Current Internet Theory

[Lazy J Farms Feed & Hay]

I've seen various components of feed being blamed for the end of egg production including:

Methionine
Cysteine
Lysine
Propionic Acid
Ethoxyquin
Phosphorus
Vomitoxins

None of the blame has been proven with any data or feed testing just a bunch of people with an opinion and a platform.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

I've heard aflatoxins, which are always of concern in corn-based feeds (though I'm not hearing symptoms of widespread, severe, prolonged aflatoxin exposures), but Vomitoxins?

I thought they were the milder of the two, and not particularly associated with much other than weight loss and gerenally decreased condition overall.

 

[Aunt Angus]

I've heard aflatoxins, which are always of concern in corn-based feeds (though I'm not hearing symptoms of widespread, severe, prolonged aflatoxin exposures), but Vomitoxins?

I thought they were the milder of the two, and not particularly associated with much other than weight loss and gerenally decreased condition overall.

I just like the name "vomitoxin."

 

[Iluveggers]

I've heard aflatoxins, which are always of concern in corn-based feeds (though I'm not hearing symptoms of widespread, severe, prolonged aflatoxin exposures), but Vomitoxins?

I thought they were the milder of the two, and not particularly associated with much other than weight loss and gerenally decreased condition overall.

How do they get into the feed?

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

Something occurs to me,

It was 2020 during Covid when chicken-keeping exploded.

Those chickens would be in their 4th winter -- a very likely time to see a dramatic slowdown in laying.

A lot of people are too sentimental to cycle their flock in order to keep new, higher-production layers and are unaware of the natural drop-off in laying seen in more mature hens.

This has been my thinking about this as well. I remember going to buy chicks (half a dozen naked neck turkens) at the beginning of lockdown and i got there around noon on the day of the first shipment. There were NO chicks!! The store was empty. Except for a couple dozen naked necks and a little family staring at them like they were the last tootsie rolls in the bottom of a clearance bin. I got my chicks and talked them into getting some too! Love my turkens. But that was three batches of chicks ago now lol.

 

[Iluveggers]

This has been my thinking about this as well. I remember going to buy chicks (half a dozen naked neck turkens) at the beginning of lockdown and i got there around noon on the day of the first shipment. There were NO chicks!! The store was empty. Except for a couple dozen naked necks and a little family staring at them like they were the last tootsie rolls in the bottom of a clearance bin. I got my chicks and talked them into getting some too! Love my turkens. But that was three batches of chicks ago now lol.

Aww. I was a little afraid of Naked Necks the first time I heard of them. But adding one to my flock this summer. I’ve heard such wonderful things about them!

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Aww. I was a little afraid of Naked Necks the first time I heard of them. But adding one to my flock this summer. I’ve heard such wonderful things about them!

Highly highly recommend

 

[Brooks_]

If it comes down to it, I may need to go with non-med chick starter for all. How long do you think can I safely do that for adults without making them obese?

Starter would be fine for life. Oyster shell on the side, of course. No concern of obesity.

 

[Chicken poppy]

Aww. I was a little afraid of Naked Necks the first time I heard of them. But adding one to my flock this summer. I’ve heard such wonderful things about them!

Or you could buy a molting chicken and swap them out every few weeks.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

How do they get into the feed?

on the main ingredients. Wet seasons at particular times of various grain growth, and particularly end of season near harvest increase fungus growth, particularly aspergillus varieties, which create the aflatoxins.

The big mills SHOULD be testing for it, and rejecting lots. I think @Lazy J Farms Feed & Hay commented recently that the mill in their area was briefly shut down after they rejected eight? truck loads in a row, but I may be misremembering, I'm WAY sleep deprived. Will try and find the post.

Also, I've never successflly grown a grain crop - could be completely wrong about when aspergillus / axflatoxins and rainfall are closely correlated - apologies to the actual farmers out there.