Celiac, need recipes

[kerbotx]

Hey all! I have celiac and the chicken feed is really getting to me. I need some ideas or recipes for layer feed that is gluten free. Thanks in advance!

There are threads here that talk about gluten-free feed recipes, like this one: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/gluten-free-feed.702367/
It's old, but I'm sure there are some pointers to be gleaned, if you have time for a deep dive! Gluten isn't an issue for me, so I don't pay as much attention to that, but I've seen lots of discussion go by; some folks have less sensitivity to non-GMO feeds. You might also consider searching on YouTube.

 

[Nbullinger]

How old is the feed??? What are the storage conditions its kept in??? Grains are susceptible to colonization by a number of organisms which can be quite detrimental to us, and our birds - such as aspergillus, and other sources of mycotoxins....

It's new and all feed. It's stored tightly and in a dry area. It's just the gluten that's affecting me

 

[U_Stormcrow]

It's new and all feed. It's stored tightly and in a dry area. It's just the gluten that's affecting me

You are entitled to that belief.

Good luck. I'm stepping off.

 

[Nbullinger]

Not so much belief as knowledge of the disease. If I touch gluten I develop cysts, I experience hair loss if ingested. If these are the symptoms I'm experiencing as well as bloodwork showing I'm ingesting gluten then again, it's not a belief, it's a fact. I took all other possibilities into consideration before asking for recommendations on feed for them. I was not asking for bickering. Thank you for your two cents.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Not so much belief as knowledge of the disease. If I touch gluten I develop cysts, I experience hair loss if ingested. If these are the symptoms I'm experiencing as well as bloodwork showing I'm ingesting gluten then again, it's not a belief, it's a fact. Thank you for your two cents.

I'm not denying a gluten intolerance - I'm suggesting that the usual reasons for a response to chicken feed dust aren't gluten related. and that ultimately, your chickens eating feed with gluten won't result in gluten contaminated eggs or meat. That's the science.

Now, if the proteins found in ground grain cause so much risk to you that a respirator is necessary for your protection, you should strongly consider getting rid of the birds, and getting that risk factor out of your life.

PLENTY of things you can do to mitigate. Buy whole grain feeds (they have their own problems, well understood, can be worked around) to reduce the dust present. Feed as a wet mash or fermented feed - burying the feed in water will, again, keep down the dust - but you are going to have to have someone pour it in the bucket and cover with water first. Or you can try and buy (at great expense, and limited availability) gluten-free feeds, hopefully made in gluten free factories, and not stored in warehouses where cross contamination is likely. Lastly, you can try and home brew a gluten free recipe for your birds.

I know a lot about poultry feed - its been a focus for about a year now, and I still learn (reasonably) quickly. Its hard enough to make a nutritionally complete poultry feed with the great wealth of ingredients available to us here in the US. I wouldn't attempt it, except in desperation. Remove Wheat, Rye, Barley, Brewer's yeast, Triticale and it becomes that much harder. Triticale is easy to give up. Rye and Barley, too. But wheat is a high protein grain useful for bulking up feed, with some important amino acids hard to find elsewhere.

Look to high soy-content feeds, likely using corn as bulk. See if you can source some teff (not real popular here in the US, but its a great grain - and check it for gluten, I honestly don't know), sorghum, and buckwheat - all are used in high proportions in chicken feeds outside the US, mostly 2nd world countries - but there's some good research on their benefits, their weaknesses, and ways to compensate.

Also, find a local supplier (or online) of small bags of Fertrells Poultrry Nutribalancer. You are going to need it for additional methionine and some critical enzymes. Not sure if your body's response is severe enough that the high content of modified yeast byproducts is of concern for you - the label only gets you so far.

 

[Nbullinger]

I'm not denying a gluten intolerance - I'm suggesting that the usual reasons for a response to chicken feed dust aren't gluten related. and that ultimately, your chickens eating feed with gluten won't result in gluten contaminated eggs or meat. That's the science.

Now, if the proteins found in ground grain cause so much risk to you that a respirator is necessary for your protection, you should strongly consider getting rid of the birds, and getting that risk factor out of your life.

PLENTY of things you can do to mitigate. Buy whole grain feeds (they have their own problems, well understood, can be worked around) to reduce the dust present. Feed as a wet mash or fermented feed - burying the feed in water will, again, keep down the dust - but you are going to have to have someone pour it in the bucket and cover with water first. Or you can try and buy (at great expense, and limited availability) gluten-free feeds, hopefully made in gluten free factories, and not stored in warehouses where cross contamination is likely. Lastly, you can try and home brew a gluten free recipe for your birds.

I know a lot about poultry feed - its been a focus for about a year now, and I still learn (reasonably) quickly. Its hard enough to make a nutritionally complete poultry feed with the great wealth of ingredients available to us here in the US. I wouldn't attempt it, except in desperation. Remove Wheat, Rye, Barley, Brewer's yeast, Triticale and it becomes that much harder. Triticale is easy to give up. Rye and Barley, too. But wheat is a high protein grain useful for bulking up feed, with some important amino acids hard to find elsewhere.

Look to high soy-content feeds, likely using corn as bulk. See if you can source some teff (not real popular here in the US, but its a great grain - and check it for gluten, I honestly don't know), sorghum, and buckwheat - all are used in high proportions in chicken feeds outside the US, mostly 2nd world countries - but there's some good research on their benefits, their weaknesses, and ways to compensate.

Also, find a local supplier (or online) of small bags of Fertrells Poultrry Nutribalancer. You are going to need it for additional methionine and some critical enzymes. Not sure if your body's response is severe enough that the high content of modified yeast byproducts is of concern for you - the label only gets you so far.

Thank you, their meat/eggs aren't a bother; it's the dust. I will try fermenting and feeding it that way. The last thing I want to do is get rid of them.

 

[Lazy J Farms Feed & Hay]

There are very few if any poultry feeds that use wheat as an ingredient. Many feeds though contain Wheat Middlings which is where you could get gluten. The middlings are added to help make better pellets or crumbles.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

and here's that label I promised.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

There are very few if any poultry feeds that use wheat as an ingredient. Many feeds though contain Wheat Middlings which is where you could get gluten. The middlings are added to help make better pellets or crumbles.

Scratch and Peck, very popular Organic brand, goes the no Soy (and often no corn) route. Wheat is often the first ingredient. Then Barley and Peas. FYI. Many others attempting no Soy feeds do the same. Even their "with corn" offering still has barley and wheat, just in a different order.

New Country Organics? Same
Grubbly? Same
HenUp? Same
Modesto Milling? Same

Sunrise farms uses soy, its wheat free - but the fat and fiber levels are very high - higher than any source I am aware of recommends. Fatty Liver is a real concern there.

I could go on.

 

[Lazy J Farms Feed & Hay]

Scratch and Peck, very popular Organic brand, goes the no Soy (and often no corn) route. Wheat is often the first ingredient. Then Barley and Peas. FYI. Many others attempting no Soy feeds do the same. Even their "with corn" offering still has barley and wheat, just in a different order.

New Country Organics? Same
Grubbly? Same
HenUp? Same
Modesto Milling? Same

Sunrise farms uses soy, its wheat free - but the fat and fiber levels are very high - higher than any source I am aware of recommends. Fatty Liver is a real concern there.

I could go on.

Like I said "few" . You are showing feeds that may be popular but compared to the total amount of chicken feeds sold in the USA they make up a small percentage of the tons sold each year.