Feed Tests - More Results

[BigBlueHen53]

Is there anybody whose chickens are STILL NOT LAYING??? Now that the sun is shining more hours and all?

I'm getting 16 to 18 eggs a day and am kind of secretly wishing they would stop or at least slow down a little!

ETA: as a gov't conspiracy to make hens stop ovulating, it's been an Epic Fail.

 

[SourRoses]

Oh good lawd. My mother called early this morning and the first thing I hear is "Did you hear about government tainting Tractor Supply feed and now everyone's chickens aren't laying anymore?". I calmly explained why chickens stop/slow down laying in the fall throughout the winter and her response is "Yeah, but this guy on YouTube says". This woman does not even own chickens.
Me this morning:

Ohh, HOW I want to hear a witty Betty-ism about this rumor!

 

[MandaRae]

I wonder if we can agree to disagree without the laughing emoticons, passive agressive innuendo and indirect name-calling?

Exactly the ones who are ruse and immature about it are the reason there is such division. Just agree/disagree and move on. It's not hurting anyone to feel/think differently.
If anything It's giving local business to local mills instead of big corporations. That is the big plus side to it all.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Also, after digging through the results, there is no data for calcium, phosphorus, salt, or sodium, which are egg laying factors. Am I missing a page or something?

No, but if calcium or phosphorus was low, we'd have seen (and heard) a rash of people reporting on persistent soft shelled eggs first, then reduced rates of lay as the hens canibalized their own bodies. We didn't. Ergo, its not reduced calcium or phosphorus levels.

Salt is needed for a host of neuroligical processes, among others, while salt toxicity is pretty brutal. The lack of reporting of those symptoms is strong evidence sodium deficiencies (or excesses) are not the cause of the purported condition either.

additionally, a prior test (different feed) found those levels in the anticipated range.

 

[Sammster]

Exactly the ones who are ruse and immature about it are the reason there is such division. Just agree/disagree and move on. It's not hurting anyone to feel/think differently.
If anything It's giving local business to local mills instead of big corporations. That is the big plus side to it all.

So true! I found the sweetest, mom & pop shop, when I left TSC (for a reason that actually had nothing to do with feed). And I'm so happy to have found them.

 

[cash1989]

No, but if calcium or phosphorus was low, we'd have seen (and heard) a rash of people reporting on persistent soft shelled eggs first, then reduced rates of lay as the hens canibalized their own bodies. We didn't. Ergo, its not reduced calcium or phosphorus levels.

Salt is needed for a host of neuroligical processes, among others, while salt toxicity is pretty brutal. The lack of reporting of those symptoms is strong evidence sodium deficiencies (or excesses) are not the cause of the purported condition either.

additionally, a prior test (different feed) found those levels in the anticipated range.

What you're saying makes sense. I personally have had low egg turn out but no soft shells and my birds are acting completely normal otherwise. Only other thing I'd like to see is a heavy metals test and some additional mycotoxins, but the money gets a bit ridiculous. I've switched to a local feed supply anyway, so we'll see how they do on that.

 

[Sally PB]

There are other things that affect laying besides feed and hours of light. Stress, for one, a big one.

Change can be a big stressor for chickens; they don't like change. Has one bird become a bully to another bird, or to several? Are there new birds in the flock, or did one or more die? Are there predators around who weren't there a few weeks ago, due to migration, displacement, end of hibernation, or a new dog in the area?

These issues might last for a few days, or for weeks.

 

[Rurumo]

I think this whole conspiracy "theory" took root because of the initial rush of brand new pandemic chicken owners from 2020-2022, who might only have one or two winters under their belts. So these folks have chickens who were in their laying prime, starting to feel their age and really slow down for the first time this winter. They just don't have the experience and knowledge (yet) to protect themselves from these predatory individuals who are monetizing easily debunked conspiracy "theories."

 

[Geena]

Exactly the ones who are ruse and immature about it are the reason there is such division. Just agree/disagree and move on. It's not hurting anyone to feel/think differently.
If anything It's giving local business to local mills instead of big corporations. That is the big plus side to it all.

It's a divisive topic, there's no way around that. I'd have to disagree with you, IMO it is hurting people. It hurts our entire country to constantly, en masse, be leveling wild, most often false, accusations at every little perceived problem or issue that arises.

I think the posters here have shown decent restraint, considering many of us have been biting our tongues nearly in half for a month now. A little snark seeping out here and there is to be expected, just people blowing off a little steam.

 

[Sally PB]

I think the posters here have shown decent restraint, considering many of us have been biting our tongues nearly in half for a month now. A little snark seeping out here and there is to be expected, just people blowing off a little steam.

This. Ditto.