The 7 Best Organic Chicken Feed Brands

Reviews

Organic Harvest 17% Protein Layer Chicken Feed from Kalmbach Feeds

In 2021, the Kalmbach Feeds Organic Harvest 17% Protein Layer Chicken Feed is the finest organic chicken feed overall. Certified by the USDA, the recipe offers 17% protein as well as vitamin D and omega-3.

Both of these minerals help your hens produce nutritious, high-quality eggs. This choice by Kalmbach is meant to encourage egg-laying in chickens, whether they have been producing eggs for months or have just begun.

Although only available in 25-pound sacks, this crumble feed contains prebiotics, probiotics, and enzymes to promote the immunological and digestive health of your hens.

Because Kalmbach is a crumble-style feed, it can be quite dusty.

Pros

• USDA certified
• Specialized poultry food
• 17% protein
• Contains vitamin D
• Omega-3
• Supports your hens’ immune system and digestion

Cons

• Dusty

 

Scratch and Peck Feeds Organic Grower Poultry Feed

The Scratch and Peck Feed Organic Grower Poultry Feed is formulated for 2- to 5-month-old chicks, ducklings, and goslings. The recipe contains minerals, vitamins, and omega-3 fatty acids to promote the growth of your new flock members. Additionally, whole grain meal is more durable than pellets or crumbles.

Scratch and Peck, which is USDA-certified, does not contain GMO ingredients, maize, or soy products. It is supplied in two bag sizes to accommodate varying flock sizes.

As a grower feed, Scratch and Peck are specially made for developing chicks and do not include the necessary nutrients and minerals for hatchlings or adult birds. Likewise, the larger bags are pricey.

Pros

• Designed for young chickens, ducklings, and geese
• 25 or 40-pound packages
• Non-GMO
• USDA-approved
• No maize or soy
• Contains omega-3
• Whole grains have a longer shelf life compared to crumbles or pellets.

Cons

• Expensive
• For birds aged two to five months

 

Black Soldier Fly Larvae Chicken Feed FLYGRUBS

FLYGRUBS Black Soldier Fly Larvae Chicken Feed is oven-dried and offered in a resealable bag to maintain freshness. It is packaged in 5-, 10-, or 20-pound boxes. The recipe calls for solely dried black soldier fly larvae and excludes GMOs, wheat, maize, soy, and grains.

Unlike mealworms, these flies contain 85 times more calcium and can help your egg layers produce thicker eggshells. This choice is also ecologically beneficial due to the simplicity of its ingredients.

Although the dried larvae are rich in minerals and vitamins, they are not designed to be consumed alone. For a healthy diet, it is advised to blend these treats with your existing chicken feed. Additionally, some hens prefer live prey to dried larvae and may refuse to consume these goodies.

Pros

• Larve of black soldier flies
• Oven-dried
• No wheat, corn, or soy
• 85 times the amount of calcium in mealworms
• Resealable pouch
• Promotes stronger eggshells
• Grain-free
• Environmentally responsible

Cons

• Designed to be supplemented with other chicken feed
• Some birds favor live mealworms.

 

Scratch and Peck Feeds Organic Layer 16% Poultry Feed

Scratch & Peck Feeds Organic Layer 16% Poultry Feed is created primarily for laying hens or chickens who are about to begin producing eggs. It contains organic, natural ingredients. Using whole grains, the dish has 16% protein, and the extra calcium content maintains their eggs robust and flavorful.

This choice does not contain soy or maize products, as a nutritious diet for chickens, ducks, geese, and other waterfowl requires this. It is available in two bag sizes to accommodate any size flock.

Some users observed that their hens stopped producing eggs as frequently after consuming this diet, and some hens were irritable.

Pros

• 25 or 40-pound packages
• specialized poultry food
• 16% protein
• No soybeans or corn
• Whole wheat
• Appropriate for ducks, geese, and other waterfowl

Cons

• Several hens ceased laying while using this diet.
• Hens might grow irritable.

 

Organic 20% Starter Grower Poultry Feed from Kalmbach Feeds

Organic 20% Starter Grower Poultry Feed from Kalmbach Feeds is USDA-certified and created particularly for the first six weeks of a chick’s development.

