Why organic and what is beyond organic?

In very short

Beyond organic is way beyond the regualtions that the us governmentt requires to get the "organic" stamp of approval.

In beyond organic gardening and animal keeping - you do so with deep respect and gratitude to the plants and animals. In this case, the chickens all deserve a chicken-worthy life - no matter what happens to them down the line. Their food is not contaminated with pesticides or GMO and they get to be outside on the fields/garden.

• I want true organic eggs from chicken who have been foraging around outside, not so called free range which means "access" to the outside. I will add a link to what it actually means in the commercial world to get organic eggs.

• b - I want to give the males at least somewhat of a life on this planet as chickens - not kill them right away at birth. Ethically, that is what I believe in - and it is beyond organic.

• c - those birds are loved, seen and given the space they need to express their "chicken-ness". This is part of the deal for me -  they MUST be respected and treated well.

And so that is beyond organic. For as long as I can, I will treat the animals in my care according to their needs.

Here is some of the journey to this:

An opportunity presented itself to work a small part of someone's garden and I got permission to have chickens there too. My initital thoughts about that was: have free range garden chickens and eggs that lay eggs, provide fertilizer and help with tilling and pest control - and - I LOVE birds.

My initial helper, and highly recommended - "The Small Scale Poultry Flock" by Harvey Ussery - a wonderful guide on why and how to keep chickens with and for your garden and food.

Because of ethical reasons I became a vegetarian in 2010 (what this video - If Saughter Houses Had Glass Walls) - simply because I could no longer support, by buying meat in any store, the cruelties done to animals. So I was not looking for meat birds either. 
I had read up on organic eggs and chickens from the store and didn't really like what that meant - I was looking for eggs form happy, free range chicken, at least free range enough to find grass and bugs and such things.

Organic: NOWHERE does it say that the animals had a good life - outdoor pastures, humane treatment, less overcrowding.

All that is mostly a myth that people want to believe because most people I know who eat meat  would rather have the animals treated well - and organic does NOT mean that ...wake up everyone. (see more of what organic means a little further on)


So then what chickens should I get? I started researching and reading about which chickens to get for what purpose and climate read.

One of the things I found out - and I never really fully "groked" that before - that because egg laying chicken breeds don't make enough money as meat birds - BILLIONS of 1 day old male chicks are gassed to death, thrown away to suffocate of chopped alive in some kind of huge chicken baby chopper machines. This is so unbelievably inhumane and cruel - so I opted to get straight runs from  Sandhill Conservation. They came recommened as having good healthy egg laying birds - and I have so far found that to be very true.

So I got 54 birds total ...32 of which are male ...all of which as organically fed and partly free range or pastured. The reason it is partly is because I don't have enough partitioned room for all those roosters .... Of the first birds, now 6 months old, there were only 9 females - 17 males. That just does not work. So as may be able to imagine - the conviction to go humane and organic can be costly - costly in time, energy and money. 

I got to know roosters - and I love them.
I got to know pullets - and I love them.

and I had to face some difficulot decisions, and I will write more elsewhere about them.

But my eggs are organic, my birds are organic - and because of all this love, care and energy that went into caring for them they truely are - Beyond Organic.

Organic simply means pesticide free, no GMO, 


The USDA National Organic Program (NOP) defines organic as follows:

Organic food is produced by farmers who emphasize the use of renewable resources and the conservation of soil and water to enhance environmental quality for future generations. Organic meat, poultry, eggs, and dairy products come from animals that are given no antibiotics or growth hormones. Organic food is produced without using most conventional pesticides; fertilizers made with synthetic ingredients or sewage sludge; bioengineering; or ionizing radiation. Before a product can be labeled "organic," a Government-approved certifier inspects the farm where the food is grown to make sure the farmer is following all the rules necessary to meet USDA organic standards. Companies that handle or process organic food before it gets to your local supermarket or restaurant must be certified, too.


The USDA has identified for three categories of labeling organic products:

100% Organic: Made with 100% organic ingredients

Organic: Made with at least 95% organic ingredients

Made With Organic Ingredients: Made with a minimum of 70% organic ingredients with strict restrictions on the remaining 30% including no GMOs (genetically modified organisms)

Products with less than 70% organic ingredients may list organically produced ingredients on the side panel of the package, but may not make any organic claims on the front of the package.

NOWHERE does it say that the animals had a good life - outdoor pastures, humane treatment, less overcrowding

All that is mostly a myth that people want to believe because most people I know who eat meat  would rather have the animals treated well - and organic does NOT mean that ...wake up everyone.
Most animals on organic and free-range farms are still transported through all weather extremes and slaughtered in the same manner as animals on factory farms.

