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Organic Chicks and Eggs
Heralding the Arrival of Spring Organically
By Jacqueline M. Duda
Organic chickens must be fed organic feed, period. Anything not approved by the USDA's certification standards are forbidden. Minimum space standards are also required, varying with each species and size of animal. For example, Organic Valley provides at least 1.75 square feet of floor space per bird, with outdoor space equaling five square feet per bird. Natural sunlight is provided in the hen house, there are no cages or forced molting and free outdoor access is available when seasonally appropriate.
Organic eggs benefit from the reduced stress levels experienced by chickens that are allowed to roam free. Think about it: Could you produce quality eggs if confined to a tiny space? Hoods says allowing chickens to graze on leafy greens is also believed to increase the egg's omega-3 levels. "Boosting omega-3 can also be done through the feed supply, but that is generally very costly," he says.
Organic eggs can be white or brown. "Different breeds produce different colored eggs," Givens says. Some hens get really creative, producing pale pastel hues of green and blue. "The key to being an organic egg is whether or not the egg came from a chicken that was raised organically," she says.
New Jersey's Applegate Farms has been around since 1987 and maintains a direct relationship with each of its 200 small family farmers throughout North and South America to observe the full scope of their products. "Organic is all about knowing your food source," says Laura Kuykendall, vice president of marketing. "It appeals to consumers who buy local. As a parent and concerned consumer, I want to know where my food comes from so I can trust the source."
