Commercial Poison (err... "Feed")

[BlindLemonChicken]

As an engineer you really can't believe the feed was the only variable over 8 months. I fed Purina (which is another conspiracy feed) all last year to a mixed-age flock with no problems. I only switched because nutrena actually smells like food. Nothing surprising happened.

 

[Goosebaby]

Yeah the timeline made sense. I was a little disappointed they didn't immediately start laying, but as it played out it made perfect sense. The First egg we got was tiny. All others have been normal.

And, I can buy "deficiency".

That small egg is something that can occur to new layers, hens that have recently resumed their laying, or old hens. It’s what’s often called a fairy egg, essentially it’s a yolkless egg, a mistake of the reproductive system.

Sometimes it can indicate a reproductive issue, other times not so much. For your hens given their age it may just be that your hens are getting to be middle aged and their laying is slowing down.

As for the feed they were on, I highly doubt it’s any additive in the feed to stop your hens from laying, that would seriously impact profits if a corp was producing feed that people noticed was causing their poultry to stop laying. Bottom line, profit is everything, and a company isn’t intentionally going to do something that would lose profit.

However I’ve had my own issues with dumorfeed, specifically all flock feed, not because of additives, but because it’s basically repackaged leftovers of whatever in my opinion. For awhile it was just repackaged layer feed as it had a high concentration of calcium, something I really didn’t need for my flock of mostly ganders. Over the last few years I’ve seen Dumor’s nutritional labels vary quite a bit just with that one product, sometimes even after it lists lower percentage of calcium I’ll open a bag just to find it loaded with polverized oystershell. I generally prefer Purina, Nutrena, and Kalmbach over DuMor feed because there appears to be a bit more effort in consistency with their products.
Keep in mind DuMor is Tractor Supply’s own store brand, it’s all right, but being a side piece of the company it may not get the attention to quality it should unlike companies that are solely about feed.

If there was anything wrong with the feed you were giving your hen it’s more likely an issue with quality control/ improper concentrations of nutrients and nothing intentionally nefarious.

As it is there are so many variables that could contribute to your hen’s lack of laying, natural health issues, environmental conditions, illness, predators, etc, it could easily be a number of combined factors as well.

 

[ChickyMudder]

Looking at feed is one thing calling it Commercial Poison is another.

Why does it bother you? Who cares what its called. Why do some rush to deny this persons experience? Why not recognize this for what it is … their experience…… I am compassionate to the poster. Cant imagine going 8 months with no eggs. I was made my girls stopped laying an egg a day this winter lol! But I buy local organic feed so i was one of the lucky ones that everyone came to for eggs.

I say buy local, support the community farmer and create sustainability within our community.

 

[Huntmaster]

Why does it bother you?

Slander with no real facts is just not right.

Why do some rush to deny this persons experience?

I didn't deny anybody's experience.

I say buy local, support the community farmer and create sustainability within our community.

Totally agree with this.

 

[Ponyiqandhens2]

Why does it bother you? Who cares what its called. Why do some rush to deny this persons experience? Why not recognize this for what it is … their experience…… I am compassionate to the poster. Cant imagine going 8 months with no eggs. I was made my girls stopped laying an egg a day this winter lol! But I buy local organic feed so i was one of the lucky ones that everyone came to for eggs.

I say buy local, support the community farmer and create sustainability within our community.

I didnt deny it i personally wanted more information.actually, his is the most believable experience i have seen based on the whole timeline.i dont believe the feed has beenpoisoned or modified. I do believe it did not havve enough protein for molt..after more research last night and this morning..i believe 16% could have been ok if there had been amino acid supplementation.

We all forget a few things..
Location of the hens
Breed of hens
Housing
Artificial light
Weather conditions ( i have tender friends that ot took almost 18 months after hurricanes for their birds to start laying again..) old time keepers around here ( the 2 i gotofor answers 83 and not been without hisentire life) ( other in his 60s except for military service never been without chickens)
Feed storage conditions
Age of feed at purchase
Length of time to go through bag
Light pollution
Noise pollution
Predator stalkingbehavior but not killing
Method of feeding ( certain times, free choice)
Treats and scraps so much eating less feed?
Free range,pasture,limited free range,coop and run?

