Bad Feed?

[trudyg]

I'm hearing about Tractor Supply Producer's Pride feed causing hens to stop laying, then they go on about the World Economic Forum and them trying to starve us, etc. I use Dumor layer pellets, which is Purina, I thought. So it should be okay? Yes, I have 3 older hens who haven't laid all winter and I have 4 who are laying most every day, so I don't see it has impacted me. Anyone hearing this or is it just an internet hoax? I, personally, do not use social media and what I get is from friends who know I keep chickens, so I don't know if it's real or if it's some tiktokker wanting views. Anyone heard this?

 

[NatJ]

It has shown up several times on this forum.
Some people are saying things much like what you referenced.

Some other people are pointing out that this is the season when "my hens aren't laying!" is a common complaint every year, and most hens will start laying again as the days get longer, no matter what brand of feed is used.

I do not have a definite answer either way, but I'm hoping it will become clear as time goes on. It's not impossible for feeds to have problems, but having the claims show up at this season makes it quite hard to sort out what is really going on.

Here is a particular thread with many posts:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/tractor-supply-brands-of-feed.1559227/
That thread ends with a message from a moderator:
"Locked for staff review. Please do not start a similar thread."

I assume it is because the arguments were getting too heated, but that is just my assumption and I have not seen any official explanation of the reason it was locked. I know the thread has fewer posts now than it used to, which indicates the mods have been selectively deleted some of them.

 

[trudyg]

Oh, I didn't mean to start another thread that has already be stopped. To me, it's possible since ingredients are sourced in china, and we know how they did the dog food. But, as I said, I haven't noticed any bad thing and tend to ignore those sorts of comments. Thanks.

 

[NatJ]

Oh, I didn't mean to start another thread that has already be stopped. To me, it's possible since ingredients are sourced in china, and we know how they did the dog food. But, as I said, I haven't noticed any bad thing and tend to ignore those sorts of comments. Thanks.

I figured you hadn't seen the other threads, so I was just trying to give a fairly thorough rundown while I was at it

There are a few other threads still running, so the mods are not shutting down ALL discussion on the topic. I think it's just the ones that fail to stay polite.

Yes, disregarding hysteria while paying attention to your own chickens is a good strategy!

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

I use Nature Wise and my hens are barely laying but its just like every other winter I've had with chickens so I am inclined to think there is no conspiracy. I think people got into chickens during covid without realizing that chickens have laying seasons and cycles and if your birds had a hard molt in the fall (usually in the second year this happens) then the reduced day light means they won't lay again until spring and that is perfectly normal. I imagine this conspiracy theory started with someone who didn't understand that and people new to chickens kept the ball rolling. I wouldn't out too much stock in it and I wear a tin foil hat most of the time lol

 

[8shotsmorethots]

I use Nature Wise and my hens are barely laying but its just like every other winter I've had with chickens so I am inclined to think there is no conspiracy. I think people got into chickens during covid without realizing that chickens have laying seasons and cycles and if your birds had a hard molt in the fall (usually in the second year this happens) then the reduced day light means they won't lay again until spring and that is perfectly normal. I imagine this conspiracy theory started with someone who didn't understand that and people new to chickens kept the ball rolling. I wouldn't out too much stock in it and I wear a tin foil hat most of the time lol

You shouldn't base your conclusions on there being no conspiracy on your own personal experience using a brand that isn't in question. I had been using Dumor/Purina for the most part since I started in the Spring. Sometime in Novemeber I'd say, all my bird just stopped laying. I would get at best 1 Egg a day, often none. Since I'm a noob, I thought this was due to the Winter. I switched to a cheaper feed from a smaller independent feed store rather than TSC, and the difference was night and day. We went from 0-1 a day to 4-5 (I have 8 pullets and 2 cockerels).

Based on my own experience using the the brands that are being accused, and hearing the same stories from others, some even losing their egg production in Sept/Oct, I am inclined to believe there is foul play afoot.

 

[Aunt Angus]

I feed Dumor. I've been getting between 6 and 8 eggs a day from 11 laying pullets/hens (with 2 who have been broody during the last month - Silkies, amirite?). Nothing has been out of the ordinary on Auntie's farm - even after getting about 30 inches of rain in Dec and Jan. Maybe my chickens are somehow better than everyone else's. I think they are, anyway.

Of course, 4 of my older girls who are pushing 5 have slowed down. I'm also super attuned to their behavior/cycles. Several had long molts this year, so they slowed down in Octoberish. That's normal for them. As an experiencd and knowledgeable chicken owner, I know that. Happens every year. They molt. They go broody. Days shorten.

If actual scientific proof emerges, I'm all ears. Until then, basing conclusions on anecdotal evidence doesn't make much sense.

 

[Aunt Angus]

For funsies, I did a search for older threads re: chickens not laying. Soooo many (hundreds), starting each year around October. Not saying there isn't anything nefarious going on, I just prefer to wait for more reliable proof.

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

You shouldn't base your conclusions on there being no conspiracy on your own personal experience using a brand that isn't in question. I had been using Dumor/Purina for the most part since I started in the Spring. Sometime in Novemeber I'd say, all my bird just stopped laying. I would get at best 1 Egg a day, often none. Since I'm a noob, I thought this was due to the Winter. I switched to a cheaper feed from a smaller independent feed store rather than TSC, and the difference was night and day. We went from 0-1 a day to 4-5 (I have 8 pullets and 2 cockerels).

Based on my own experience using the the brands that are being accused, and hearing the same stories from others, some even losing their egg production in Sept/Oct, I am inclined to believe there is foul play afoot.

My conclusion is based off of ten years of having chickens and the fact that if your hypothesis were correct one would expect different results from different feed-which is what you concluded from one bag of different food. My conclusion that I am feeding a different food and not getting eggs is just as valid as yours. Seeing as how I have been feeding several different brands over the years and still chickens don't lay prolificly in the winter I would argue my conclusion is fairly robust. For fun you should check out this thread:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/current-internet-theory.1561604/

 

[8shotsmorethots]

How many birds do you have and how many eggs are you getting?