How much should you isolate chickens with injuries?

This morning after cleaning up

First of all, checking online and in my book, chickens apparently have astonishing, almost miraculous ability to heal from even grave physical injuries, contrary to actual illness and infection.
So yesterday one of my 10 week old Buff Catalana pullets somehow (and God only knows how) got into the orchard rooster only area. It was calling with the distress chirp and I found it, then it hid and I retrieved it. While it looked ok, I was totally taken aback when it bent its neck: the entire length of neck muscles and other structures lay bare. OMG. I still cannot believe it and even if I took a photo, it would need a big warning for graphic image.

Unbelievably had been running  and chirping though and, once I got it into a medium size dog crate, it took treats eagerly (thank goodness). I added a heat lamp in front of the crate because I had read that optimum temperature for a sick bird is 80-85 degrees. I probably did not get that, but at least it was not THAT cold. Taking her into the house was not an option for me -and - it would have put her in a strange environment and might have stressed her out.

So then it came time to roost for the night and she obviously got stressed out not being able to join the others. I had the crate inside in the coop, but that was not enough. The chicky literally STOOD there all night, at least every time I checked. I felt right about adding some warmth via the heat lamp, safely hung, and I even filled bottles with hot water --- and put it into a sock ...for a warm body substitute. But still I could not help thinking it would rather have roosted with rest of them.

So it got me thinking -  under no circumstances would you want ANY chicken even peck at the injury once, at the same time, stress hinders healing. Birds, at least chickens, are VERY social animals and want to move with and stay with the flock ...otherwise, sooner or later, they get stressed out.

So it made it through the night alive, still taking treats ...... so far so good. I could not bring myself to even look at the atrocious injury.
I didn't apply any salves or creams or dressing and I was not set up for suturing. I didn't know it then, but I didn't need any of that.

The next day, to start with, I decided to keep the 15 Buff Catalanas all in the coop for a while....after letting out the older flock, just to keep the chick company. When i went in at lunchtime, the baby had settled down finally inside the crate and some chickens were lying around the crate, one "sunbathing" in the warmth of the brooder lamp that I had re-hung.

She was even drinking water once I got it all cleaned up

I had brought more treats, high protein and nutrient rich treats it learned to like (eggs, meat), plus crumble dust and very overcooked broccoli and zucchini (for added fluid).

I fed this in front of the crate door and the willingness of the other chickens to really go for the treats certainly helps with food intake. (I actually had to put most of the  treats elsewhere  to keep it somewhat controlled in front of the crate :)

All was well - and little chicky settled down again on a fresh bed of straw. A little later I decided to let the others go outside and into the coop run for a little outing. That was when little chicky got upset, pacing and chirping inside the crate, wanting to join the flock ...... ...so I coaxed a couple of chicks back inside the coop and closed the door. After a littel while, things settled down for the 3 of them.

So: YES, isolate right away for healing so re-injury cannot happen. It seems to be a natural instinct to eliminate obviously injured birds from the flock - and they will literally peck it to death if it acts at all sick or has visible woulds. - and NO,  if possible, don't separate the injured chick from the flock as it will stress out the bird. Extra warmth will also help.

Of course if you chicken is used to being in a crate inside your house, that is a different situation.

If you don't have a dog crate, maybe you have some other box or cage which can at least be partially darkened to help with resting. 

(Illness with risk of contamination may be is a different story, talking just about physical injury) This is my observation, and of course, we all just do the best we can under any given circumstance.

It seems to be though that even if it were to die - it would rather die not alone somewhere. In any case, the time this little chick got upset was when the flock moved on and it could not be with them as it was locked inside the crate. Here it had settled down again, though you can barely see her in there, with one of her flock-mates sunbathing under the brooder light. Keeping my finger crossed, praying and running karma wash orbs for the little girl - I named her Harriet. She still seems to have some trouble breathing - like if you were trying to breathe through a clogged up nose. It is possible that one of the nerves that runs along the neck got injured.

ADDENDUM: She was in there for a few weeks and then afterwards I gradually let her back out ...she was quite out of breath at first, but basically she healed well and got back with the flock after a few weeks. Since the others could always see her, I didn't have to go through a real reintegration, but I did transition by making a separate roost and section in the coop where she roosted for a week with a couple of others before she was free to go where she wanted.

