Non soy feed growth rate.

[WhyDoILikeChickens]

Hopefully this can be helpful for others as well as myself.
I am raising 26 Cornish Cross. They are roughly 6 weeks old. I am feeding them non soy feed on 12/12 in a chicken tractor. I the growth rate seems a bit behind reported rate. Live weight average 3.5 to 3.75 pounds. From what I've read they should have a processed weight over 4 pounds by now. Does anyone else have experience with this?
Feed lists just under 17% protein so I've been scrambling them eggs for a bit extra protein.
They are healthy and happy and soy free.

 

[Molpet]

At that protein level they will grow slower, but be healthier. You could try to keep a pullet for a sustainable meat bird breeder. But you need to set her eggs her first laying season. Mine quit laying in the fall and never started again before she died at 1 yr.
Eggs have 12%, but lots of vitamins d, e

 

[WhyDoILikeChickens]

At that protein level they will grow slower, but be healthier. You could try to keep a pullet for a sustainable meat bird breeder. But you need to set her eggs her first laying season. Mine quit laying in the fall and never started again before she died at 1 yr.
Eggs have 12%, but lots of vitamins d, e

My only rooster is black australorp (besides cx). Hard to imagine what that mix would look like.


For anyone in the future pondering non soy...its hard to find info and results. Found many posts of the attempt, but never results.
I wanted to eliminate soy as a health decision but also wanted to stock the freezer.
Feed consumption is about 25% higher than projected and growth rate is about 25% behind projected. This is probably why soy is in every feed out there, shame it's a phytoestrogen.
I will update final numbers at end of experiment.

 

[Molpet]

My only rooster is black australorp (besides cx). Hard to imagine what that mix would look like.


For anyone in the future pondering non soy...its hard to find info and results. Found many posts of the attempt, but never results.
I wanted to eliminate soy as a health decision but also wanted to stock the freezer.
Feed consumption is about 25% higher than projected and growth rate is about 25% behind projected. This is probably why soy is in every feed out there, shame it's a phytoestrogen.
I will update final numbers at end of experiment.

I used a random heritage mix I got for free..f3 Cockerels dressed out at 5 to 7 lbs at 16 weeks... hatchery br were about 3 lbs.
The f1 and 2 hens tend to break their eggs when broody though

 

[WhyDoILikeChickens]

@Molpet where did u find the egg protein info? I have found it in a few spots but different information every time

 

[Molpet]

@Molpet where did u find the egg protein info? I have found it in a few spots but different information every time

Not sure it was a while back

 

[WhyDoILikeChickens]

I have found sites listing as much as 90% protein from eggs, down to 40%.

I think you have a good point (as usual). I am going to keep about 3 or 4 CX hens for my Black Australorp roo. This link was helpful

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/cornish-rock-cross-black-australorp-crosses.1007773/

If nothing else I need to give my layers a break. Poor girls are running out of feathers.

 

[iwltfum]

There are 6 grams of protein in a 50 gram egg. 6/50 = 0.12 = 12%

You can find the nutrition info here (if you scroll down a bit it's to the right on a desktop browser)

 

[WhyDoILikeChickens]

Update on soy free feed growth rate.
CX are now 8 weeks old. They average 6.5 pounds live weight. Big girl at 7.1, little guy at 5.9.
Because of scheduling they will be processed about 9.5 weeks. Will update weights again.
Now I did cheat a little.... I couldn't feed the mash when they were little so they got Nutrena starter which is likely soy. And I did try to finish that bag so they got a few pounds around 6-7 weeks but still primarily Non GMO non soy mash.
The best difference I can state without a doubt is they smell so much worse on soy. I was astounded by the smell when they were chicks, then thought I had just accustomed to it. When I reintroduced soy feed the difference was night and day. Return to mash and they smell much better every time.

 

[WhyDoILikeChickens]

Ok I see so many meat bird posts that start with updates then end without giving final numbers and it frustrates me to no end...... and I almost did it myself lol.
On non soy (mostly starter/grower but had to use non soy layer feed at the end). I did add mealworms or sunflower kernels (and eggs early on) to bump up protein. I decided to keep 3 CX to try a sustainable flock next year.
I processed 23 CX at about 9.5 weeks
Small guy was (processed)4 lbs 1oz.
Big girl was (processed)6 lbs 13oz.
Total weight 119.9 pounds
Average of 5.2 pounds each
I allowed feed approximately 12/12
I lost 1 chick first week and didn't loose any since.

I wont bother to calculate cost per bird because I selected a specific feed for a specific purpose. Guessing somewhere around $10-$15 each. Whole foods price for organic non soy chicken was $4+ a pound last I heard.

Bottom line is I raised 23 happy and healthy birds that will feed my family well and I am happy with that!