Poultry Your Way - Center for Integrated Agricultural Systems ...

MANAGEMENT ALTERNATIVES
ORGANIC
Be aware that organic buyers may have their own interpretation of the national regulations or may require
additional management guidelines. Organic Valley Family of Farms, headquartered in Wisconsin, is one example.
This farmer-owned cooperative has developed minimum plant cover requirements for outdoor poultry areas in
addition to indoor and outdoor stocking density limits, and minimum feeder, waterer, and nest box numbers/sizes.
We strongly recommend that you check with organic certifiers and buyers before designing and establishing
outdoor areas.
Housing. To comply with National Organic Standards concerning living conditions, housing must be designed
so that animals can:
• Exercise • Practice “comfort” and grooming behaviors
• Escape extreme or inclement weather • Move without risk of injury
• Breath fresh air
It’s possible to achieve these standards on pasture or in semi-confinement. In fact, it is not uncommon for organic
growers to house their birds in semi-confinement (see Farm Profile: “Traditional” Doesn’t Mean “Old-fashioned”
on the Dickel Farm) or temporary, full confinement during inclement weather or a particular stage of production.
Organic shelters must be equipped with adequate access doors or “pop holes” so that birds can get out during
good weather to a yard or pasture. And while some buyers may have stocking density and nest box requirements,
the National Organic Standards do not prescribe minimum stocking rates (number of square feet per bird).
Organic Inspector Harriet Behar, who lives and farms in Wisconsin, recommends that flock owners who have a
large or long house (on pasture or in a yard) outfit it with many doors leading outside because one door for a few
thousand birds is not enough to give outside access (Behar, 2004). If you genuinely attempt to provide outdoor
access for your birds by constructing houses and shelters appropriately, you should have nothing to worry
about when it comes to certification. Always check with your certifier before construction to make sure you are
building something that is certifiable.
When it comes to layers, you must also consider lighting. According to the National Center for Appropriate
Technology (NCAT), National Organic Standards do not include guidelines for artificial lighting or access to natural
light and dark cycles. If you are thinking about the use of artificial lighting to induce molts and hence control the
production of your laying flock, check first with your local certifier to learn what is allowable. NCAT warns that
“the stress caused by this practice [of induced molting] might be viewed as inhumane by some organic certifiers
and thus not permitted” (NCAT, 2004).
One final housing consideration (for all stages of production) concerns the use of cleaning products. It is standard
practice to disinfect broiler and layer houses in between flocks to prevent the build up of pathogens. If you
intend to seek organic certification, be sure to check the NOP National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances
for allowable cleaning, disinfecting, and sanitizing products. This national list can be found on the NOP website
www.ams.usda.gov/NOP/NationalList/ListHome.html under “Processing Materials Decisions.” The Organic
Materials Review Institute (OMRI) screens products for compatibility with National List requirements. You can
view the “OMRI Brand Name Products List” at www.omri.org.
Feed and Water. All feed must be certified organic, and poultry may not consume animal by-products. Rations
may contain feed supplements and minerals where needed. A limited number of synthetic substances are allowed
for use in organic livestock production (see Section 205.603 of the National Organic Standards).
In accordance with the National Organic Standards, producers who wish to become certified organic must begin
using certified organic feed and acceptable supplements for all poultry from the time their birds are two days
Poultry Your Way 85
MANAGEMENT
ALTERNATIVES