I had another chick that got pecked on the head by a rooster and had a bad blood blister .... she seemed ok after a couple of days of isolation and when I could not longer see the reddish blister - she rejoined the flock.

Baby chicken got hurt

Tonight I am just tired and it is  mainly from an emotional toll. So this may or may not make sense.

She is in there - my attempt to keep her in the coop as well as somewhat warm

I had to go with someone to bring a dog to the vet this afternoon, and I got to the chickens late, not till 4 pm., which really isn't a big deal. Except today when i got into the run, I heard baby chirps from the rooster side of the baby run area wall. There really isn't a way from the pullet babies to get there and I thought one of the baby roos, (and they are all 9 weeks old now) had strayed ...I opened the door to the orchard run and a buff was trying to get through the barrier, then hid. I got it from there, the 4 orchard roos looking on. The baby buff seemed ok, UNTIL she bent her neck .OMG ...all open to the muscles ...the entire neck exposed. So I isolate it in a dog crate inside the coop. I feed it some mesh, eggs and chicken. And it eats with good appetite. She gets chirpy when all her siblings go to roost and she has to stay there. I heat up water, put it in a bottle and that into an old sock ...and put it next to her ...but she wasn't fooled. Later on I decide to dig out the heat lamp thinking it might help  to not be so cold ....despite the light, but it is the red kind. At that time, she eats crumble but I also see that there is some issue with breathing.
I have some antibiotics, but she refuses the overcooked veggie it it on ...
After reading up on things ...if i had the means, suturing and antibiotics might be of benefit, but then, chickens have amazing self healing abilities from physical injury. So here I am, hoping for the best.

But it is taking a toll - as I see myself unable to focus on work I have to do. It won't get done. I don't know which rooster is so rough on the babies, or how she even got out. I got  straight runs with a total of 54 chickens and have 34 be male - that posed a lot of management issues on the time and space.
But getting a sexed run would have meant the baby males had to be killed ...never a chance for a life worth calling it.

I recall: 27 chicks the first run, 1 died at 3 days. (post pasting). Of the 26, 9 are hens, the rest roosters. Of the 8 living in the orchard, 4 got gotten by predators (they were out there early, having roosted in the trees, which they since stopped doing). Of the mixed group, I had to go through deciding who needed to go and then the process of culling them. This was November 20. They were just 6 months old.. HORRIBLE to take the life of such a beautiful creature, but the orchard roos were all chasing the Golden Polish and those 2 in turn were making live difficult for the hens and their brothers. ...all the while just being roosters. My only consolation at this point is: they had a good rooster life, having done what a rooster does, they were seen and loved, served as food for folks who could never afford such a chicken and taught me big lessons. Then One of the baby buff males died ....I think neck injury too, this was about 2 weeks ago - but I don't know who did it. And today this one ...a pullet. She might still make it ...but it is taking a toll.....

It is difficult have so many roosters for the space and for the females. I am by now convinced that given enough space ...and more equitable rooster to hen ratio, that they will all arrange themselves one way or the other.

I don't know how it happened. There were some grey feathers there too ...and non of the orchard roos is grey. If i knew who did it - he'd have to go, but i can't get myself to cull them all ....but maybe that would be better ....?

I just want them to get out in the morning to forage and all get long. Let them out in the morning - feed them. Let them in at roost time - collect some eggs in between. Let them  walk around with me -...I love observing them. I know they don't like to be alone - which is why I put the dog crate inside the coop ...and I will be feeding the young ones right around the dog crate. The plan is to keep them inside the coop for a day....

I don't know why but it affects me so much when they are sick or distressed or seeing them dead - not compatible with being a farmer for sure, but then, I'm a chicken gardener and vegetarian and....


...  it is so hard for me. I LOVE these chickens. I adore them, the way they move and talk and look and I am amazed at their social structure, curiosity, ability to learn. There is a lesson here about the preciousness and uniqueness, about the purpose for each life - 2 or 4 legged, winged or swimming companions. About care and respect for each and every life entrusted to your care.

Because: once you create (as in ordered eggs to be hatched) or take in any animal into your care - you carry the responsibility for its life and owe it a  life that is in accordance with its beingness. Not everyone will agree or understand, for others this is not far enough.

I don't want to force my views on anyone. There is such a wide span between the meat-eaters (and there is a range there too) and the  vegans (with their own range). What I hope all animals get is this:  respectful treatment in life and death - that they are being allowed to live  a good and artengerechtes animal life.

