Poultry

At Mule City Specialty Feeds, consistency is a top priority—especially when it comes to poultry. Whether you’re feeding First Layer Mash, Natural Super Chick, or Natural Backyard Layer, each bag is mixed on-site in Benson, North Carolina, where we control the entire process from ingredient selection to final packaging.

We focus on maintaining stable nutrient profiles and ingredient quality to support healthy growth, steady egg production, and digestive balance in a wide range of poultry. That means we don’t rely on outsourced batching or unknown ingredient swaps—you get the same trusted nutrition, bag after bag.

Because poultry can be especially sensitive to changes in calcium, protein, or fat levels, we’re careful to source and blend feeds that deliver reliable results. 

Whether you’re raising backyard hens, ducks, or mixed flocks, you can trust that what’s on the label is exactly what’s in the bag.

And if your flock has unique needs—like lower protein, added Omega-3s, or a custom blend for confined layers—we can help you adjust the feed without sacrificing consistency.

Just call us at 919-894-3626 or contact us online. From first feed to last egg, we’re ready to mix a feed that fits your flock.

Yes, Mule City’s Natural poultry feeds—such as the Natural Backyard Layer, First Layer Mas and Natural Super Chick—do include soy in the form of soybean meal or extruded-expelled full-fat soybean meal. 

These ingredients are a common and effective source of protein, lysine, and energy in poultry diets, especially in layer and chick feeds where high digestibility is critical.

That said, Mule City blends these feeds without added hormones, antibiotics, or synthetic growth promoters, and they offer Non-GMO verified options for customers who want cleaner, more natural formulations.

For poultry owners who prefer soy-free diets—whether due to allergies, feed sensitivity, or market preferences (such as for heritage breeds or specialty egg sales)—Mule City can work with you to develop a custom soy-free blend. 

We have experience creating diets that substitute soy with ingredients like:

• Fish meal (if preferred)
• Linseed meal
• Flaxseed for essential fatty acids and balanced amino acids

These formulations still maintain essential protein levels and amino acid profiles to support healthy growth, feathering, and egg production.

Because Mule City manufactures all feeds on-site in Benson, NC, custom batches can be blended in-house to meet specific goals, from non-soy starter feeds for mixed flocks to soy-free layer mash for backyard or pasture-raised hens.

If you’re looking for a soy-free solution, all you have to do is ask—we’ll help you build a ration that fits your birds and your values.

Just call us at 919-894-3626 or contact us online to get started!

Mule City Specialty Feeds designs its layer blends—like First Layer Mash and Natural Backyard Layer—to support strong eggshells and reliable production even when external stressors like summer heat or low-quality forage disrupt normal laying patterns.

Here’s how we help maintain performance under pressure:

• High and consistent calcium levels: First Layer Mash contains 3.0–3.5% calcium, while Natural Backyard Layer goes even higher at 3.4–3.9%. These levels are essential to support the calcium demands of eggshell formation, especially when pasture quality drops or birds reduce feed intake due to heat stress.

• Bioavailable mineral forms: Our feeds include calcium carbonate, dicalcium phosphate, and chelated minerals like copper proteinate and zinc methionine complex—forms that are better absorbed and utilized by the bird’s body, supporting shell strength, immune function, and overall resilience.

• Added DL-methionine and lysine: These amino acids are essential for egg mass and laying persistence, and are included in all layer formulations. Even when forage is low in protein, your hens still receive the nutrients they need for yolk and egg development.

• Molasses and oil for energy: During heat waves, chickens often eat less. Our blends include molasses and soybean oil to increase palatability and energy density—so birds get more calories and nutrients in smaller servings.

• Vitamin D3 and E fortification: These vitamins play a key role in calcium absorption and immune function. Our layer feeds are fortified to ensure hens stay productive and maintain skeletal strength, even under environmental stress.

