Feed Conspiracy

[JacinLarkwell]

I've been slowly getting more and more eggs. Already have way more than I can ever hope to use and I only have a fraction laying. I blame the week from Hell back in December for this issue

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Yes just today 1-27-23. My hens stopped laying from 10-12 a day to 1-3 a day last fall. I will be trying goat feed mixed with sunflowers and steel cut oats recommended by someone loacal to St. Louis Missouri.

DO NOT DO THIS.

Goat feed is low protein (generally not higher than 16%), typically low methionine, too much fiber, and way too much copper for anything execpt goats. Steel cut oats are typically under 13% protein, low Methionine, low Lysine, low Threonine, low Tryptophan, and high in beta glucans, which can block nutrient absorption and contribute to "sticky poops", a potential disease vector. Sunflower seeds, at best, are 16% protein, figh fiber, VERY HIGH fat, but at least have a mostly decent AA profile. Black Oil Sunflower tend to be a little lower protein, a little higher fat.

Re: Conspiracy theory - there are a handful of threads started (and stopped) already. Its being pushed by a few channels specializing in sensationalism and end of the world stuff, based on unsourceable anedcdotes from a collection of individuals self selected to believe that "they", whomever "they" are, are out to get the rest of us and have somehow managed to pull off a month's long conspiracy involving (take your pick) Tractor Supply, Land'oLakes/Purina Mills (Dumor branded and Producer's Pride branded) feeds for months by either adding some secret ingredint which causes birds not to lay* or by secretly reducing some ingredient which causes birds not to lay, but has no other associated health concerns. The solutions, like the suggestion above, will obviously make things worse upon even casual consideration by anyone who knows just a tiny bit about livestock feed and a chicken's needs.

and unfortunately, its been taken up on Facebook, mostly by people who have owned chicks only a year or two, aren't familiar with seasonal adjustments in laying, aren't familiar with the first hard adult molt, and are seeing only the complaints, not the tens of thousands of people experiencing normal years qwith their flocks, which causes the perception of widespread problem where there is none.

*the chemical that causes a chicken to stop laying? Zinc Oxide. Slather then in sunscreen, they will stop laying just as if they were in the shortest days of the year. Which they are (though getting longer - just as people are starting to report increases in rates of lay...)

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Other incredibly ignorant related claims I'm seeing on Facebook re: this theory?

"its the soy, cut out the soy and your birds will be better" Pushed by people on an anti-soy craze. Soy bean meal makes a corn based feed possible. Soy is as close to a complete protein as you will get in the plant world. Once you take a bunch of the fat out (used to make soybean oil) you are left with a high protein, nutrient dense, well blanced amino acid boost to the rest of your feed ingredients. Apart from animal/insect protein meals, its one of the best Methionine sources available.

Honestly, to the extent feeds this past couple years may not be as good as in past, it is in part due to a reduction in soy meal (its expensive right now) and the very high price globally of DL-Methionine, a synthetic methionine used in chicken feed precisely because it is so hard to reach the levels they need via a grain based diet.

"give them more oats" Problems with high oat consumption in chicken feed have been
known for over a hunderd years, and are summarized above.

"give them more corn, or more corn plus scratch (usually corn based)" Corn is the lowest protein grain you are likely to find. It is across the board deficient in amino acids, and needs nutritionally superior ingredients (like soy meal) to make it a useful part of a complete feed. Its primary inclusion is to provide energy (carbs) and as cheap fill.

"give them BOSS" (black oil sunflower seed) - often by people claiming boss its upwards of 40% protein. Its not. Its nearly half fat. A bunch of fiber, and 14-16% protein. If you are already feeding your birds a minimally sufficient 16% bare bones layer feed, the addition of BOSS will likely raise key amino acids a little bit, may or may not reduce total crude protein, and will massively increase fat intake - not a good thing for chickens.

That's the four most frequent "solutions" I've seen. It would be hilarious, were it not so such a sad reflection on the state of the collective wisdom of the internet.

 

[nuthatched]

Yes just today 1-27-23. My hens stopped laying from 10-12 a day to 1-3 a day last fall. I will be trying goat feed mixed with sunflowers and steel cut oats recommended by someone loacal to St. Louis Missouri.

Its winter, most hens don't lay in the winter.
Please don't feed your girls that. sunflower seeds should make a small part of the diet, they are very fatty.
Switch to a higher protein layer in a few weeks to help them when they start laying.

 

[BsDaSheiza]

Has anyone heard about the chicken feed conspiracy that it's the food causing them not to lay? We buy lay mash, and we haven't had any eggs since maybe late August early September. We live in Los Angeles, so it's not like it's super wintery (that's not a real word ). We cleaned the coop really well this past weekend, still nothing. They are roughly 4-5 years old. Thoughts? Advice? TIA my chickens stopped laying back in September,

Has anyone heard about the chicken feed conspiracy that it's the food causing them not to lay? We buy lay mash, and we haven't had any eggs since maybe late August early September. We live in Los Angeles, so it's not like it's super wintery (that's not a real word ). We cleaned the coop really well this past weekend, still nothing. They are roughly 4-5 years old. Thoughts? Advice? TIA

my chickens stopped laying in September, they are only 2 years old. I culled them and am starting over. It’s too much of a coincidence that I was going to TSC and getting Producers Pride, now going with a local producer and have fodder racks. I guess I’m good until they start messing with wheat and barley seeds, that’s next!!!!

 

[BsDaSheiza]

DO NOT DO THIS.