In the meantime - there is a 2 month old Buff Catalana girl in the coop with a bad injury.  Her name is Harriet. It hurts. ...and she does not understand why she can't be up on the roost .... Whether she stays or goes on - I don't want her to suffer. Sending love to you, baby chick.

read the next post for what happens next - I named it: should you isolate chickens with injuries

Buttercups - the sweetest chickens I know

4 buttercup chick (front) - day 1

Instead of the Buff Catalanas, which were sold out, I got a batch assorted light chickens - 4 Golden Polish, 6 Buttercups, 6 Egyptian Fayoumis and 11 Blue Andalusians.

This is about the Buttercups .

I LOVE them - and I won't hesitate to get more if given the chance.

I treated all the chicken babies the same - and from day 1, the buttercups seemed to want to come close or sit on me. While some of the other 3 breeds warmed up too, the Buttercups seem to naturally gravitate towards people. They also seem to be gentle in general. It is not that the males don't have little stand-offs with other chickens - but not once have i seen any relentless chasing of any other chicken - much unlike the Blue Andalusian males. The buttercups, at least to 3 months of age, seem to leave the Golden Polish chicks alone, not something you can say of the others. They are good foragers too.

Day 8

Time will tell how they do in the mating season - and btw, the females seems horrified at the chasing advances by the Blue Andalusians.

I love the sweet, gentle and curious nature of them and I hope the males will dance for the females.
Even if they end up not being top layers, I love their temperament so much so far - I will get some more when the Buff Catalanas come in next year.

day 18

day 33

9 weeks

12 weeks

Chicken Chick blog - for raising chicken help

Day 31 - they were such babies still

When embarking on an adventure that includes live animals, you will inevitably encounter - issues. Whether  behavioral, health related or  other - you wish you had a friend with 30 some years of experience you could call up. Well, for those of you who don't have such a friend who can help you with your chickens, try this one: The Chicken Chick at http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/
It is not that there are not other helpful sites, like backyardchickens.com, what I like about this one is: she researched her topics well - The Chick researched keeping chickens in general for that matter - and posts about relevant topics with great pictures and lots of personal experience. I find this can help newbie people like me with potential chicken problems. NVM all the social stuff on facebook and the side bar advertisements, that is just being efficient and good - but the chicken keeping posts are well worth reading.

Is it all inclusive - no - like there is nothing i found on the multiple rooster issue I am dealing with :) but really, great helpful articles. Check it out.

Roosters & the meaning of life - update August 2012

Oh dear - roosters - so much testosterone - but I love them - they are beautiful.  The May roosters are now 3 months old, and I have them separated from the hens for the past 3 days with a couple of mild behaving roosters staying with the hens without any issues. In the meantime, their foraging areas have grown pretty big, about 1/4 acre if they wanted to. I have the (not so secret) hope that I will be able to keep 4 or 5 roosters even through the mating season next year. Compared to the hen group, the roosters are starting to forage a bit more and further out in the orchard during the day. I would have thought they would be all over the place, but no - they are very careful and seem to be staying close to "home". Maybe I spoiled them too much? It looks soo good to see the birds foraging in the garden.

There is a crowing "concert" a few times a day, I don't mind it, just a little worried about the neighbors, though this IS zoned agricultural. I had to separate the Golden Polish chicks from the Blue Andalusian roosters as they were just being chased all over the place. It seems though that the lowest chick in the pecking order will end up getting chased, now it is a splash blue Andalusian that has that honor.

It is quite a challenge to get them into and out of the chicken coop into their separate day ranging areas. It takes me about an hour or 2 each time, and I am hoping things will get a lot easier when i have built a roo hatch box/coop and they have accepted it. I have modified the hen-coop section again so maybe the Golden Polish will be content to stay there at night - and not insist to roost in the old spot - with all the roosters .....

Ok, back from tonight's cooping up:

As much as the females run from the roosters in the day - at night, they all want to roost together given the option. I just tested that, after 3 nights of keeping them separate. So until I actually have a separate rooster hutch, I let them roost together again, starting tonight - and see how that goes. For daytime tomorrow, since there are there are so many different run areas now ...the females might have enough space to hide. I'll see tomorrow.

Long story short: if you are getting a straight run and plan to not kill your roosters (either yourself or by giving them away) - have 2 coops and forage areas far enough away before you get them. And remember, straight run NOT 50/50.

From a farming and economical perspective - keeping all the roosters makes little sense, especially as the 50/50 is not the case ...it is more 70/30, and talking to my chicken keeping neighbor - that seems to be the case for those he knows who have gotten straight runs. Also organic soy free feed is incredibly expensive.