• Feeding flexibility: Mule City encourages free-choice feeding with access to oyster shell or coarse limestone, which lets hens self-regulate their calcium intake based on need—critical when heat or stress changes their feeding behavior.

In short, our feeds are built to work with real-world conditions, keeping your hens laying strong, shells thick, and body condition stable—even when forage is dry and the thermometer climbs.

Just call us at 919-894-3626 or contact us online. Whether you’ve got layers, meat birds, or a mixed flock, we’ll help you keep them thriving.

Yes, Mule City’s Natural Super Chick is specifically formulated as a multi-species starter/grower feed suitable for a variety of poultry, including chicks, ducklings, turkey poults, and guinea keets. 

It’s designed to provide complete nutrition from hatch to 16 weeks, covering the foundational growth and immune support these young birds need—regardless of species.

Here’s how it works for different types of poultry:

• Chickens: The 22% protein level supports rapid growth, feathering, and early development. It also includes key amino acids like lysine and threonine to build strong muscles and structural support.

• Ducklings and Waterfowl: While many feeds are too low in niacin for ducks, Natural Super Chick includes fermentation extracts, probiotics, and vitamin supplementation that help improve absorption and overall nutrient density—making it more suitable for waterfowl than standard chick starter. For breeds known to have higher niacin needs, such as Pekins, supplemental niacin may still be beneficial during the first few weeks.

• Turkeys: Turkeys have higher early protein needs, and with 22% protein plus yeast culture, dried whey, flaxseed, and added vitamins, Natural Super Chick meets the energy and amino acid demands of young poults during the brooding phase.

• Guinea Fowl: Guinea keets are highly active and benefit from the high-protein, low-fiber profile of this feed. The addition of immune-supporting ingredients like selenium yeast and fermentation products is a bonus for these often-fragile birds.

What makes it multi-species safe?

It’s free from ionophores (which are dangerous to some poultry), and includes no medications, making it suitable for backyard, homestead, and heritage birds raised without antibiotics or coccidiostats.

So whether you’re raising a mixed flock or starting birds in batches, Natural Super Chick gives you a clean, high-performance feed that covers the nutritional bases for most common poultry species—all with Mule City’s commitment to consistency and quality.

Just call us at 919-894-3626 or contact us online to make sure your birds get exactly what they need—no more, no less.

Yes, Mule City Specialty Feeds offers custom blending options and practical feeding guidance for backyard poultry keepers—especially those managing limited-range flocks or mixed-age birds. 

Whether your chickens are in a coop full-time, rotated on pasture, or raised alongside ducks, guineas, or juveniles, we can help you create a feed program that supports the specific needs of your flock.

Here’s how we address common backyard challenges:

• Limited free-range access: If your hens aren’t foraging, they’re relying fully on the feed for vitamins, minerals, and protein. Our complete feeds—like First Layer Mash and Natural Backyard Layer—are designed to provide 100% of the nutrition your birds need, even when they’re not picking through grass, insects, or grit. We also include palatability enhancers like molasses and energy-dense oils to ensure consistent intake in confined setups.

• Mixed-age flocks: Raising pullets and adult layers together can make feeding tricky. Too much calcium can be harmful to growing birds, but too little can compromise laying hens. In these situations, we recommend feeding a balanced grower like Natural Super Chick to the whole flock until the youngest birds reach 16 weeks, then transition everyone to a custom moderate-calcium blend or offer First Layer Mash with free-choice oyster shell so only the layers supplement their calcium needs.

• Custom options: Need a soy-free layer ration? Want to add flaxseed for Omega-3-enriched eggs? Looking for lower protein in hot months to reduce waste? We can adjust ingredients and ratios to match your setup. Since we mix everything in-house in Benson, NC, we’re flexible and fast—and you’re not stuck with one-size-fits-all feed.

If you’re managing a flock that doesn’t fit the commercial mold, we’ll help you create a ration that does. 

Just call us at 919-894-3626 or contact us online. We’re here to help your flock thrive—no matter how it’s set up.