Non-Soy Feed?

[ContessaKris]

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Is there a way to combat the poor fertility because of the soy free? Something else you can add to their feed to help them produce better?

 

[Chris09]

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High amounts will causes poor fertility but the normal Soy based feed with some animal protein shouldn't give you a problem.
I use a layer/breeder that contains Soybean Meal and Porcine Meat Meal and I get nearly 98% hatch rate.

Ground Corn, Soybean Meal, Porcine Meat Meal, Wheat Middlings, Corn
Gluten Meal, Alfalfa Meal, Animal Fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols, citric acid and
rosemary extract), L-Lysine, DL-Methionine, Calcium Carbonate, Salt, Calcium Phosphate,
Manganous Oxide Ferrous Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Ethylenediamine
Dihydriodide, Sodium Selenite, Vitamin A Acetate, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin E
Supplement, Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex (source of Vitamin K Activity), Riboflavin
Supplement, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Niacin Supplement, Vitamin B-12 Supplement,
Choline Chloride, Folic Acid, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Thiamine Mononitrate, d-Biotin.

Chris

 

[ContessaKris]

I guess if I could READ, I would have caught that. I need an eyeroll smilie. SOY causes low fertility, not SOY FREE. Ugh.

 

[jbs]

I'm new to all of this, just got my first 15 chicks last week. I'm currently feeding my chicks Countryside Organics soy-free starter:

http://www.countrysideorganics.com/home.php


They're based in VA, but have some resellers in a few other parts of the country. They were very responsive when I emailed them to ask about delivery options. You might be able to get a pallet shipping rate if you buy a few 50 pound bags of feed, or if you can combine your order with a friend. JB

 

[Buff-Island-Australorp]

My 0.2 cents.......
I use Purina Layena crumbles from my local feed store because it's convinently located, and I could care less whether it has soy in it or not. To me, chicken feed is chicken feed. If chickens were dying or falling ill all over the country becasue of Purina Layena crumbles having soy in it, I'm sure they'd stop and rethink their ingredients. Purina is a respectable name. Mine have made it for the last 16 weeks on Purina feed, and they're still kickin!!!
I'm much more worried about the 110° heat they're having to endure rather than to think or know their feed has soy in it.

 

[ContessaKris]

I think the reason I'm looking into soy free is for the reactions on PEOPLE eating the eggs. My friend is very sensitive to soy so she avoids it at all costs and she was thinking of taking some of my chicks when they hatch. She asked about the soy free feed.

 

[Cindy in PA]

Purina is fine IF you don't want animal protein, but it is really overpriced. They like most, use soy for the main protein, of course it is hard to decipher that from the tags,

As far as soy-free, there is Countryside in VA, Organic Unlimited in SE PA, I think Helfter (?) in Ohio & Hiland Naturals in Ohio. I know Hiland has distributors in Texas & PA and a few other places. They sell Non GMO & Organic in certain things. I believe their's is fish meal based also. I know there are several companies on the west coast also. Try some of the above companies web sites & see if there is any distributors near you. I also have a Fertrell dealer near me that makes his own soy-free. It takes a lot of googling, but you might find something near you. Good luck.

 

[ContessaKris]

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Thank you. I'll keep looking.

 

[elmo]

I've been using Countryside Organics for more than two years now. I started off with a local, soy based starter, but when I switched to Countryside I noticed the chickeny stink my chicks had developed just went away. I was brooding them in a corner of our den, so it was very noticeable.

 

[kizanne]

Buff-Island-Australorp your post is off-topic, please keep the Purina / non-purina to the threads dealing with that.

To the original poster. If you friend wants soy-free you can definately find it. It will cost more. I am participating in a coop in florida. We get ours for about $26 for a 50 pound bag including shipping. If you look on their website you see the price for a bag is about that same amount. By grouping together and getting 42 to 44 bags at a time we get a better price and pallet shipping.

You have to do a little organizing and call the company for the pricing but for Organic, soy-free, non-gmo corn it isn't bad.

Whether you want to go that route is a topic for another thread. There are several arguing for or against Purina or organic or soy-free or blah blah.

I hope your friend finds it easy and fun to keep chickens. I think it is so important to have as much local grown food as possible.

Good Luck

Btw- My chickens love the countryside. I was worried about switching them over from their current food but they love it!