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> From: Edna M Weigel <eweigel@juno.com>
> To: sanet-mg@amani.ces.ncsu.edu
> Subject: Chicken Feed
> Date: Sunday, December 27, 1998 10:53 PM
>
> Dear SANET'ers:
> BACKGROUND:
> I have a flock of six Rhode Island Red chickens which range on
> three sides of my garden and are a tremendous help in controlling
> grasshoppers. I have customers clamoring to pay $3.00/dozen for my few
> excess eggs. One of my customers is chemically sensitive and cannot
> tolerate the certified organic eggs from the food co-op but has no
> problem with my eggs. Besides what they find in their 0.6 acre pasture
> and what I can spare from the garden (not much this time of year), the
> chickens get all they want of a mixture of organic corn meal, organic
> cracked wheat, sea salt, and kelp supplement. In addition, I feed them a
> small daily serving of cooked organic soy beans. They get no calcium
> supplement, but our soil contains plenty of calcium and the egg shells
> are noticeably harder than those of commercial eggs. 5 hens lay an
> average of 3 eggs per day without supplemental light or heat, so I don't
> think that's bad for mid-winter.
> PROBLEMS:
> I have been unable to find a source of organic stock feed in this
> area (Southeastern Arizona). The people at the feed stores either
> lecture me on the quality of their favorite brand of commercial feed or
> ask "what's organic?". Our county agent wasn't any more help. So these
> chickens get food intended for human consumption and I'm not quite
> breaking even on feed costs even at $3.00/dozen for their eggs. I plan
> to alleviate this problem somewhat by growing as much of their food as
> possible. I grew a small patch of corn last summer and plan to also try
> wheat, sorghum, oats, and soy beans next summer. Meanwhile, I'd like to
> double or tipple my flock which would make soy bean cooking rather
> onerous. (I now cook 4 cups of dry soy beans every 12 or 13 days and
> freeze small batches.)
> QUESTIONS:
> Is it necessary to cook the soy beans? The chickens will eat
> soaked beans but prefer them cooked. I fed soaked soy beans until I read
> a very brief statement somewhere saying not to give them raw soy beans.
> The chicken feed recipes I've found call for de-hulled soy meal. Is
> there something in soy hulls that is toxic if not cooked? Would other
> beans be a better choice for supplying protein? I already grow pinto
> beans, cow peas, and lima beans for my husband and I and they cook much
> faster than soy beans. Would other beans need cooking?
> COMMENT:
> I'm hoping someone out there has the knowledge to help me even
> though I have a small operation. I'll also appreciate other suggestions
> for easy-to-grow (preferably heat and drought tolerant) chicken feed.
> The chickens especially enjoy onions, garlic, cole crops, and chard, so I
> plan to grow extra for them next year. Most of those vegetables grow
> (very slowly) through our relatively mild winters if they get a good
> start before it turns cold, but the wildlife (bird and rodent) also like
> them so I have a challenge when natural food sources give up for the
> winter.
> I look forward to any enlightenment you can give me on chicken feed.
> Best regards, Edna Weigel
>
>
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