Are there other kinds of beans I could feed besides soy?

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I've been reading a lot about soy, and I REALLY don't want to feed it. But I need a complete protein grain, or grain + legume. I was originally thinking about quinoa, but that's so expensive, if I fed it, I'd get around 3 dollars return on my chickens at best, against 25$. I need protein for my chooks... What other legumes/grains can I feed?

Right now, I'm giving them corn and wheat, plus this instant quinoa stuff I HATE. My chickens love it. They also get a handful of cheese and salad and dried fruit. They free range for buggies. Am I missing anything?

 

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Anyone?

 

[mrsengeseth]

mine will practically mow me down for sprouted mung beans. It's probably not the answer you were looking for as I don't believe it's complete as far as nutrition goes, but thats at least a start.

 

[WoodlandWoman]

Soy is a more complete protein than other legumes, on it's own. Other legumes need to be fed with a grain, to make a complete protein. There are a lot of traditional recipes for people using beans and rice or beans and corn. Field peas are substituted for soy in some of the soy-free chicken feeds that are sold, as well as in some of the recipes individuals are using.

I think chickens still need more methionine added to the chicken feed recipes, though, even with soy in them. Sometimes you see methionine in the ingredients list of chicken feeds. It's one of the amino acids that's low in vegetable proteins and chickens have a higher need for it, because it's such a key nutrient for growing feathers.

Animal proteins have more of it. Red wiggler composting worms have a good supply of it. Sunflower seeds are a source of it.