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It seems to be the most plausable explination.
Our growing season down here ends around the beginning of October. If your going to eat greens, what's left by then, is all you're going to get. Some plants have a higher uptake of selenium, than others. Some plants uptake minerals, that inhibit the toxic effects of selenium. Let's say the chickens eat the inhibitor content plants first (more tasty?). When those are depleated, they start in on the 2nd choice greens. Maybe, these are high selenium content plants. If they have both available, things stay in balance. Our water also contains a lot of dissolved copper. Another inhibitor. I know this, because when I add chlorine to my hot tub, the copper oxidizes and turns the water the color of Mountain Dew.
Extra protein, also binds with selenium, to help shed it from their system.
OK, now we're into November and all the inhibitor plants are gone, the chickens are chowing down on the leftover, not so tasty selenium rich veggies. They ate the inhibitor containing plants last month. I have well problems in November. Water problem gets sorted out, but it seems like a good time to chlorinate my well. Maybe the oxidized copper, cause by the addition of chlorine, doesn't bind with the selenium as well, to remove it from the animals' systems. I don't know.
About December, I get this sorry looking hen turn up. Feather problem. They must need more protein. I up the cat food and BOSS, since they are good sources of quick protein. About this same time, were into short winter days, less time free ranging, no more edible high selenium plants and the chlorine is finally out of my water system. Water soluable copper back is to normal, lots of extra protein in the diet and lack of selenium rich plants returns the chickens back to a balanced system, but the damage to growing, high protein requirement tissues is already done. I hatch some eggs in February and March. Things go well.
Later on in the year, feathers fall apart, as the chicken gets older and wears them out. Damaged feathers don't last like good ones do.
Hey, I'm just a carpenter. If you think I'm all wet on this, I'll be happy to let you know, after they molt.
Sounds like a great theory to me. I've always been interested in environmental health. Good job. And poor Bob...
It seems to be the most plausable explination.
Our growing season down here ends around the beginning of October. If your going to eat greens, what's left by then, is all you're going to get. Some plants have a higher uptake of selenium, than others. Some plants uptake minerals, that inhibit the toxic effects of selenium. Let's say the chickens eat the inhibitor content plants first (more tasty?). When those are depleated, they start in on the 2nd choice greens. Maybe, these are high selenium content plants. If they have both available, things stay in balance. Our water also contains a lot of dissolved copper. Another inhibitor. I know this, because when I add chlorine to my hot tub, the copper oxidizes and turns the water the color of Mountain Dew.
OK, now we're into November and all the inhibitor plants are gone, the chickens are chowing down on the leftover, not so tasty selenium rich veggies. They ate the inhibitor containing plants last month. I have well problems in November. Water problem gets sorted out, but it seems like a good time to chlorinate my well. Maybe the oxidized copper, cause by the addition of chlorine, doesn't bind with the selenium as well, to remove it from the animals' systems. I don't know.
About December, I get this sorry looking hen turn up. Feather problem. They must need more protein. I up the cat food and BOSS, since they are good sources of quick protein. About this same time, were into short winter days, less time free ranging, no more edible high selenium plants and the chlorine is finally out of my water system. Water soluable copper back is to normal, lots of extra protein in the diet and lack of selenium rich plants returns the chickens back to a balanced system, but the damage to growing, high protein requirement tissues is already done. I hatch some eggs in February and March. Things go well.
Later on in the year, feathers fall apart, as the chicken gets older and wears them out. Damaged feathers don't last like good ones do.
Hey, I'm just a carpenter. If you think I'm all wet on this, I'll be happy to let you know, after they molt.
Sounds like a great theory to me. I've always been interested in environmental health. Good job. And poor Bob...
