Our feed mixtures are carefully developed to ensure that a hen's every nutritional need is met in terms of nutrients, protein, electrolytes, sodium-balancing bi-carbonates, ground limestone for developing a strong egg shell, and much more.
Words by: Family Farm Team
You are what you eat, as they say.
We all know that a good diet is essential to good health. That’s one reason many of us eat eggs. And yet, too often we don’t do a great job with our own nutrition or at avoiding the temptation of junk food. At Pete and Gerry’s, our organic, Certified Humane, free range hens find eating right a little bit easier. To begin with, their “treats” are finding insects in the grass. And when it comes to their main diet, they get the benefit of PhD nutritionists as their personal chefs, something few of us enjoy.
Just like us, hens’ dietary needs change with age, health, season, and a range of other factors. Because of this need for continuous adjustments to the feed mix, our farmers’ feed advisors employ PhD poultry nutritionists to carefully formulate the diets and adjust them as needed. Using these formulas, feed suppliers create the rations using high-quality organic ingredients, and deliver the feed to farms. Although our farms may use different feed mills depending on their location and other factors, each of the mills takes great pride in the quality of their feed.
“People food is in the stone age compared to what these hens get for balanced nutrition,” says Les Morrison of Morrison Custom Feeds in Barnet, Vermont, another Pete and Gerry’s feed supplier. Feed mixtures are developed with a careful eye, making sure that a hen's every nutritional need is met in terms of nutrients, protein, sodium-balancing bi-carbonates, ground limestone for developing a strong egg shell, electrolytes, and much more.
Contrast that to the giant factory farms making most of the eggs sold today, which use a “least cost formulation” for their feed. That means exactly what it sounds like — the cheapest possible feed that will give the hens enough calories to lay eggs that day. This results in a difference in quality you can both see and taste.
There is a lot of science involved in our feed formulation, but one thing you won’t find in any of our feed is pharmaceuticals – unlike nearly all feed used at factory farms, which make up 90% of the eggs sold in the U.S. According to Morrison, these pharmaceutical additives are like putting a Band-Aid on a cut that needs stitches. “The way to keep birds healthy, besides feeding them properly, is to make sure their living environment is clean and not overcrowded” he says. “Good egg farmers are in their barns every day. They can see problems before they happen, sometimes just by listening to the birds."
We're proud to use high-quality organic soybeans and corn in our hens' feed. The soy is a great source of additional protein, while the corn provides necessary carbohydrates. Although there are cheaper alternatives to corn and soy, they typically aren’t as effective and can decrease egg production and even egg size, which can pose problems both for our partner farmers and our consumers. This is why most eggs sold in grocery stores are laid by hens who eat some amount of corn and soybeans, and why soy-free feed is typically only used for small backyard flocks.
When our hens consume this supplemental feed, their bodies metabolize its nutrients, changing the protein structure into a form that is usable for them. By the time the eggs are formed, the presence of soy phytoestrogens has declined. This means that soy allergies shouldn't be a problem for anyone consuming our eggs, but if there are any concerns to this nature, we always recommend checking in with a healthcare provider before consumption.
We don’t treat our Certified Humane free range hens like they are nothing more than machines. Instead, we treat them with attentive care, give them plenty of freedom outside in the pasture and in the barn at night, and nourish them with organic feed.
Morrison concludes, after admitting to a weakness for potato chips in his own diet, that if he were to die and come back as a hen, he would hope to be a Pete and Gerry’s hen.
September 29, 2021
I am always happy to hear and to support any Farm that promotes the Humane treatment of any animal, therefore I only purchase organic grass-fed start to finish. I have learned unfortunately that you use organic soy for supplemental feed and I choose to not consume any product that isn't organic or has any forum of soy, I hope in the future that you may find another form of supplemental feed besides soy😔
1 Reply
October 01, 2021
Hey there, Jack, Thank you for your feedback. Continuing to keep up with the latest research on soy and other feed sources is important to us so that we can ensure that we are providing our hens and customers with the highest quality food possible. For the time being, we have not yet found an adequate alternative that provides the hens with quite the nutritional quality that soy has. We will continue to look into this matter and make improvements wherever possible. What we can say is that when our hens consume this supplemental feed, their bodies metabolize its nutrients, changing the protein structure into a form that is usable for them. By the time the eggs are formed, the presence of soy phytoestrogens has declined.
