Raising Organic Chickens for Eggs

[PhillyDelcoChix]

Hello,
This is my first question to you experts.
My family and I have recently purchased 8 chicks, 4 Easter eggers and 4 rare Marens, and have decided to raise them on all organic feed, food, etc.
We don’t use pesticides or fertilizers aside from our own compost.
I really want some info on anything else I might be missing that is necessary for these birds to be happy and healthy living 100% organically or as close to that as I can.
We feed them “peck and scratch” organic feed as well as organic fruits and vegetables right now along with chick grit at the moment.
When they’re living outside in their coop, they’ll have access to lots of space and will be moved around our yard in a chicken tractor (to keep them safe from hawks in our area) and to keep them from hopping the fence and being hit by a car.
Will they need vet visits, can they live healthy lives without antibiotics? Do they need anything additional?
The more natural the better for me.
Thank you in advance for reading this lengthy post!

 

[ChickenCanoe]

They don't need vet visits or medications/antibiotics unless they get sick.

The best way to keep them from getting sick is good fresh feed and clean water but more important than that is fresh air. Chickens don't breathe like us. Rather than a rib cage, they have a keel bone so they don't expand their chest bring in oxygen. Their tiny lungs are fairly rigid and connected to 9 air sacs and some of their hollow bones where air is also exchanged. Do not worry about cold. They can handle it but they can't live without fresh air. Close off the coop and you are begging for illness, vet visits and possibly medications.

Giving us your location will make advice we offer more accurate.

 

[PhillyDelcoChix]

They don't need vet visits or medications/antibiotics unless they get sick.

The best way to keep them from getting sick is good fresh feed and clean water but more important than that is fresh air. Chickens don't breathe like us. Rather than a rib cage, they have a keel bone so they don't expand their chest bring in oxygen. Their tiny lungs are fairly rigid and connected to 9 air sacs and some of their hollow bones where air is also exchanged. Do not worry about cold. They can handle it but they can't live without fresh air. Close off the coop and you are begging for illness, vet visits and possibly medications.

Giving us your location will make advice we offer more accurate.

Thanks for the info.
As my name suggests, I’m a Delco PA resident, just outside Philadelphia.

 

[rosemarythyme]

I really want some info on anything else I might be missing that is necessary for these birds to be happy and healthy living 100% organically or as close to that as I can.
We feed them “peck and scratch” organic feed as well as organic fruits and vegetables right now along with chick grit at the moment.
Will they need vet visits, can they live healthy lives without antibiotics? Do they need anything additional?

As long as you're not selling your eggs to the public then raising them according to organic practices is certainly good enough for "organic" home consumption.

With the Scratch & Peck feed, I don't know if you're currently feeding it dry but if you are, I highly recommend either fermenting it or at least feeding it wet most of the time in order to minimize waste and maximize nutrition. Birds tend to pick out their favorite pieces from the feed so by serving it fermented/wet you're forcing them to eat all of it, especially the protein and vitamin rich fines that tend to get ignored.

Realistically there's very few actual poultry vets around, so most keepers take care of medical issues at home. I don't use antibiotics or treat proactively for issues that don't currently exist (i.e. I don't worm or dust/spray for pests, as I haven't had any to deal with). If an issue does pop up I do my research on here for treatment options, and go from there.

 

[PhillyDelcoChix]

As long as you're not selling your eggs to the public then raising them according to organic practices is certainly good enough for "organic" home consumption.

With the Scratch & Peck feed, I don't know if you're currently feeding it dry but if you are, I highly recommend either fermenting it or at least feeding it wet most of the time in order to minimize waste and maximize nutrition. Birds tend to pick out their favorite pieces from the feed so by serving it fermented/wet you're forcing them to eat all of it, especially the protein and vitamin rich fines that tend to get ignored.

Realistically there's very few actual poultry vets around, so most keepers take care of medical issues at home. I don't use antibiotics or treat proactively for issues that don't currently exist (i.e. I don't worm or dust/spray for pests, as I haven't had any to deal with). If an issue does pop up I do my research on here for treatment options, and go from there.

Good advice on their feed, they do waste a lot of it.
I have read up on fermenting, but have been a put off by the idea of wasting it if it doesn’t ferment properly. I think I’ll try wetting it. I sometimes sprinkle it over a “treat” like chunk of pumpkin or finely chopped veggies and they seem to like that.
Do you offer them a dust bath with DE? I’ve read that works well for keeping mites off them.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Good advice on their feed, they do waste a lot of it.
I have read up on fermenting, but have been a put off by the idea of wasting it if it doesn’t ferment properly. I think I’ll try wetting it. I sometimes sprinkle it over a “treat” like chunk of pumpkin or finely chopped veggies and they seem to like that.
Do you offer them a dust bath with DE? I’ve read that works well for keeping mites off them.

I've had mold growth before so not saying it's impossible, but it's only happened twice, so pretty low occurrence - most likely it would happen in summer so when weather is hot I do smaller batches to deliberately go through it faster.

I don't use DE and you'll get varied advice on whether that's safe or effective or not. It is a respiratory irritant and some say it doesn't work on mites at all, others will say it's somewhat effective, etc. so that's something you'll need to consider and decide on yourself. I don't have mites thus no reason to treat for it.

 

[aart]

If an issue does pop up I do my research on here for treatment options, and go from there.

I'd find something to use for lice and mites now, and have it on hand. Not sure if permethrin fits your standards for 'organic'... but it certainly works to kill an infestation

It is a respiratory irritant and some say it doesn't work on mites at all, others will say it's somewhat effective, etc. so that's something you'll need to consider and decide on yourself.

<raiseshand> Have read too many stories of birds with terrible infestations of lice and/or mites and the keepers that say "but I use DE".
A good dust bath with plain old sandy dirt will go a long way as a preventative...as well as keeping rodents and wild birds away from your chickens.

Oh, and...Welcome to BYC! @PhillyDelcoChix
Here's how to add your general geographical location to your profile.
It's easy to do, (laptop version shown), then it's always there!

 

[Acre4Me]

Good luck with your birds!

Dust bath for the birds: They need a nice light dirt area that generally stays dry (so it stays nice and light). We added bagged sand, peat moss, wood ash and sawdust to an area they already favored. It just made that much more desirable to them! One reason NOT to use DE is that it is a lung irritant for humans, as well. The birds really fling the dirt around and DE is very light. In our situation, we could reasonably use it bc the wind is nearly always blowing towards the field behind us, and not towards our living area or home. But, our garden is back there, so in the spring/summer, that would be a potential problem! their dust bathing helps keep lice/mites at bay. These pests are usually introduced by wild birds. We’ve had to spray with Permethrin before -it works well, no egg withdrawal period. We add concentrate to a garden sprayer, add water, mix. Using two people, one holds a bird upside down, Other person sprays between legs, around vent, under wings, then put into already cleaned and sprayed coop. This way we keep track of who’s been sprayed. You can easily do a few birds yourself with a handheld spray bottle. You can buy dusting products too, however, I personally find the dusting products really messy, but they are readily available. We only treat when we see a problem.

 

[NHMountainMan]

I use wood ash for a dust bath. It's easy for us to come by, with a wood stove. After a week or so, I swap in new ash, and the old stuff, usually with some dropping, go to the garden compost pile.

 

[aart]

We added bagged sand, peat moss, wood ash and sawdust to an area they already favored. It just made that much more desirable to them!

I did that....and they moved to a new place ungrateful little so-and-so's...
...after a few tries I just let them do what they wanted.