N
Very few tenders deal eithour issues in south louisiana - weather inthe 80s ,3 days later we get hit with flooding then a hard freeze that last almost a week, thenweather in the 70s a week later, back to freezing,, inundating rains th 80s..we have had multiple mosquito outbreaks, seen swarmsof termites in the area, etc..


I am quite sure no one except maybe @floridabullfrog has ever had a pullet taken by a heron. ( i say that only because of where he is located..i took some wisdom from his posts and the replacement chicks went outside at 10 days..i kept them in only because they got here a few days before one of the big winter storms) i got them out in a semi secure protected area where the rooster could teach and within a week i turned them loose,they are very predator aware..

I come back to there is almost no way to control all of the variables or even record/be aware of all the variables.. i have a hen currently who just looked not right and she is one that raised a clutch, the biddies are ontheir own finally at 10 weeks except at night, they still want under her wings, she is a teeny tiny old english bantam,one of the chicks is a sebright x egger cross rest arre sebrightx d'uccle crosses..watching i realized she wasnt resting..so the last 2 nights i brought her and put her on amakeshift perch over a puppy pad..she has returned to her normal self. She wasnt resting well.

Do i believe that inadequate feed for his hens at their lifestage and situation affected their laying with other factors yes..

For everyone that says buy local..i looked into our local mill, their chick starter is 15% protein and imho lacks certain necessaruy amino acids, the layer is 14%

Lonestar out of texas,i use their chick starter after lots of trial and error

I will continue to use Nutrena naturewise all flock for my lYayers and roosters..

I keep chick grit, poultry grit and oyster shell in a covered bin..the chicks are the only ones who visit



My point is yes feed is a big part of the equation, but its not the only thing unless these are in battery cages with everything controlled

I keep 5 different feeds for my horses ,why because they have different needs, different issues,ages,stresses..

What works for 1 tender may well not work for another

 

[Ponyiqandhens2]

My old girls don't, they have a pasture to themselves but in the winter if it's too cold, wet or windy they'll just go down and sit around under their favorite cedar tree all day. There's really very little for them to eat in the winter, so why bother.

I wouldn't consider no eggs from only three 3 year old hens all that odd. We get spoiled by all the eggs they give us for the first two years, but a severe decline around 3 is not unusual in my experience.

Could it be that the feed was old? Might have been several months old when you got it (always make sure to check the manufactured on date!) then I imagine it takes a long time for only 3 girls to go through a bag of feed.

Yes,mine free range.i go through very little feed on nice days/weather. When it is brutaly cold they hang out in the brush just sitting.. trying to keep warm and they eat out of the feeders.. when it is cold and rainy they hang out on the porch only leaving when it breaks ..

And i am in an area with very moderate weather,south louisiana

 

[Cindy in PA]

This

And I'll add:
Winter didn't start in June.
And I didn't flip on the sunlight switch, lol.

Zero eggs to daily eggs?? Pretty abrupt.

(Like changing feed.)

Were you not only feeding the low cost 16% feed, but feeding old feed that sat on TSC shelves for 6 months?

 

[ChickyMudder]

I didnt deny it i personally wanted more information.actually, his is the most believable experience i have seen based on the whole timeline.i dont believe the feed has beenpoisoned or modified. I do believe it did not havve enough protein for molt..after more research last night and this morning..i believe 16% could have been ok if there had been amino acid supplementation.

