Update, Necropsy Results

[Loona]

None of this makes sense first of all she was only 9 1/2 months old they say this happens in older chickens. Second of all she doesn’t or any of them get extra corn at all only what comes in their feed which is new country organics here is the ingredients .
http://www.newcountryorganics.com/s...-feed/layer-feed-50-pounds.html#product-tabs2
We give scrapes but almost all of them are green vegetables.
They also free range but haven’t lately because of snow and ice, but still go out in their run 20’ by 11’ and their coop is 11x16’
Makes no sense.

Hi, I saw you use New Country Organics. Have you had any issues with your hens turning their nose up to it? I got a couple bags a couple months ago and by the 2nd bag, I gave them a call to ask if they changed anything. No, said it was the same. The next batch I got was like night and day. They liked it again. So hmmm... IDK. I REALLY like this feed but what do you think about all the peas? Yellow peas galore lately. They used to have an even mix of green and yellow, now seems to be mostly yellow and so many shells. Way more than normal. I'm beginning to question the consistency but there's no other food like it.
Anyway, I'm very sorry you've lost some hens. It hurts because you've raised them and love them.

 

[Relleoms]

She came from Murray McMurry Hatchery and our polish is impotent and has wrey tail.

Coincidence, probably, but I just had a 38 week pullet die of ovarian cancer & I also got her from Murray McMurray. And 2 of our girls have/had crop issues (likely a strong genetic component according to our vet), one of which died. I know they’re a reputable hatchery, but I won’t be purchasing from them again. So sorry for your loss

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I got a couple bags a couple months ago and by the 2nd bag, I gave them a call to ask if they changed anything. No, said it was the same. The next batch I got was like night and day. They liked it again.

It may just be that by the time you got to the 2nd bag it had become "old" or rancid. Look at the mill dates on your bags, usually you want it to be closest to the date of purchase you can get and used up in about 4-6wks. Feed can go stale and nutrients break down.

The next batch you got may have been fresher, this is why they like it again.

 

[Redhead Rae]

Coincidence, probably, but I just had a 38 week pullet die of ovarian cancer & I also got her from Murray McMurray. And 2 of our girls have/had crop issues (likely a strong genetic component according to our vet), one of which died. I know they’re a reputable hatchery, but I won’t be purchasing from them again. So sorry for your loss

I got Buffs from them too. I had one of them drop dead with no warning around 7-8 months. I didn't do a Necropsy though. The other 8 seem fine, even had one hatch out 11 chicks for me when she was 8 months. I'm getting some Buffs from Cackle this time round.

 

[Loona]

It may just be that by the time you got to the 2nd bag it had become "old" or rancid. Look at the mill dates on your bags, usually you want it to be closest to the date of purchase you can get and used up in about 4-6wks. Feed can go stale and nutrients break down.

The next batch you got may have been fresher, this is why they like it again.

The place that we get it from is a Co-op and they get the feed once a month. Only once before did I buy a bag that wasn't their freshest. I called about it that time too because it actually had bugs in it. I read them the lot number and they said it was made in April and I believe it was like Sept? That's not fresh like they usually have. They put lot numbers but not dates, unfortunately.

 

[Folly's place]

I wouldn't buy anything that wasn't dated! Some companies do 'closed dating', or a code, and you should be able to find out what the code means. Or don't buy that product!
I've seen open dated bags of feed at the feed stores that were outrageously old, and would never buy them.
Mary

 

[Loona]

I wouldn't buy anything that wasn't dated! Some companies do 'closed dating', or a code, and you should be able to find out what the code means. Or don't buy that product!
I've seen open dated bags of feed at the feed stores that were outrageously old, and would never buy them.
Mary

Believe me, I don't like buying w/o a date either. But New Country Organics is made nearby and it is seriously a nice feed besides crumble, pellets, and "mash" (which seems to be a bag of sandy additives with a few grains thrown in and smells rancid). So NCO is like the only alternative around here and it's only sold in certain farm feed stores. They do have a program where you can go to nearest truck stop once a month and pick up your order. The manager says it will always be the freshest stock. I will start doing that, because I'm NOT sure unless I call and give the lot number. But the consistency is really frustrating me because it doesn't seem to be as good as it once was when they introduced it. So many pea shells and the grain mix isn't consistent anymore, as well as the color of the powder nutrient additives. Scratch and Peck is nice, but very expensive and has fish meal and I notice my scrambled eggs smelled fishy when I used it. I wish the whole feed industry would step it up a notch. My flock does not free range but they have an enclosed outdoor area which is pretty big, so seeing crumbles or pellets everyday is not satisfying for them, and New Country Organics offsets that nicely, but the consistency and freshness is a problem. I think the only solution is to do the truck stop.

 

[DwayneNLiz]

The place that we get it from is a Co-op and they get the feed once a month. Only once before did I buy a bag that wasn't their freshest. I called about it that time too because it actually had bugs in it. I read them the lot number and they said it was made in April and I believe it was like Sept? That's not fresh like they usually have. They put lot numbers but not dates, unfortunately.

any feed has to have a date, there should at least be a julian date on the bag, probably in the lot stamp, just have to decode it

 

[Folly's place]

That's right, feed must be dated in the USA. Even if it's a code, they must tell you how to read it.
Mary

 

[Jennifer Cappi Williams]

I am so sorry... when my goose Silly died, I could not bury her without knowing why she dropped dead. I took her to my vet (a dog and cat vet but she was willing to try and see if we could figure it out) she opened her up and found all her intestines were black up until they were pink again and at that point, we found a metal washer that got stuck in her insides. omg.... a metal washer. I still have that thing... to remind me to pick up any and every small piece of metal I run across so my other birds won't eat them.