Soybean meal in chicken feed - good or bad

[Toru]

Hello everyone

I knew about chicken feed without soy, but did not pay close attention. Last week,got across the article about soybean meal in chicken feed. The author of the article wrote what soybean meal does to you chicken. I ,already, feed my chickens non gmo feed. Is it new fab like "healthy, new and improve"? What do you think?
Please share.
Thank you

 

[Folly's place]

Welcome! I don't worry about whether some people think an ingredient is 'evil' or not. Corn and soy are just fine, have been fed to everyone for generations, and only are an issue in those individuals who are actually allergic to one or the other of them. Since we eat both ingredients ourselves, It's impossible for me to justify avoiding them for my birds.
I do have dogs with food allergies, and that's a different story.
Mary

 

[rosemarythyme]

Well I eat soy so I have no issue with feeding my chickens soy. I also eat organic when I can (and feed my chickens that way) but I know that's not something that everyone subscribes to as everyone has different food philosophies.

 

[4 ever Orpington]

Hello everyone

I knew about chicken feed without soy, but did not pay close attention. Last week,got across the article about soybean meal in chicken feed. The author of the article wrote what soybean meal does to you chicken. I ,already, feed my chickens non gmo feed. Is it new fab like "healthy, new and improve"? What do you think?
Please share.
Thank you

 

[Ponyfeather]

Personally, I avoid it because you don't know how an individual in your flock will react to it. It has to be highly processed for chicken consumption too. I can see it being fine for chickens that get lots of healthy scraps and other food free ranging. But I'd rather be safe then sorry since chickens will hide when they are sick.

It is one of those things a chicken won't likely eat if they run into the plant in person so I don't choose to feed it. Corn on the other hand chickens will eat fresh if it is offered! But I try and avoid feeding my chickens things I won't eat. I do eat soy but not every day.

Also, if I am recalling right they're not even using the soy that is used to make things like soymilk, tofu and natto. They're using the leftovers of oil processing. So it is a filler like they use corn in cheap dog food.

 

[Folly's place]

You could look up the actual assay of soybean oil meal. It is food!
Mary

 

[Lazy J Farms Feed & Hay]

Soybean Meal is a great source of Essential Amino Acids for chicken feeds. I would not worry about feeding feed with soybean meal as an ingredient.

 

[Cindy in PA]

It certainly depends on your reasons to feed it or not. I prefer not to feed it, but it really hard to find good soy free feed around here that isn't mash. Also some feed companies that do offer it, have turned to canola meal for the majority of their feed & I don't find that to be an improvement over soy. JMHO

 

[Folly's place]

I'm just curious; what ingredients do you like? And what do you spend to get those alternative (more expensive!) diets for your birds?
Mary

 

[Cindy in PA]

I prefer peas, fishmeal & crab meal to up the protein in soy free feed. I can get soy free grain mash w/ fishmeal locally for $28/80 lbs. I like it, but the mash is hard to use when I go away a lot. I can get a soy free pellet for $30/50 that has peas, grains & crab meal in it which is the next best thing. Nature's Best is finally showing 25 lb. bags of their new soy free on their website, but right now it has to be ordered through a Southern States dealer. Haven't gotten the price on that. They use canola meal. I have read a lot about getting a fishy egg taste with canola & some brown egg layers. I asked them about that fact & they stated their nutritionist had never heard about the fishy egg problem. They also make a no soy broiler pellet & I was told no matter what, broiler pellets can never be fed to layers soy or no soy. Pretty sure I will not be trying their new feed!