I don't have my chicks yet, but I have been doing a ton of research into all aspects of their lives, and I am hung up on one thing: food!
I don't have much local to me, though I do have a supplier of Blue Seal's line of feeds. The first three ingredients on Blue Seal's layer feeds are: Grain products, processed grain by-products, plant protein products. I will assume that this is mostly soy and corn (and will admit that I'm slightly frustrated that they don't list the actual grains used- does this mean they fluctuate greatly from batch to batch?). I have also read that Blue Seal is a good product. My local feed store sells it for $13/50lb. bag and I can get the organic line a ways out of town for $23/50lb.
Most important to me is to find a feed that does not have soy (or at least a lot of soy). This, as many others have no doubt observed, is tricky! I have been looking at my options; I have asked around and researched and have not found a mill within a reasonable distance that would be willing to create a blend for me at a low volume (I only have 8 chicks coming). I also haven't been able to get the few chicken 'people' that I know of, local to me, at all interested in placing a freight order with any of the companies in the nation that sell low-soy or soy-free feeds. This leaves me with Countryside Organics as my main option, since they will ship and I am on the East Coast.
I am having a really hard time stomaching the cost of shipping, though! I understand it but it really hurts the pocketbook. I don't earn much. With shipping, each 50lb bag comes out to about $43. Some folks might laugh at me for considering spending so much but it's important to me to cut the soy down.
I am considering buying their (Countryside) feed, and cutting it with some Blue Seal to make it last a bit longer .. maybe 2/3 Countryside organics and 1/3 Blue Seal. I don't mind a little soy-- I just hate it when it's the bulk of a food item.
Is there any flaw to this idea? Can it cause any harm?
Also to those that feed Countryside Organics, do you find that your chickens eat less of it than other feeds or about the same?
Thank you for your input. This is a complicated and often confusing issue.
I don't have much local to me, though I do have a supplier of Blue Seal's line of feeds. The first three ingredients on Blue Seal's layer feeds are: Grain products, processed grain by-products, plant protein products. I will assume that this is mostly soy and corn (and will admit that I'm slightly frustrated that they don't list the actual grains used- does this mean they fluctuate greatly from batch to batch?). I have also read that Blue Seal is a good product. My local feed store sells it for $13/50lb. bag and I can get the organic line a ways out of town for $23/50lb.
Most important to me is to find a feed that does not have soy (or at least a lot of soy). This, as many others have no doubt observed, is tricky! I have been looking at my options; I have asked around and researched and have not found a mill within a reasonable distance that would be willing to create a blend for me at a low volume (I only have 8 chicks coming). I also haven't been able to get the few chicken 'people' that I know of, local to me, at all interested in placing a freight order with any of the companies in the nation that sell low-soy or soy-free feeds. This leaves me with Countryside Organics as my main option, since they will ship and I am on the East Coast.
I am having a really hard time stomaching the cost of shipping, though! I understand it but it really hurts the pocketbook. I don't earn much. With shipping, each 50lb bag comes out to about $43. Some folks might laugh at me for considering spending so much but it's important to me to cut the soy down.
I am considering buying their (Countryside) feed, and cutting it with some Blue Seal to make it last a bit longer .. maybe 2/3 Countryside organics and 1/3 Blue Seal. I don't mind a little soy-- I just hate it when it's the bulk of a food item.
Is there any flaw to this idea? Can it cause any harm?
Also to those that feed Countryside Organics, do you find that your chickens eat less of it than other feeds or about the same?
Thank you for your input. This is a complicated and often confusing issue.
