What do you feed meat Broilers?

Honestly, I don't know what to do. I try so hard to do what's best for my family, what's best for animals, and what's best for the Earth.

When I became enlightened on factory farming and just how disgusting the American meat industry is I converted my family to vegan meats (we still eat our eggs and all, just the "meat" we buy is vegan). It's organic non-GMO soy based proteins and they turn it into hot dogs, burgers, sausage, chicken nuggets, lunch meat, fajita steak strips, you name it they make it! Obviously eating like that is more difficult, but I thought I was doing the right thing. Now some scientists are saying diets heavy in soy are bad for little boys because their body misinterprets an enzyme in the soy as estrogen and can begin "feminizing" them at puberty and in worst case scenarios rendering them sterile!!! They're also saying soy based formula for baby boys is one of the worst things you can give them-- 7 years ago when my son was born doctor's were saying it was the best, so that's what I fed him and it was EXPENSIVE! I feel like I can't win!

So that brings me to my moral dilemma of meat chickens. I've been on again off again vegetarian for years. Now that this vegan thing can pose a potential threat to my son, I have to find an alternative protein source and it won't be factory farm meats. A local person is selling cornish cross broilers as 4 day old chicks for $3 a piece, no minimum. Personally I believe heritage breeds are better I don't go for any of the crosses, but for the first time I need the birds to be here the shortest time possible because I bond with my chickens very quickly. And when it comes time, I don't know how I will go through with it.

BUT TO MY QUESTION:
I know the broilers that grow fast need high protein rations, but on TSC's website of poultry feed it just looks like normal chick feed.

Please tell me the brand/ where you get your high protein broiler feed?

THANK YOU!!!

I use an organic chick starter to make sure it is gmo free and has no antibiotics it is 20% protein and we get it from a local company in our area. They make feeds for all types of meat animals. I also feed them free range so they get as many bugs and veggies as they want plus I have fruit trees and berry bushes so they eat off those as well.

Basically they can eat anything that we eat as long as it's good quality food all around you know you're feeding them the best possible and they will grow well.

okay thank you!

dutchbunny: I notice that you are in Fayetteville, NC. I am in northeast TN, and I use a feed that comes from Statesville NC. The manufacturer is Bartlett. Here is the link to their poultry feed description:

http://www.bartlettmillingfeed.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=18&Itemid=32

I have meat birds and layers, and this has worked very well. The doesn't say "organic", but it has no antibiotics, hormones or meat derived ingredients. The APEX in the feed is a natural botanical that boosts immune system, aids in digestion, and improves appetite.

I haven't had any problems with pasty butt and none of my birds have been sick. Since it would be local for you, you might want to give it a look. The cost is $15-16 per 50lb bag.

BCMaraniac said:

dutchbunny: I notice that you are in Fayetteville, NC. I am in northeast TN, and I use a feed that comes from Statesville NC. The manufacturer is Bartlett. Here is the link to their poultry feed description:

http://www.bartlettmillingfeed.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=18&Itemid=32

I have meat birds and layers, and this has worked very well. The doesn't say "organic", but it has no antibiotics, hormones or meat derived ingredients. The APEX in the feed is a natural botanical that boosts immune system, aids in digestion, and improves appetite.

I haven't had any problems with pasty butt and none of my birds have been sick. Since it would be local for you, you might want to give it a look. The cost is $15-16 per 50lb bag.

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It doesn't always have to say organic to be good though. I have one guy up here that manufactures his own feed and it's all natural, non gmo, no antibiotics and great home grown whole grain feed but he can't afford to go through the public rigamorall to get it labelled organic. I guess it can cost an awful lot and be a hard thing to get labelled organic. As long as you know the food is good and it's all natural then no worries. Organic sometimes just gives you the assurance because if it's labelled organic it can't have the bad stuff.

LilyD said:

It doesn't always have to say organic to be good though. I have one guy up here that manufactures his own feed and it's all natural, non gmo, no antibiotics and great home grown whole grain feed but he can't afford to go through the public rigamorall to get it labelled organic. I guess it can cost an awful lot and be a hard thing to get labelled organic. As long as you know the food is good and it's all natural then no worries. Organic sometimes just gives you the assurance because if it's labelled organic it can't have the bad stuff.

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I agree. Organic doesn't mean better, in my opinion. I only mentioned that it wasn't organic because of a reference made to organic feed in an earlier post.
Just to point out the difference. There are many truly organic growers out there, they just don't want to go through the certification process. They just want to sell a good product at a fair price. Certified organic products may be good products, but the price is rarely fair....

Okay, thank you all for the advice!!!

I use G&M Milling out of Statesville, NC. They are local to me so it makes it easy. They have several types of all natural feeds.

Stang65fst said:

I use G&M Milling out of Statesville, NC. They are local to me so it makes it easy. They have several types of all natural feeds.

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Have you ever used Bartlett feed??

QUESTION: My broilers are 5 or 6 days now and every time I look at them their crops are completely distended.
Is this normal?
I take the food out at night, but they have access to a small bowl of it (there are 10 of them) during the day. There is always more than half the bowl left at the end of the day, but they are tiny. I go look at them plenty of times, some they're lying down or drinking water or sunning themselves. So they aren't eating non-stop.
Should I be regulating their feed better?

And it was hard to find feed, so we ended up with a high protein organic game foul crumble because it was 30% crude protein vs. 18% in other chick feed.