Goat feed is low protein (generally not higher than 16%), typically low methionine, too much fiber, and way too much copper for anything execpt goats. Steel cut oats are typically under 13% protein, low Methionine, low Lysine, low Threonine, low Tryptophan, and high in beta glucans, which can block nutrient absorption and contribute to "sticky poops", a potential disease vector. Sunflower seeds, at best, are 16% protein, figh fiber, VERY HIGH fat, but at least have a mostly decent AA profile. Black Oil Sunflower tend to be a little lower protein, a little higher fat.

Re: Conspiracy theory - there are a handful of threads started (and stopped) already. Its being pushed by a few channels specializing in sensationalism and end of the world stuff, based on unsourceable anedcdotes from a collection of individuals self selected to believe that "they", whomever "they" are, are out to get the rest of us and have somehow managed to pull off a month's long conspiracy involving (take your pick) Tractor Supply, Land'oLakes/Purina Mills (Dumor branded and Producer's Pride branded) feeds for months by either adding some secret ingredint which causes birds not to lay* or by secretly reducing some ingredient which causes birds not to lay, but has no other associated health concerns. The solutions, like the suggestion above, will obviously make things worse upon even casual consideration by anyone who knows just a tiny bit about livestock feed and a chicken's needs.

and unfortunately, its been taken up on Facebook, mostly by people who have owned chicks only a year or two, aren't familiar with seasonal adjustments in laying, aren't familiar with the first hard adult molt, and are seeing only the complaints, not the tens of thousands of people experiencing normal years qwith their flocks, which causes the perception of widespread problem where there is none.

*the chemical that causes a chicken to stop laying? Zinc Oxide. Slather then in sunscreen, they will stop laying just as if they were in the shortest days of the year. Which they are (though getting longer - just as people are starting to report increases in rates of lay...)

Everyone at the local feed store is buying goat feed and adding black oil sunflower seeds and are saying they are getting eggs, looks like this is just another government slag that is trying to make you doubt what others are telling you. It’s funny how they try to convince you with numbers but you talk to actual people and it works. Please Government get off our forums!!!!

 

[BsDaSheiza]

Has anyone heard about the chicken feed conspiracy that it's the food causing them not to lay? We buy lay mash, and we haven't had any eggs since maybe late August early September. We live in Los Angeles, so it's not like it's super wintery (that's not a real word ). We cleaned the coop really well this past weekend, still nothing. They are roughly 4-5 years old. Thoughts? Advice? TIA

Funny thing about conspiracy theories, you cant have them without conspiracies!!

 

[RoyalChick]

Funny thing about conspiracy theories, you cant have them without conspiracies!!

Why not?

 

[BigBlueHen53]

DO NOT DO THIS.

Goat feed is low protein (generally not higher than 16%), typically low methionine, too much fiber, and way too much copper for anything execpt goats. Steel cut oats are typically under 13% protein, low Methionine, low Lysine, low Threonine, low Tryptophan, and high in beta glucans, which can block nutrient absorption and contribute to "sticky poops", a potential disease vector. Sunflower seeds, at best, are 16% protein, figh fiber, VERY HIGH fat, but at least have a mostly decent AA profile. Black Oil Sunflower tend to be a little lower protein, a little higher fat.

Re: Conspiracy theory - there are a handful of threads started (and stopped) already. Its being pushed by a few channels specializing in sensationalism and end of the world stuff, based on unsourceable anedcdotes from a collection of individuals self selected to believe that "they", whomever "they" are, are out to get the rest of us and have somehow managed to pull off a month's long conspiracy involving (take your pick) Tractor Supply, Land'oLakes/Purina Mills (Dumor branded and Producer's Pride branded) feeds for months by either adding some secret ingredint which causes birds not to lay* or by secretly reducing some ingredient which causes birds not to lay, but has no other associated health concerns. The solutions, like the suggestion above, will obviously make things worse upon even casual consideration by anyone who knows just a tiny bit about livestock feed and a chicken's needs.

and unfortunately, its been taken up on Facebook, mostly by people who have owned chicks only a year or two, aren't familiar with seasonal adjustments in laying, aren't familiar with the first hard adult molt, and are seeing only the complaints, not the tens of thousands of people experiencing normal years qwith their flocks, which causes the perception of widespread problem where there is none.

*the chemical that causes a chicken to stop laying? Zinc Oxide. Slather then in sunscreen, they will stop laying just as if they were in the shortest days of the year. Which they are (though getting longer - just as people are starting to report increases in rates of lay...)

Voice of Reason!

My hens cut way back on laying a couple months ago (I feed whatever Orscheln's supplies, about 18% protein, an all-flock formula), due to a hard molt, followed by low sunlight hours (we're in SE Missouri). We got zero, then 1 to 3 eggs a day for a month or two; our 23 hens/ pullets range from 3 years old to 10 months old. Starting about two weeks ago, egg production suddenly started picking up and today we got 12 eggs. We attribute the decline in production, as well as the increase, to daylight hours (plus the molt). It's happened in previous years and is not the least bit surprising.

In our opinion, there's no conspiracy. Chickens do what chickens do.

I'm actually surprised nobody has suggested "They," the mysterious, great unnamed, sinister They, put restrictive hormones in the feed to keep our hens from ovulating. Chicken birth control, don'tcha know. IT'S A JOKE, FOLKS.

Edited typos.

 

[Aunt Angus]

Everyone at the local feed store is buying goat feed and adding black oil sunflower seeds and are saying they are getting eggs, looks like this is just another government slag that is trying to make you doubt what others are telling you. It’s funny how they try to convince you with numbers but you talk to actual people and it works. Please Government get off our forums!!!!

You have NO IDEA who you're talking to, clearly.

Hey @U_Stormcrow - did you know you are a "government slag?" Omg, I'm dying!

My girls are all eating the "tainted" feed. I got 9 eggs out of 10 layers today. They laid all through winter.

You just culled perfectly fine chickens. If it makes you feel better to blame the feed, then I won't stop you.