Re: Questions about Poultry & Omega 3 & 6 Ratios

[Guest guest]

>

> I've been currently looking around for high-quality organic, grass

> fed only poultry and eggs. I'm curious as to what the majority of

> organic poultry places feed their chickens in the cold winter

months??

> (I'm from the PA area, and was also curious about Canadian winter

> practices)I'd imagine most chickens are kept in pens during the

> winter, and fed small to moderate amounts of organic grains??

+++Hi . The first thing to understand is that the word " organic "

is not a regulated term, so it can be used willy nilly by any egg

producer. However, as I posted recently, small local area farmers

may be producing " certified organic " eggs, but they cannot afford the

high cost of becoming " certified organic. "

+++The natural diet of all poultry includes fats and protein, since

like all birds they eat worms, bugs, insects, and even small animals

like mice, as well as fresh green grass, grains, seeds, etc. So good

poultry shouldn't be referred to as grass-fed.

+++During Winter farmers should be feeding their poultry proper

protein and fats, which they used to do by feeding them scraps of

beef and other meats. But because of the crazy mad-cow scare

governments have banned meat scraps from being fed to poultry and

other animals, so farmers are forced to use soy as a protein source,

unless they buck the system. Some local farmers do, while others are

too scared.

+++By the way, mad-cow disease, and the similar disease in humans is

actually a because of a severe depletion of magnesium - see this

article: http://www.healingnaturallybybee.com/articles/germ16.php

>

> The farm's website in which I buy eggs from says this: " We also

> produce Certified Organic eggs from our flocks of Pastured hens.

The

> term " Pastured " means that our chickens are housed in roomy pens

> (never caged), and have access to several acres of land every day

> (weather permitting). Our cage free chickens produce some of the

> finest eggs available on the market today. "

> I recently emailed them to find out if they only feed the chickens

> their natural diet of grass, plants, worms, etc. or if they're also

> grain fed. I did not hear anything back yet though.

+++Please let me know what their reply is.

>

> My other question is how much do you think the Omega-6 to Omega-3

> ratio balance is with chickens that are fed organically grown

grains?

+++It isn't a good ratio, unless chickens are fed enough protein and

good fats. The Weston A. Price Foundation writes that [true] free–

range chickens produce eggs with an omega–6 to omega–3 ratio of 1.5

to one, whereas other eggs have a ratio of 20 to one.

> The reason I ask this is because another local farm from my area

says this about their chickens & gamebirds:

>

> " A true free-range environment, where they get plenty of sunshine,

> fresh air, and room to exercise. Studies show that foraging; free-

> range poultry produces healthier, meatier birds with more muscle

and less fat.

> Improved organically grown grains that are naturally high in

protein and nutrients. Our feed grains are resistant to disease and

grown with organic farming methods, like crop rotation, that prevent

disease. Since we are organic, we use modified grain in our feed.

+++As them what the protein source is in their feed. It is probably

soy. Also are they " certified organic " or only claim they

are " organic. "

>The soils are enriched only with organic fertilizers and humus.

> Pure, mineral-rich water clean enough for our farm families to

drink themselves "

+++I suspect their claim they only use " organic fertilizers " since

the word organic isn't regulated.

Bee

[Guest guest]

> The natural diet of all poultry includes fats and protein, since

> like all birds they eat worms, bugs, insects, and even small

animals

> like mice, as well as fresh green grass, grains, seeds, etc. So

good

> poultry shouldn't be referred to as grass-fed.

==>Hi Bee. In your paragraph here, you mention grains. What type of

grains are you talking about? Are there any " certified organically

grown grains " that are acceptable for feeding chickens??

>>Please let me know what their reply is.

==>I definitely will. Also, that place(Natural Acres)is considered a

regulated certified organic farm.

>>>Ask them what the protein source is in their feed. It is probably

> soy. Also are they " certified organic " or only claim they

> are " organic. "

==>I will email them to find out exactly what is in their feed. Also,

this place (Eberly Poultry) is a regulated certified organic farm.

This is also posted on their website:

" To reassure our customers of Eberly Poultry's overall commitment to

organic, The Northeast Organic Farmers Association and Pennsylvania

Certified Organic have certified us as an organic poultry producer.