We all forget a few things..
Location of the hens
Breed of hens
Housing
Artificial light
Weather conditions ( i have tender friends that ot took almost 18 months after hurricanes for their birds to start laying again..) old time keepers around here ( the 2 i gotofor answers 83 and not been without hisentire life) ( other in his 60s except for military service never been without chickens)
Feed storage conditions
Age of feed at purchase
Length of time to go through bag
Light pollution
Noise pollution
Predator stalkingbehavior but not killing
Method of feeding ( certain times, free choice)
Treats and scraps so much eating less feed?
Free range,pasture,limited free range,coop and run?

N
Very few tenders deal eithour issues in south louisiana - weather inthe 80s ,3 days later we get hit with flooding then a hard freeze that last almost a week, thenweather in the 70s a week later, back to freezing,, inundating rains th 80s..we have had multiple mosquito outbreaks, seen swarmsof termites in the area, etc..


I am quite sure no one except maybe @floridabullfrog has ever had a pullet taken by a heron. ( i say that only because of where he is located..i took some wisdom from his posts and the replacement chicks went outside at 10 days..i kept them in only because they got here a few days before one of the big winter storms) i got them out in a semi secure protected area where the rooster could teach and within a week i turned them loose,they are very predator aware..

I come back to there is almost no way to control all of the variables or even record/be aware of all the variables.. i have a hen currently who just looked not right and she is one that raised a clutch, the biddies are ontheir own finally at 10 weeks except at night, they still want under her wings, she is a teeny tiny old english bantam,one of the chicks is a sebright x egger cross rest arre sebrightx d'uccle crosses..watching i realized she wasnt resting..so the last 2 nights i brought her and put her on amakeshift perch over a puppy pad..she has returned to her normal self. She wasnt resting well.

Do i believe that inadequate feed for his hens at their lifestage and situation affected their laying with other factors yes..

For everyone that says buy local..i looked into our local mill, their chick starter is 15% protein and imho lacks certain necessaruy amino acids, the layer is 14%

Lonestar out of texas,i use their chick starter after lots of trial and error

I will continue to use Nutrena naturewise all flock for my lYayers and roosters..

I keep chick grit, poultry grit and oyster shell in a covered bin..the chicks are the only ones who visit



My point is yes feed is a big part of the equation, but its not the only thing unless these are in battery cages with everything controlled

I keep 5 different feeds for my horses ,why because they have different needs, different issues,ages,stresses..

What works for 1 tender may well not work for another

Agree. Didnt mean to mix you in with the other more obstinate responses.
I have had hens for 20 years but this is my first time hatching my own and I use the same chick starter you mentioned Nature-wise organic. For my layers I have 18% protein milled fresh by a local producer.
My rooster is huge and the hens are pretty well protected from everything. I keep them in a large covered run to avoid other birds snacking on them. They free range during the day.
I have been observing the great egg shortage debate. There is somthing to it and I think we have to look beyond the standard (old hens, winter) and consider that a pattern has emerged. I bet the producer had an old batch of feed that got mixed into the supply. Seems possible. I just get a little suspect when people try to shut down a conversation by calling it misinformation or conspiracy. Call it Covid shot PTSD where talking about a concern got one blacklisted. Anyway, thank you for the informative response.

 

[kerbotx]

One definite difference people haven't mentioned is that his hens stopped laying in June. Definitely no winter issues there. At 3yo, they are just starting to see reduced egg laying, but still should be laying at a semi-regular pace. Interested to see where this goes.

It was extremely hot last summer, worse than the last few years, and apparently, the worst drought in over 10 years in my area. We watered everything way more than usual - got the high water bills to show for it - and most things still did poorly or just outright died in the garden. I didn't lose any birds to heatstroke, but temps have an extreme affect on them - and water consumption is super important for egg laying. Feeds are formulated to meet most basic needs, for most birds, most of the time - there are always going to be instances when you've got to up your feeding program to compensate, and this past summer was one of them.

 

[miss heny]

Dumor is known to be bottom of the barrel cheap feed. Toss in age and this years weird weather my money on lack of nutrition feed low quality get low quality results. if you doubt your feed switch to local, don't use your hens as guinea pigs for home made feed that most likely wont have remotely the nutrients needed.