Need a No GMO, No Soy, NO PEAS feed. Halp!

[PeepOverlord]

Can you guys please recommend a layer feed that IS : Organic, Non GMO, No Soy?
But that is NOT: Pellets, crumbs, dust, or a very expensive bag of peas?
My hens absolutely refuse to eat peas of any kind. Fresh, cooked, raw, fermented and especially not the yellow ones!
They won't eat pellets, crumbs and can't eat powder/dust.
Every Organic, Non GMO, No Soy feed I can find lately is >50% peas. Huge waste of money!
Also lately, every feed I've tried is >35% powder
Powder is much heavier than grains and feed is sold by weight.
There's zero excuse for not screening out powder/dust, esp when so many customers are Still complaining about it, 4 months after it was supposed to be "fixed".
$40 for 23lb where barely 5lbs of it is edible? Nope.
$40 for 25lb with claims of "Organic" and I find large amounts of unlisted rapeseed in it? "Oh it must have gotten in from some other product being manufactured" Nope!
$61 for 50lb bag of peas and corn, with claims of Organic but zero certification or proof - "Its organic cuz we say so" ? Nope.

p.s. Before anyone trashes on my hens being picky - no wild animal will touch those nasty peas (in any form) or the supposed "Organic" corn.
I've got about 80 lbs of them dumped in a field nearby, where none have even sprouted.

 

[nuthatched]

It's most likely those peas in your field won't sprout because the peas are either cooked or split. With your specific needs, you might have to mix your feed your self.
Bear in mind that just because something isn't labeled as organic doesn't mean it isn't organic, it just means the farmer didn't jump through all the hoops and pay out the nose for the crop to be labeled as such.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Might help if you specify which feeds you've already tried?

Off the top of my head Scratch & Peck meets most of the criteria however there are a few peas in it (certainly not 50% though). The "dust" in it is not dust though, it's all the added protein, vitamins and minerals, so the feed should be served wet or fermented, and not screened free of the powder.

 

[Weeg]

I like Scratch and peck. There is some dust because it is a "textured" feed. Though like said above, it's not a dust, it's actually considered the "fines", its the vitamins, minerals, probiotics, and supplements added to the feed since its not pelleted. This I like since I can see what is in the feed, and it's minimally processed with no binders. My birds eat the fines no problem, and if they don't, I just add water to the leftovers at the bottom of the feeder, and they go nuts.
Scratch and Peck does have some peas, but not a large amount and definitely not 50%. Its organic, non GMO, soy free, and not crazy expensive. Don't squawk at the price for a bag on Chewy, my local feed store sells it for half that price in 40 lb bags. I think its about a buck per pound? Not entirely sure.
I honestly think it may be the closest you can get to what you're looking for. It's for ducks, chickens, and I believe their starter even feeds pigs.
Heres the question and answer section of their website encase its helpful- https://www.scratchandpeck.com/learning-center/faqs/

 

[Aunt Angus]

Off the top of my head Scratch & Peck meets most of the criteria however there are a few peas in it (certainly not 50% though). The "dust" in it is not dust though, it's all the added protein, vitamins and minerals, so the feed should be served wet or fermented, and not screened free of the powder.

I feed Scratch & Peck both dry and fermented. I don't think there are many peas in it at all. It is powdery because of the added vitamins, etc., but I just dump what's left in the "dry" feeders either into the fermenting jars or I make a mash out of it. I have been VERY pleased with the results. When they molt, I cut it with all flock.to increase the protein.

However, I do feed the grower rather than the layer because I have young birds and a rooster, so I provide oyster on the side and feed their egg shells back to them.

 

[Weeg]

I feed Scratch & Peck both dry and fermented. I don't think there are many peas in it at all. It is powdery because of the added vitamins, etc., but I just dump what's left in the "dry" feeders either into the fermenting jars or I make a mash out of it. I have been VERY pleased with the results. When they molt, I cut it with all flock.to increase the protein.

However, I do feed the grower rather than the layer because I have young birds and a rooster, so I provide oyster on the side and feed their egg shells back to them.

Same here, I feed all of my birds the Scratch and Peck starter because of the roosters and ducks.
I have noticed some peas, but not may at all. Just the occasional few depending on the bag.

 

[raingarden]

Purina makes an organic layer pellet. I'll have to pull the label later today for details.

It ticks the non-GMO box. But the GMO debate is more of a social and political issue than a nurtition and toxicology issue.

Some people do not like Purina because it's such a juggernaut. I like Purina because it's such a juggernaut. They have their reputation on the line with every product and have the most advanced support staff.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

You can't have a whole grain complete feed without the addition of vitamins, trace minerals, and synthetic amino acids (meaning fines, i.e. "dust"). Unless you choose to use animal proteins. Most no Soy no GMO diets don't.

Unsure of your reasons for such a restrictive list, but good luck finding it.

 

[HollowOfWisps]

I'm just going to be blunt with my points:

-Everyone in the reviews are complaining still because they haven't done their research. The "Powder" is from the vitamins/protein....If you're buying whole grain feed that doesn't have the powder/dust or little pellets mixed in you're buying scratch grains. Grains themselves do not have enough nutrition for poultry and this is why manufacturers add the vitamin/protein powder or pellets to the mix.

-Many "Organic" feeds ingredients are outsourced from America because manufactured are having troubles sourcing enough ingredients that meet the organic guidelines. In turn this makes many of the organic feeds actually less fresh than regular feeds which is probably why nothing ate the "nasty" peas and corn you dumped. This bit of information I got from my recently retired father who was the lead accountant and then marketing manager for a very large pet food company. He knew where everything was sourced because it all had to be on the books.

-Your chickens are picky because you're allowing them to be. They won't eat pellets or crumbles because with those feed forms they can't pick out the good stuff and leave behind the actual protein and vitamins like they are with your whole grain feeds. If you only give them a pelleted or crumble feed with no scratch or other treats they WILL eat the pellets or crumbles when they get hungry. Pelleted and crumble feeds are the equivalent to setting in front of a child only a well balanced meal. Then you have whole grain feeds which are equivalent to giving a child a large bowl of ice cream and a salad on the side then allowing them to choose which bowl they eat from.
If you feed whole grain feed you need to make it into a mash if your hens are leaving the dust/powder and any pellets.

 

[EmmaDonovan]

EDIT: actually, don't do this, it's not a good balance of nutrients.

How about this? She mixes black oil sunflower seeds, whole corn, cleaned oats, diatomaceous earth, and grit.