April 29, 2021
I have an allergy to sunflower seeds and oil and have frequently been ill after eating eggs and suspect it's been due to sunflower seeds in the hens diets. Are your hens fed sunflower seeds? I have not had any issues with your eggs and eat them daily, so I'm very curious. Thank you.
May 20, 2021
Hey Shanna, we do not feed our hens sunflower seeds. Our hens spend their days in the pastures foraging for greens and bugs of their choosing, and they eat a supplemental corn and soy feed for the remainder of nutrients that they can't get during forage.
December 15, 2020
Is any fish product used in your chicken feed? Thank you!
December 16, 2020
Hi Feona! When our hens aren't out grazing for insects on organic pasture, they have access to 100% vegetarian supplemental feed. While some other egg companies may supplement their feed with products such as fish meal or fish oil to enhance the omega-3 content of their eggs, we have chosen not to include either as we find many of these additions can change the flavor profile of the egg in an unsatisfactory way. We hope this helps and welcome you to reach out with any further questions.
November 03, 2020
With the corn, soy, etc., in the chickens' diets, these eggs are just slightly more expensive trash. Organic in this context holds very little value. Won't be purchasing again.
Hi Jeff, we are sorry to hear you have decided not to purchase our eggs any longer. When our hens aren't pecking around for insects on their organic pasture, we ensure that their supplemental feed is nothing but the best. Our team has worked hard to get the feed just right for providing our hens with all the nutrients, vitamins, and minerals they need to keep laying the best organic eggs. We understand there are some concerns regarding the soy and corn contained in the feed but we can assure you that these grains are Certified Organic and take pride sourcing these from small farms, much like we partner with to produce our eggs.
October 12, 2020
I agree with other commenters that affordable sources of soy-free eggs must soon be developed. Researchers have found that soy isoflavins remain in eggs up to a week after hen consumption of soy. This is not just an allergy issue. Unfermented soy causes estrogen dominance, which leads to hormone imbalances of all sorts, including infertility, osteoporosis, diabetes, and on and on. It has also been fingered as a contributor to neurological disorders such as ADHD, Autism, migraines, and far more serious ones as well; and then of course there are the endless digestion-related diseases it contributes to. Soy is not part of a hen's natural diet, and unfermented soy is not a safe part of a human diet. Hundreds of thousands of women are chronically ill due to the inescapable presence of soy in most of what we eat. It's not great for men and kids, either! I appreciate that you're trying hard, but you're not there yet. I'm sick of seeing all the American women below a certain income threshold sick and fat all the time! There are soy-free eggs available online, but they are too expensive due to shipping costs. Why aren't they being sold in grocery stores? What good does it do your customers to be nice to hens if the customers are too sick to function? Visit the Weston-Price website and wise up, please!
October 13, 2020
Hi there, thank you for your thoughtful feedback. Continuing to keep up with the latest research on soy and other feed sources is important to us so that we can ensure that we are providing our hens and customers with the highest quality food possible. For the time being, we have not yet found an adequate alternative that provides the hens with quite the nutritional quality that soy has. We will continue to look into this matter and make improvements wherever possible.
October 11, 2020
I just started eating your eggs over a week ago due to a promotion at Whole Foods. Every day after consumption, I have experienced excessive itching. When I switched back to my previous brand of eggs, the itching stopped. I have a gluten sensitivity. I am not sensitive to soy nor corn. I would like to know exactly what the chickens eat... What type of grasses do they eat? What else is in the feed exactly besides corn, soy and limestone?
Hi Lisa, we are so sorry to hear you may be having a reaction to our eggs. Although gluten is not contained in soy or corn that the chickens occasionally eat, we unfortunately cannot guarantee that the feed is completely gluten-free. Our feed ingredients can change slightly depending on flock age and time of year, and the ingredients will sometimes include small amounts of barley and/or rye. Though we have not heard of any gluten allergies or sensitivities being triggered by the consumption of our eggs, we encourage you to contact your healthcare provider if you have any concerns of this nature.
