Organic chickens and eggs are in high demand.
Organic chicken farming has become more prevalent as the organic- and local-foods movements gain momentum. Farmers and consumers should be aware of the pluses and minuses involved in raising organic chickens.
History
The term "organic" and the organic movement have been around for some time, but in recent years, the term's scope has broadened. Many farmers tending livestock, such as chickens, have worked hard to limit the amount of hormones, drugs and chemicals going into their animals' systems, but organic is not always synonymous with the best practices.
Significance
A farmer is raising organic chickens if he is supplying his livestock with feed that is blended from organically grown products. However, just because a chicken is fed organically does not mean it is receiving proper nutrition. Many farmers use corn to help increase the weight of chickens meant for meat. Organic farmers choosing to feed corn will use organic corn, but chickens should not be solely or heavily fed corn on a steady basis; they need a mix of grains, greens and protein. In addition, raising chickens organically should include preventative health measures, and the treatment of diseased animals should be approached holistically and non-chemically.
Benefits
Although many studies have been done on the benefits of eating organically, little has been proven absolutely. Poultry and eggs that do not contain hormones or other chemical products are believed to be healthier because they do not pass along those items or their byproducts to the consumer. There is little statistical significance that other food-borne illnesses, like salmonella, are decreased or increased by the farming method employed.
Misconceptions
Chickens and eggs marketed as organic do not automatically come from animals that have been raised cage-free or free-range. Because the organic market is becoming big business, some organic farms employ conventional tactics. Large organic farms may keep their chickens using the same confinement methods as conventional farms, which may cage chickens for their entire lives, so that they have little or no access to the outdoors. In contrast, many farms that feed their animals non-organic feeds and/or use hormones and drugs to treat their animals may allow those chickens to live cage-free.
Potential
Using organic-farming techniques to raise chickens and eggs will, if nothing else, improve the health of the animals and the ecology of the farm. Studies do indicate that eating organically helps significantly reduce the amount of pesticides, hormones and unwanted chemicals in our diets.
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