These two organizations review our overall growing and production

procedures, extensively.

As a poultry grower, N.O.F.A. and P.C.O. visit each of our farms to

assure our chickens are being organically fed and humanely treated.

Each chicken house is thoroughly inspected to guarantee each bird is

getting 1 1/2 square feed of space to deter overcrowding and risk of

spreading disease.

The organic feed we give our chickens is also strictly tested to

assure it is 100% organic. The feed is also tested for growth

stimulants, antibiotics, animal by products and pesticides, which we

do not use.

P.C.O. and N.O.F.A. also inspect the Eberly Poultry plant. The plant

is inspected for cleanliness and safety procedures during the

processing. P.C.O., N.O.F.A. and the USDA insure a safe and clean

processing environment through each step of processing.

Finally, P.C.O. and N.O.F.A. require us to maintain an audit trail of

each flock's growth from chick to retail store. This assures our

chickens and turkeys were organically certified from hatchery through

processing. Thus, ensuring our customers will enjoy the freshest free-

range organic chicken or turkey with absolute confidence it is

certified organic. "

>>It isn't a good ratio, unless chickens are fed enough protein and

good fats. The Weston A. Price Foundation writes that [true] free–

> range chickens produce eggs with an omega–6 to omega–3 ratio of 1.5

> to one, whereas other eggs have a ratio of 20 to one.

==>The 20 to 1 ratio your speaking of is most likely non-organic

poultry that are fed commercially grown grains. I would imagine that

the ratio is alot smaller for certified organic birds that are

fed " certified organically grown grains. " They do say their

organically grown grains are " naturally high in protein and

nutrients. "

Thoughts??

--

[Guest guest]

It isn't a good ratio, unless chickens are fed enough

protein and good fats. The Weston A. Price Foundation writes that

[true] free–range chickens produce eggs with an omega–6 to omega–3

ratio of 1.5 to one, whereas other eggs have a ratio of 20 to one.

>

> ==>The 20 to 1 ratio your speaking of is most likely non-organic

> poultry that are fed commercially grown grains. I would imagine

that

> the ratio is alot smaller for certified organic birds that are

> fed " certified organically grown grains. " They do say their

> organically grown grains are " naturally high in protein and

> nutrients. "

+++Yes, that is probably the ratio in commercial eggs. The ratio of

omega 3 to 6 would increase the better their diet is.

Bee

[Guest guest]

Hi Bee, I finally got an email response back from those 2 local

farms in my area. The 1st one, Natural Acres, says that they do

use " some " grains for their chickens, along with their regular free

range grass/bug feedings. They didn't say what the protein source in

those grains were, but Im assuming it is soy.

The 2nd one, Eberly Poultry, says that they use organic soybean meal

for the grains that they feed their chickens.

Personally, I've never bought any eggs or chicken from the 2nd place,

just the 1st one (eggs). As I've seen you state before, even though the

chickens are not 100% grass/insect fed, its not that big of a deal as

long as you are taking all of the necessary supplements, which will

eventually balance out our systems. I guess I should not let this

bother me too much, correct??

Thanks, .

[Guest guest]

>

> Hi Bee, I finally got an email response back from those 2 local

> farms in my area. The 1st one, Natural Acres, says that they do

> use " some " grains for their chickens, along with their regular free

> range grass/bug feedings. They didn't say what the protein source in

> those grains were, but Im assuming it is soy.

>

> The 2nd one, Eberly Poultry, says that they use organic soybean

meal

> for the grains that they feed their chickens.

>

> Personally, I've never bought any eggs or chicken from the 2nd

place,

> just the 1st one (eggs). As I've seen you state before, even though

the

> chickens are not 100% grass/insect fed, its not that big of a deal

as

> long as you are taking all of the necessary supplements, which will

> eventually balance out our systems. I guess I should not let this

> bother me too much, correct??

+++Hi . I don't believe anyone who doesn't raise their own

chickens can avoid soybean, unless they can find a local farmer who

feed their chickens meats. There was a farmer in Alberta who did,

but it was difficult to get their eggs since they were 300 miles from

the City.

Also while the soybeans may be organic, they are still genetically

modified (all are).

We can't let it bother us . We do the best we can. This program

has proved itself including eating non-optimum eggs.

Bee