October 09, 2020
Hello my name is Cyrus and i am a regular consumer of your organic free range eggs(a carton a week). I just read on the cornucopia report that you feed your hens synthetic amino acids. Is this true? I eat organic to stay away from synthetic anything. I was very shocked to find out that organic poultry is allowed synthetic feed. Very concerned about consuming this product now if this is the case.Do chickens like peas? Because peas are high in protein.
Hi Cyrus, thank you for reaching out to us on this. What the Cornucopia report is referring to are very trace amounts (<2 lbs/ton) that could show up in the feed, however, synthetic amino acids are not a key ingredient in our hens' feed. A common protein source used in our feed is Certified Organic Soy. We hope this helps ease some of your concern and welcome you to reach out to us via email at [email protected] with any further questions.
July 05, 2020
Hi, what percentage of their diet is insects? Thanks.
July 06, 2020
Hi Matt, thanks for asking this great question. Due to the nature and individuality of our free range hens, it's difficult to say exactly what each of our free range hens eats on a daily basis. What we can tell you is that many of our girls spend much of each day outside pecking around on organic pasture. We leave several doors to the barn open so they can go inside for fresh water, organic feed, or shelter as they choose.
May 31, 2020
Other than the insects they eat, are your hens' diets vegetarian?
June 01, 2020
Hi Karla! That's correct. Outside of the insects our hens forage for outside each day, they consume a supplemental feed that is USDA Certified Organic and 100% Vegetarian.
December 21, 2018
I see there is soy in the chickens' feed. Are there hazelnuts, peanuts or any derivatives of either in the feed?
December 22, 2018
Great question, Maya. There are no nuts of any kind or nut derivatives in our chicken feed.
December 08, 2018
I have IGg response to corn, not eggs and not soy. Yet, when I consume eggs where the hen has a diet *rich* in corn, I get sick. So, if you are to elaborate how much of the hens' diet is corn-as well as if the corn is organic vs GMO, I might be able to enjoy your eggs! Looking forward to hearing from you!
November 15, 2018
I wish you had soy free eggs. Soy is present in most foods this days and as a cancer survivor I avoid soy at any cost even though it is highly rich in nutrients, protein and amino acids it can change hormone balance resulting in excessive production of estrogen, consequentely resulting in cancer and many other problems. The only way soy is safe to be consumed is as miso and it must be naturally fermented for at least 180 days, other then that should be avoided. Please consider selling SOY FREE eggs. Thank you
Hi Paul, although there are cheaper alternatives to corn and soy, they typically aren’t as effective and can decrease egg production and even egg size, which can pose problems both for our partner farmers and our consumers. Continuing to keep up with the latest research on soy and other feed sources is important to us, and we'll certainly be on the lookout for alternatives that fit our hens' and consumers' needs in the future.
July 23, 2020
No but really. You need to stop using soy feed. I have been buying your eggs for almost a year and you just lost my business. Good luck feeding your hens the most genetically modified food on the planet and convincing anyone your eggs are healthy.
July 24, 2020
Hi John, we certainly understand your concern and would like to reassure you that, per USDA Certified Organic standards, all of the ingredients in our hens' supplemental feed must be 100% Certified Organic and contain no GMOs. So, while much of today's soy has been genetically modified, any soy our chickens consume we can guarantee has not been. We hope this helps ease your concern.
November 11, 2018
Are there any trace of soy on the hens food supply?
November 12, 2018
Hi Faye, two of the primary ingredients in our chicken feed are organic soy and organic corn. The soy provides the hens with protein to supplement what they consume in the pasture, while the corn provides carbohydrates essential to their diets. Let us know if we can answer any follow-up questions!
October 14, 2018
What do you feed the hen exactly is any of the feed gmo
2 Replies
March 11, 2019
90%of corn is GMO even non GMO can become GMO from air born unless tested regularly which most are not.
October 15, 2018
Great question, Timmy! Our chicken feed is primarily made up of organic corn and soy, which provide the hens with carbohydrates and protein, both essential to their diets. All of the ingredients in our feed are USDA Certified Organic, which means they are free of GMOs and synthetic pesticides.
July 09, 2018
February 27, 2018