Getting a sexed run means: you get the females and the males have been gotten rid of some other way.

You can argue: getting a straight run means all of them have had a chance of life on earth - and now their time is up. Would it have been better not having a chance at life at all?

I can hear the more militant vegans already - but what they maybe have not faced are the thousands of animals killed during commercial vegan food harvesting - AND - in case you are not aware - plants are conscious too. You might be able to feel it yourself, or, do a search on the latest about how trees communicate with each other and transfer nutrients.

In my own sensing, and feeling - we all - every being and thing - are expressions of the ONE -  the one Consciousness that IS. In that sense, EVERYTHING that you do matters. Everything you do affects the whole. Everything is an outpicturing of divine mind.  Life IS a circle - and life force expresses in constant birthing and dieing, and all you (and that is for those who are at all interested in that side of Being) can ever hope to do is not to have contributed to the suffering of WHAT IS - and maybe, to have relieved some suffering in some way on some level. It too makes sense, that if it is within your means, to prevent others from doing harm - for they own sake and for the sake of BEING. It makes sense to not allow dogs to do harm to people or other animals, to not allow people to do harm, if it is within your power to recognize it and prevent it.

I have cried over plants being mutilated by unconscious actions of others - like mowing over baby trees and bushes. I can't even clear blackberries before their "babies" have not matured .....  but I did tell them that after that, and accepting the berries gratefully, that they will have to go. And I do tell them that I love them and their beingness - same as the roosters - acting out their hormones. Some day, unless I get 100 acres and natural wildlife population control, the roosters will likely have to go. The few hens just can't deal with that many. But there is 1 thing: those birds have been loved. In my world and mind - that means something, that is worthwhile - and it is more than can be said about many peoeple, animals and things. Those chickens are loved, seen, appreciated, admired and cared for.  I spend time with them just in awe of how they move, sound and what they do and try to give them what they need within the means I have.
May they be blessed, and with them, the divine beingness itself.

Oh - do you think there are dogs who would give their lives for their owners -- not thinking - just doing? Let us not take away from the divine mind that has some animals and plants being in service of love, awakening and helping humans to grow - physically and otherwise. On the task of : what I learned from keeping chickens: it is way beyond the practical chicken keeping. This project, the endeavor, is deepening my feeling for life, the deepening realization for the sanctity of life and the mutuality we have with everything in it, absolutely everything and everyone. For the most part,  I do not actually have access/skill/experience to LOVE through people, - adult humans (children are a different story),  like some of you might have - I nonetheless am beginning to get that this, the working with animals & giving over the top of 100% to what I am capable of,  is a path with which to access love of humans (who hurt life and beings so much everywhere). With the realization of the ONENESS and its expression through all beings and things - it would include humans. I do know that I am not there yet. There may be compassion, or pity, but LOVE for all humans, even if they are expressions of the divine oneness - I am not there. 

Tonight, I am exhausted from the  work and trying to manage "them chicks" and do right by them. I wish there were someone really in on this project with me.  We'll see how tomorrow goes.
I still think the roosters could roam in a separate area and live longer ....that too we'll see.

Some say creation is like a giant video game. It is a game in which beings feel. - A 3d manifestation of G-D.

Roos and Hens in separate pens

Males are behind the division in the roo-run - going for function atm :),
not enough time to worry about aesthetics for too long
when you got screaming pullets to listen to ....

Ok, the May chicks are 12 weeks old now. 2 days ago I started keeping them separate during the day, the run for the roos not even properly finished. However, 2 of the seemingly premature roos started chasing the sweet buttercup hens all the time (I should say: pullets and cockerels), which were running screeming and even trying to escape the runs. So now, out of sight, out of mind and all is well.

A friend of mine, who has been keeping chickens for years, says they will all do that when the time comes, as long as the hens are around - in which case they will also fight each other. I want the roos to be gentleman roos - the kind who dance for the hens ....:) we'll see if one of them at least turns out like that.

So, plan is: keep them separate and the roos will be foraging in the large garden soon. We should be ok till mating season at least. I might buy separate feed for them too. I do need to make a night roosting box so I don't have to manage the coop so much. Right now the hens are spending the night inside the old brooder box, conveniently empty as I never got my buff catalanas due to the heat - no hatchlings. I do have to put them in by hand though, but at least they are safe till I come to let them out inti their separate runs.
Here are some of them, though so far it is only a couple of blue andalusians doing the relentless chasing, the top 2 being the ones :)