The formula for chicks, ducklings, and goslings is rich in amino acids, vitamins, and minerals to promote healthy muscular growth, digestive health, and immunological function. With 20% protein in the components, the new members of your flock will grow up to be healthy and robust.

This food’s crumble shape frequently splits into tiny pieces during transportation, making it extremely dusty. In addition, it lacks the essential nutrients for adult birds and should only be fed to hatchlings and developing birds until they reach roughly 16 weeks of age.

Pros

• USDA-approved
• 20% protein
• Designed for developing birds
• Suitable for young chickens, ducklings, and geese
• Beneficial for digestive and immunological health
• Amino acids enhance muscular growth
• Vitamins and minerals present

Cons

• Dusty
• Unsuitable for adult birds

Buyer's Guide

Whether you’re a novice chicken owner or have been caring for a flock for years, altering the feed for your chickens always raises issues. We have provided answers to frequently asked questions to assist you in deciding which chicken feed is ideal for your farm.

Why Opt for Organic Chicken Food?

Regardless of whether you are raising chickens for meat or eggs, if you intend to market their output as organic, you must carefully analyze the food they consume.

The majority of conventional chicken diets contain genetically modified organisms, hormones, steroids, and antibiotics to stimulate chicken development. For a healthy, entirely organic flock, it is vital to check the substances in the feed you pick.

Natural elements are utilized in organic chicken feed. Organic goods are more expensive, but they promote the health and egg production of your chickens.

What Chicken Food Should I Choose?

How to find the best food for all types of animals is an often asked subject. Given that the vast majority of available chicken feeds appear to provide the same function, selecting one may appear unattainable. This area should prove useful, we hope.

Purpose

Even if your chickens are pets, you presumably still utilize their egg-laying talents. Some breeds, however, are bred solely for meat, hence their dietary needs vary. Meat birds are developed for rapid growth, and while they consume the same food as layers as chicks, they outgrow it more quickly.

If you want to maintain your hens as healthy as possible, you must examine their breed and the reason for raising them.

Grower, Grower, Layer, and Finisher

Regardless of the brand of feed you like, you will find that there are three primary varieties. These kinds indicate the appropriate age of chickens for each type.

Only during the first six weeks of their growth should hatchlings be provided starter food. It is meant to be easy for them to consume and provides them with the initial, crucial boost they need to begin developing as healthily as possible.

Grower feed is identical to starter feed, except it is developed for chicks aged 6 to 20 weeks. It is commonly coupled with starter feed, which offers the benefits of both and allows you to utilize the same meal until the chicks reach 20 weeks of age.

Layer feed is formulated for adult hens. Although roosters can also consume it, it is developed particularly for laying hens. It includes protein, calcium, and omega fatty acids to guarantee that your chicken’s eggs have thick shells and bright yellow yolks, and are nutrient-dense.

Finishing feed is designed for broiler chickens and meat birds. It’s the stuff you feed them during their last weeks before slaughter.

Raw vs. Processed

It’s a matter of personal taste as to what form your chicken meal takes. You may opt for whole or crushed grain, mash, pellets, crumbles, or a pellet and grain mixture. Despite the fact that your hens will likely prefer the feed that they are most accustomed to, if you are a new chicken owner, the choice will depend on the degree of processing you desire for the feed.

Whole and crushed grains, as well as mash, need minimal processing. Obviously, whole grains require the least amount of water, whereas mashed potatoes need more. Whole or crushed grains are the best choice if you want your chicken feed to be as natural and pure as possible.

Prior to being packed and marketed, pellets and crumbles must undergo further processing. Even if they are still organic, you will likely discover that they are more expensive owing to their production method. During their time in the workplace, they are more likely to have had a greater impact on the environment.

A mixture of micro pellets and grains is a compromise option if you cannot decide. You have the advantages of whole or crushed grains without the processing and convenience of pellets.

Conclusion

BestForPets (bestforpets.org) chose Kalmbach Feeds Organic Harvest 17% Protein Layer Chicken Feed as the finest organic chicken feed. If your hens prefer pellets, crumbles, or grain mixtures, these evaluations will assist you in locating the best organic chicken feed brands.