NAPR: organic v. non-organic chicken

anna7602

Can anyone tell me the difference? In a pinch today, I picked up non-organic chicken at the store, noticing that it said it was hormone and steroid-free, per federal regulations. If this is the case, then what is the diff. b/w that and the organic kind? Is it how the animals themselves are treated (free range, etc.) or something else? TIA.

jazzyag

i'm not sure about animal treatment, but I would think that the organic chicken was fed organic feed. it might have to say free range for the birds to be free range, but i'm not well educated as to the organic cert. standards for animals.

MrsBeckO

Here's some info:

Organic farmers do a number of things to ensure that chickens are reared as naturally as possible. For starters, antibiotic growth promoters cannot be used but sick organic birds must be treated with appropriate veterinary medicine, so they can be given antibiotics if theyre very poorly. But they cannot be given drugs on a regular and routine basis, something that almost all non-organic poultry have to endure. Organic poultry is reared on a specially formulated feed containing only cereals, vegetable protein, a small amount of fish meal, and a vitamin/mineral supplement. These chickens are often guaranteed to be fed on feed which is free from genetically modified feedstuffs (GMOs). To be fully organic, chickens must be fed a diet containing grain which has been grown organically, without artificial fertilisers or sprays. Such feed is expensive, and therefore organic chicken is more expensive as well. 

Also, on Soil Association registered farms, the number of chickens housed in a single shed is restricted to 1,000. A non-organic intensive chicken farm may have as many as 40,000 in the same shed. Organic birds are kept free-range, having continuous daytime access to clean pasture, except in adverse weather. Non-organic birds are almost always locked up night and day.

 

LouiseB2001

Thanks for this info!

To me it is not just about organic vs. non-organic. One of the problems in the US is that chickens (and cows but that is a different matter) are fed corn. Corn is not part of any animals normal diet, which is why they often have to keep giving animals antibiotics. The reason I don't eat chicken (but I am in no way judging anyone who does) is mainly because of the horrible production process: they kill all the male chickens right after birth and only let the female chickens grow into either egg hens or chicken meat. But I do agree that the organic process seem a little more humane and they are fed grain, their natural food. Watch the documentary Food Inc. and get wiser on the whole meat production in the US :-)

jazzyag

thanks for this!  we buy free range meat and eggs as organic can be quite a bit more $.  The treatment of animals is really important to me.

littlemommy1

Why is it that the males are killed right away and not allowed to grow up? That's horrible. I've seen parts of Food Inc. but couldn't watch it all. I am a huge animal lover and couldn't stand to see them all being kicked around like they are nothing. Sometimes I wonder how I can still cook meat. I could stand to be vegetarian, but DH couldn't, so I figure if I am already cooking it I might as well eat it. 

With that said, I try to eat all organic meats. Dairy is tough to find organic where I live. Most vegetables I grow myself and fruits I buy organic.  

Thanks for the info.  

LouiseB2001

littlemommy1:

Why is it that the males are killed right away and not allowed to grow up? That's horrible.  

It is not profitable to let the males grow, they grow too slow. Here is an undercover video of what goes on inside the slaughterhouses, it is not for the faint hearted:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JJ--faib7to 

(Really, only watch this if you are prepared to become a vegetarian!) 

 

nadiarl

Organic chicken must be fed all organic fee and receive no antibiotics or hormones.

There is no mandate on how they are treated. 

littlemommy1

LouiseB2001:

littlemommy1:

Why is it that the males are killed right away and not allowed to grow up? That's horrible.  

It is not profitable to let the males grow, they grow too slow. Here is an undercover video of what goes on inside the slaughterhouses, it is not for the faint hearted:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JJ--faib7to 

(Really, only watch this if you are prepared to become a vegetarian!) 

Isn't that why they are given growth hormones? That must be only for the females, huh? 

I'm really scared to watch it. Since having a baby, I'm even a bigger cry-baby than I used to be. I cry about everything, and don't even have the heart to kill a spider. I catch them and let them free outside. 

 

littlemommy1

littlemommy1:

LouiseB2001:

littlemommy1:

Why is it that the males are killed right away and not allowed to grow up? That's horrible.  

It is not profitable to let the males grow, they grow too slow. Here is an undercover video of what goes on inside the slaughterhouses, it is not for the faint hearted:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JJ--faib7to 

(Really, only watch this if you are prepared to become a vegetarian!) 

Isn't that why they are given growth hormones? That must be only for the females, huh? 

I'm really scared to watch it. Since having a baby, I'm even a bigger cry-baby than I used to be. I cry about everything, and don't even have the heart to kill a spider. I catch them and let them free outside. 

 

 

I watched it. That's horrible. I also ran across one that shows hog confinement for the pregnant pigs. I can't imagine being pregnant and not even able to turn around. Those poor animals.

A few months ago, when I started buying all organic meat, I took DH to a farm nearby that raises free range hogs, chicken, and organic blue corn and beans. He learned a lot when we sat down and talked with the farmers. They are the nicest people, and really put their heart into the farm. The pigs were all so happy, running around with their babies, free to do whatever they wanted in the field. They ran right up to us when we walked by the fence.

That is how every animal should live. Happy. Sadly, though, there probably wouldn't be enough meat to go around if every animal grew at its normal rate and had enough land to run free.

Sorry this got long, but I wish I could speak for the animals.