward to my first batch of eggs from a small RIR flock. I'm not starting a business or anything but like gardening I have a little excess and chickens are enough work I don't just want to butcher one of my babies and give it away. Some of my neighbors, or potential customers, keep asking if my stuff is "organic". I don't know. They free range all day but they've been eating chick starter for breakfast and dinner (Paymaster or Ful-O-Pep). Anybody know if this is organic, or what exactly it would take to have an organic chicken/eggs?

 

[chevydmax04]

A lot of organic is buzz word, I sell some of my meat birds. They are "Organic" but I know what they eat. I make sure the commercial feed they get has no animal by-products, they free range in my yard when I am there to watch or my dogs are out, we have fox, coyote and Great horned owls that love a fresh chicken dinner from time to time. We also do alot of composting, we get several hundred pounds of fruit and vegtables that have past their sales date, so my chickens eat lots of mellon, grapes, apples, kiwi, sweet corn and what ever else I get. They love the grapes!!! Are my chickens organic, no but I'll tell you what if I had to choose between one of mine or one from the store, mine wins everytime. I show people who have questions where I raise them, let them see how your chickens live and you win every time.

 

[dadof4]

I steer from the O word and just say farm fresh or fresh.

 

[Buck Creek Chickens]

when I get asked the o word I say I'm not, then explain that 'O' feed is more than twice the price my birds would not be able to run around like they do. Then I tell them what I do, feed grain grown on this farm, they can see my chickens running around catching bugs and getting fresh air. then they make the choice.

 

[louis]

excellent answers. Thank you all

 

[jaku]

"Organic" is a government defined, legal word. I don't know EXACTLY what that entails, but you can't legally call your birds organic unless they meet certain criteria, have been inspected, etc. It's a process that's more complicated than simply what you feed your birds- I've heard it takes a couple of years, lots of cash, and jumping through hoops. Better to call them "natural," "pasture raised," "chemicals free," etc.

 

[Judy]

From all that I read, "organic" includes no meat/animal products in the feed. If that is the case, I am not interested. Chickens are omnivores and love meat. Give them a cricket or mealworm and see what happens. Mine attack mosquitoes, flies, grasshoppers, whatever. Makes no sense to me.

 

[TimG]

Quote:
I think, though I am not positive, that the no meat/animal products only applies to natural herbivores like cattle and goats and not to natural omnivores like chickens and pigs.

But, to be certified organic, the meat/animal products that the chickens eat would also have to be organic.

 

[Bossroo]

I am completely confused and disoriented. Please, someone set me straight. Animal products and comercial feed are considered bad but bugs and grass are good as chicken feed when both are organic organisms? I received an " A" in Orgainic Chemistry in College... I guess that I should have received an "F" for that subject for not recognizing that "fact". My textbooks all say that... All life forms on this planet are carbon based , therefore organisms or organic. I seam to recall that chickens are omnivores since my flock ate every meat and vegetable table scrap and commercial feed given to them. Biofuels come from harvested kernells of corn and a few other killed plant sources by man made chemistry majic and is considered good. Yet they emit CO2 into the atmosphere when burned. Wood is organic but burning it is considered bad , since it too emits CO2 into the atmosphere. Oil and gas came from once living organisms as well as coal and is considered bad because they emit CO2 into the atmoshere when burned. My car gave me on overage 27 mpg before the State mandated that I have to burn corn and plant based ethanol blend fuel... now my car gives me 16 mpg. So, I am now forced to burn much more fuel so that I can go that extra 11 miles. So, my logic tells me that I still emit the same amount of CO2 into the atmosphere , but it costs me more money to do so as I have to pay more for that fuel "blend". I guess that I should have received an "F" instead of an "A" in my gradeschool Math and Biology classes too.

 

[Buck Creek Chickens]

Since when does something the gov. regulates makes sense. Organic certification is set up for the big boys, not the little farmer. It costs to much for most of us.