RyefordPaul Posted September 29, 2009 Share Posted September 29, 2009 What are peoples views on food types. Do most people go for the cheapest variety or spend a bit more on GM free or organic feed? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stoice Posted September 29, 2009 Share Posted September 29, 2009 I'd like to have fed my girls on Organic feed as it felt the right thing to do (Plus the eggs would be be organic) but they just didn't like the organic pellets. Turned their beaks up and preferred the cheap stuff! Also, I don't always buy organic produce either so if I gave my girls non organic treats I didn't really see the point. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted September 29, 2009 Share Posted September 29, 2009 I try for organic whenever possible (but when the rest of the family stuff Pot Noodles does it really matter). As long as it's GM free that is the main thing - I refuse to eat that myself, so I won't give it to my girls. As far as the rest of the family go, they probably have it in the gross mucky stuff that they seem to hanker for. My girls turn their noses up too, like Stoice's girls, but harder where there's none, so they will eat it eventually. I am very mean. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janty Posted September 29, 2009 Share Posted September 29, 2009 I buy non Gm and I tried mine on organic but they didn't like the pellets. I feed my hens Allen and Page layers pellets with a breakfast of Wiggly Wigglers layers mash with bokashi made up with warm marmite, cod liver oil and other yummies. The quail get Allen and Page Specialist Poultry Breeder pellets because of the higher protein content. They also get WW mixed corn as their afternoon treat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandyhas3chucks Posted September 29, 2009 Share Posted September 29, 2009 the ex bat pellets gave me too many humungous curry poos..... I prefered organic anyway & mine are on organic mash & love it. The cost is not that much more, and I buy grow organic where ever possible, so same goes for my girls. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redwing Posted September 29, 2009 Share Posted September 29, 2009 I believe that unless your ground is certified organic you cannot call your eggs organic even if you feed the chooks organic food I feed Garvo which is fairly new to this country, its not expensive but is high regarded on the continent. I have two chooks who have had it all their lives (give or take the odd feed) and they look amazing compared to the others so I have switched over completely (all the pets ) It does contain GM soya though which has put a lot of people off Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhesus Posted September 29, 2009 Share Posted September 29, 2009 We use Smallholders Range ( from Allen and Page) Non GM, Organic. It is about £10-£12 a 25Kg sack and lasts a fair while. http://www.smallholderfeed.co.uk/ All the girls have no problems with it and as far as I know even if food has up to 5% inorganic matter it can still be Organic. Anyhow, primary concern is the health of the birds and all of ours are doing fine. A few curry poos from Elsie but I think that is settling down as she was getting the majority of the pecking order action going her way. Do the best you can, with the budget you have, but you get out what you put in.. Enjoy and be happy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TAJ Posted September 29, 2009 Share Posted September 29, 2009 Smallholders non-GM here too. I use their super mixed corn, chick crunb, growers and layers and like them all. Once I got a sack of Countrywide mixed corn (as treats only) - it was such poor quality compared to smallholders, full of dust and chaff. Tracy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted September 30, 2009 Share Posted September 30, 2009 I gather it takes something like 7 years to be free of chemicals in your soil in order to become organic - it may well have changed now - I know there wasn't the same length of time allowed for other European countries - hence the reason why a lot of our farmers dropped out because they couldn't compete. You cannot sell your produce as organic without a Soil Association Certificate, but you can sell as "organically grown". We have not used chemicals on our garden since we moved here 17 years ago - of course I cannot account for whatever is washed into our soil via rain or the polluted atmosphere - and you can't guarantee that the bugs and worms that the hens gobble are organic either. But I do try and minimise the undesireable stuff wherever possible - and finances permitting (but would never, ever have GM under any circumstances). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandyhas3chucks Posted September 30, 2009 Share Posted September 30, 2009 of course I cannot account for whatever is washed into our soil via rain or the polluted atmosphere - and you can't guarantee that the bugs and worms that the hens gobble are organic either. But I do try and minimise the undesireable stuff wherever possible - and finances permitting (but would never, ever have GM under any circumstances). My sentiments eloquently put Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chicken Shirl Posted September 30, 2009 Share Posted September 30, 2009 I agree totally with you . We have not used chemicals here in Tenerife since we moved here 10 years ago and the same rules apply. My birds are fed on the new chicken organic feed from Omlet and the mixed corn. They love kibbled maiz and millet and hemp. there most favorate thing in Pine nuts but they are sooooooooooooooooo expensive they have them as a treat. i like the marmite idea I will try that one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
