Use Organic Chicken Feed

Use organic chicken feed in an organic farm environment when raising organic chickens. Organic chicken farming is a healthy choice; for consumers and environment; the advantages of organic farming result in a healthier lifestyle, better nutrition and less impact on our planet. Use organic poultry feed along with a pesticide-free, chemical-free environment to farm chickens.

Organic chicken farming is one of the fastest growing sections of the organic food market. Of the customers strolling through your average grocery store who have purchased organic foods, a large majority of those have purchased organic chicken.

Organic means many things when it is used to label food, but only recently has the label had any legal definition. Organic farming standards require that the poultry be raised in a way that supports diversity in the animals and a reduced ecological impact on the surrounding land. Chicken, geese, ducks, turkeys and guinea fowl fall under this organic standard.

For chicken, this means that they must have access to the outdoors, eat organic chicken feed and be free of chemical pesticides, fertilizers (in the grounds or feed) or antibiotics. Note that the birds aren’t necessarily going to go outside (free run or free range means that they are allowed to be outside). Farmers interpret this rule individually, so knowing your organic chicken’s source will help you know how the animal was actually raised.

Organic chicken feed and organic poultry feed are a requirement if poultry is to be labelled organic. The farms which produce these feeds must meet the organic guidelines for the region (for example, in the United States that means the USDA guidelines) which include keeping strict records, making separate areas for organic and non-organic farming methods, as well as a clear way of telling which flock of birds came from which farm.

On an organic chicken farm, organic poultry feed is not allowed to contain any plastic pellets (used as roughage), hormones, manure or urea. Farmers must pay to have their farms and livestock inspected and certified as organic, which can add considerably to the cost of organic chicken farming with certification.

There are a lot of steps and jumping through regulatory hoops in the organic certification process, but there are also advantages of organic farming which are not easily dismissed. The benefits include:

• Organic vegetables, produce and meats contain higher levels of minerals and vitamins.
• Foods are free of artificial contaminants like chemical fertilizers, pesticides and/or hormones.
• Plants grown in naturally balanced soil are more resistant to pests and blight. This process enriches the soil and supports the local ecosystem. The stronger the plant, the more edible goodness is produced. The healthier the farm environment for the chicken and other organic products, the better.
• Organic farming practices reduce the need for mining natural resources in order to produce chemical fertilizers and pesticides.
• Many different products can be interwoven on an organic farm to create a mutually beneficial relationship between animals and plants. This wouldn’t work with industrial-driven harvesting and pesticides everywhere.
• Farmers are needed to work closely with the organic crops rather than using additional machinery. This intense labor creates a need for jobs, and employment.
• Organic chickens can be sold for a premium price, offsetting the more expensive process of organic chicken farming.

Additional Reading:

• Benefits of Organic Farming

• Meat Farming

• Environmental Health Hazards

• Environmental Health Issues

• Environmental Health Risk

• Crop Rotation

• Organic Chicken Farming

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