Minnesota!

[KlopKlop]

For those of you who buy layer mixes from feed mills, do they usually contain soy products?

Yes, that is the main protein source in any mix I have bought.

 

[scandiafowl]

Yes, that is the main protein source in any mix I have bought.

Klop - has anyone ever not bought your eggs because of soy?

 

[KlopKlop]

Klop - has anyone ever not bought your eggs because of soy?

No, I don't think anyone has ever asked either. We did have one person ask one time if our chickens were vegetarian-fed. That turned into a heated discussion about that person buying into market hype without understanding what it really meant.

I'm not sure what I think about soy. Obviously I feed it because that is what is available, but as far as if I buy into what is said about it being bad... Everything I read is written by somebody who stands to gain by the results of the study. You know what I mean?

 

[scandiafowl]

Yes, absolutely. It serves as a main source of protein for me. And buying into the hype-of-the-month is not rational IMHO.

Chickens are omnivores. To deny them such an existence is inhumane.

 

[Minniechickmama]

For those of you who buy layer mixes from feed mills, do they usually contain soy products?

Yes. In fact, I use a vegetarian formula where the main ingredients are soy and corn. Why?

 

[Minniechickmama]

I should have read further....
Yes, I know what you are getting at. I feed what I do because it is the best feed I have available to me. It is a locked formula, therefore the feed is very consistent in the look, smell, texture and my birds do very well on it. In fact, I had a vitamin deficiency problem with my Buckeye chicks because there parents' feed wasn't sufficient in VitaminE/selenium. This feed I use now, (Blue Seal) provides a higher amount. I was reluctant at first to go with a vegetarian formula because, yes, chickens are omnivores, so they go out on pasture in the months they are able. Also, if I feel the need to add animal protein, I can give them bones to pick off from or feed meal worms or red worms. In a natural setting, their other protein sources would be bugs and worms. Looking at feeds with "animal protein", often it is feather meal, which is basically crap. Feather meal provides 2 of the 7 essential amino acids needed for chickens. Corn and soy together will give them all 7. The other things you might see as animal protein are pork by products (whatever is leftover from butchering hogs and who knows where that comes from, likely factory hog farms), or chicken by products (again, likely from factory style sources), so which is really any better. Once in a while I have heard that feed can contain fish meal, which is probably the best of the three sources I mention, but still, from where?
Okay, but then someone can raise the argument, if I am not feeding organic, then I am still feeding factory sourced products that could be, like are, GMO. Yes, but with animals you have to consider that they also use hormones and antibiotics often with confinement livestock, which will go directly into the feed if those animals are then ground up and put in feed for other animals.

I like growing my own food, and I would love to grow everything for my critters, but I don't see that as a feasible way to go, so I feed the best I can find, IMO.

End rant.

 

[KlopKlop]

I should have read further....

Yes, I know what you are getting at.  I feed what I do because it is the best feed I have available to me.  It is a locked formula, therefore the feed is very consistent in the look, smell, texture and my birds do very well on it.  In fact, I had a vitamin deficiency problem with my Buckeye chicks because there parents' feed wasn't sufficient in VitaminE/selenium.  This feed I use now, (Blue Seal) provides a higher amount.  I was reluctant at first to go with a vegetarian formula because, yes, chickens are omnivores, so they go out on pasture in the months they are able.  Also, if I feel the need to add animal protein, I can give them bones to pick off from or feed meal worms or red worms.  In a natural setting, their other protein sources would be bugs and worms.  Looking at feeds with "animal protein", often it is feather meal, which is basically crap.  Feather meal provides 2 of the 7 essential amino acids needed for chickens.  Corn and soy together will give them all 7.  The other things you might see as animal protein are pork by products (whatever is leftover from butchering hogs and who knows where that comes from, likely factory hog farms), or chicken by products (again, likely from factory style sources), so which is really any better.  Once in a while I have heard that feed can contain fish meal, which is probably the best of the three sources I mention, but still, from where?  

Okay, but then someone can raise the argument, if I am not feeding organic, then I am still feeding factory sourced products that could be, like are, GMO.  Yes, but with animals you have to consider that they also use hormones and antibiotics often with confinement livestock, which will go directly into the feed if those animals are then ground up and put in feed for other animals.


I like growing my own food, and I would love to grow everything for my critters, but I don't see that as a feasible way to go, so I feed the best I can find, IMO.


End rant.

You raise great points! This is why I will be milling my own feed this year once I get my wagon filled with corn.

 

[Minniechickmama]

@holm25 I checked fertility on the Buckeyes, and they are growing!!!! I have 57 fertile Buckeye eggs growing! There are some of the others too, but the bantams are coming in slow. I had a good number of Blue Silkie eggs but none are fertile. I put a young rooster in with the old one and his ladies, maybe that will stir things up so they will get something going on now.

 

[scandiafowl]

I wish I had the time to grow my own feed. Between a ten year old and aging parents I have to be careful with commitments.

My focus this year is adding the second coop so I can divide the flock.

Are there "receipes" for producing your own feed?

 

[KlopKlop]

I wish I had the time to grow my own feed. Between a ten year old and aging parents I have to be careful with commitments.

My focus this year is adding the second coop so I can divide the flock.

Are there "receipes" for producing your own feed?

Tons. There is a whole thread on here where people share recipes if you search (I'm on mobile or i would look for it)