Poultry

The demand for organic poultry and eggs has increased dramatically since the 1990s. Concern over salmonella in mass-produced meat and eggs led some consumers to start buying organic poultry. Others started buying free-range organic poultry and eggs because of concerns surrounding the ethical treatment of livestock and animal welfare. And many people chose organic poultry because of the taste. No matter why they started buying organic poultry, once they had tasted the delicious flavour of organic poultry and eggs, there was no turning back.

Certified organic feed is now available for chickens, turkeys, waterfowl and game birds. For each type of poultry, there is a line of feeds carefully designed to meet the nutritional needs of the various age classes. For example, layer mash contains oyster shell to meet the high calcium needs of laying hens. Flax meal and roasted soybeans are added to high protein feeds for turkeys, game birds and young chickens.

Nutritious meat and eggs

Certified organic feed is made from nutritious organic ingredients. No pesticides are used when growing the grain, and no drugs are added to the feed. Healthy feed leads to healthy birds, and nutritious meat and eggs. The eggs have deep golden yolks. The meat has a rich colour, a golden hue; it is lean, firm and very tasty.

Fewer health problems

Several common health problems in poultry are linked with excessive growth rates, particularly in turkeys and broilers. Leg problems, cardiopulmonary disorders and sudden death syndrome are all partially caused by rapid growth of chicks and poults given feed with excessive protein levels. Organic feed may have lower protein levels than conventional feed. This is partially because organic feed doesn’t contain animal and fish by-products, but also because the organic feed companies decided upon feed formulas that balance production (weight gain and egg yields) with the health of the flocks. Although lower protein levels may lead to slightly slower weight gain and reduced egg yields, lower protein levels can lead to fewer health problems and lower mortality rates. Some farmers report that the natural grain texture leads to lower feed consumption. Compared to conventional pelleted feed, providing ground or rolled feed should also lead to fewer problems with destructive behaviours such as cannibalism, feather picking and egg-eating.

Free-Ranging birds are healthy birds

Free-ranging birds supplement their diet with fresh forage and insects. They act naturally, scratching for food, having dust baths and chasing bugs, rather than developing abnormal behaviours like cannibalism, feather-pulling and egg-eating. Ranging leads to fewer disease problems due to the lower density of birds. Also, dust baths reduce the incidence of parasites and skin problems. Sunshine provides vitamins A and D and dries the droppings. In the fresh air, respiratory problems and other density-related illnesses are less likely to develop. A diverse pasture helps the birds find the herbal remedies they need to treat themselves. The farmer can overseed beneficial plants to improve the quality of the pasture.