... My problem with comercial foods is all the chemicals that go into them and Organic is usually more expensive and doesnt make your hens organic their are DEFRA rules to what makes a bird organic.
This is why I was hoping you would define what you mean by 'natural'. Obviously from your comments natural doesn't mean organic. So does it mean whole and cracked grains rather than crushed and pelleted grains? Or does it mean pasturing your hens rather than feeding them a grain-based feed?
At the moment I have four giant bins of chicken food in my spare bedroom!
(I'm setting up a local chicken feed co-operative because I've found it so hard to find feed around here!) All four bins contain commercial feed formulations.
Bin1: A feed made of whole and cracked grains with added vitamins etc. Contains no animal products so it can be used in places where ruminant animals may sneakily grab a mouthful! Due to the lack of animal products it
must contain added amino acids to be a complete feed for chickens. It also contains mould inhibitors.
Bin 2: A pelletted feed made of pretty much the same ingredients as above, minus the mould inhibitors. Because of the heat used in the pelletting process, it is safer from mould than the whole grain feed in Bin 1. Again no animal products, so lysine and methionine are added.
Bin3: A completely organic pelletted feed. Contains orgainic fish meal to provide amino acids. Because it is organic and pelletted, it contains the lowest level of added chemicals both in its manufacture and in the crops that are used as its main ingredients.
Bin 4: An organic layers mash. Made by a different company than above, but basically the same ingredients just ground finer.
So Bins 3 & 4 have by far the lowest level of added chemicals, because of their certified organic status. Bin 1 looks the most 'natural' because it still contains recognisable grains. My chickens by far prefer to eat the contents of Bin 2.