When it comes to raising chickens on our homestead, what you feed them plays a significant role in the health of both the birds and the food they produce. After experimenting with various options, we’ve settled on organic chicken feed from New Country Organics, which is not only corn-free and soy-free, but also void of vegetable oils (aka seed oils). By using olive instead of seed oils to bind vitamins and minerals to the grains, New Country Organic’s feed is much lower in inflammatory Omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs).
One of the main reasons we’ve switched to this specific chicken feed is that chickens, like humans, are what they eat. Standard commercial feeds almost always contain corn, soy and seed oils, which are high in Omega-6 fatty acids. These fatty acids can contribute to inflammation, especially when consumed in excess. By using a feed that’s low in Omega-6, we’re ensuring our birds produce healthier meat and eggs with a better fatty acid profile. This is particularly important for meat birds, but it also benefits the quality of eggs from our layers.
Rather than seed oils, New Country Organics uses olive oil, which has a better fatty acid profile and is less inflammatory due to its higher levels of monounsaturated fats and beneficial compounds like polyphenols.
Although this high-quality organic chicken feed is more expensive than the typical options, I believe it’s a worthwhile investment. The cost of raising chickens with this feed might even rival or exceed what you’d pay for premium poultry from specialized farms, but knowing exactly what goes into the food we eat is part of the reason why we homestead and produce our own food.
If you’re interested in improving the diet of your flock or learning more about feeding chickens with higher-quality options, this video explains why we’ve chosen this feed and the benefits we’ve seen from using it.
In this video:
00:00:00 - Intro
00:00:10 - The feed we use: New Country Organics
00:00:22 - Why feed matters for monogastric animals
00:00:43 - High linoleic acid and its impact on poultry
00:01:11 - Cutting out soy, corn & seed oils for healthier meat
00:01:59 - Benefits of low PUFA feed for meat birds & egg layers
00:02:50 - Why we invest in organic, higher-quality feed
00:03:33 - Final thoughts on chicken meat vs. beef
[Links]
Learn more about the organic, corn & soy-free feed we use: [ Ссылка ]
3 Health Reasons to STOP Raising Chickens for Meat: [ Ссылка ]
My podcast with Dr. Anthony Gustin: The Shocking Truth Behind Pasture-Raised Chicken and Pork: [ Ссылка ]
Saturated vs Polyunsaturated Fats [Blog Post]: [ Ссылка ]
How much work is it to maintain backyard chickens? [ Ссылка ]
Pros and cons of raising Leghorns for eggs on your homestead: [ Ссылка ]
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