Feeds affecting laying?

[Brooks_]

Mike is testing a bag.

That is what I could not find.

 

[countrybumpkin5]

I’ve been feeding scratch and pecks organic grub layer pellets (which is definitely not a cheap feed with cheaper ingredients) for a year and starting late October I was only getting about two eggs a day. I have 12 chickens, 7 of which were pullets hatched in late April. This winter has been very rainy with more snow than usual for the So Cal mountains (we get very rainy years every few years in So Cal, I didn’t have chickens in the last rainy year). Now with the lengthening daylight hours and warmer weather I have jumped to 10/12 chickens laying every day to every other day, no change in my feed. This jump in laying has happened in a matter of two weeks. Just wanted to add in my experience with an egg decline in winter but a huge spike now with a non TSC/Purina feed.

Thanks for your input. The interesting thing is that shorter daylight hours and cold or wet or windy days is nothing new in most areas of the country and people that have raised layers for years or even decades know what to expect and it seems there are many that have had unusual drops this past fall and winter. It could be the drop in grain quality because in general the harvests were fraught with problems, or it's something else in the environment that has changed. EMFs certainly affect all life, including plants, grasses, insects, as well as mammals and the like. This isn't even debatable, but pinpointing the cause, or causes, is another matter.

 

[countrybumpkin5]

That is what I could not find.

I don't think there is a way to access his lab. One can try an email but I'm sure he gets far more than he and his staff can answer as most do that has reached that level of involvement.

 

[countrybumpkin5]

I'm busy, too, but I'd have had it done by now. I work 50+ hrs a week at my "day job" and manage a small farm. Has he posted any updates at all? I'm super curious.

Well, you need to understand that testing a bag of feed on the spur of the moment is probably not in his top 10 priorities. He's not just a guy with a small ranch and a lab on the side twiddling his thumbs. ( : I can't speak for his commitments and priorities nor his timelines. I have not seen any updates but again I haven't actually looked as it's not one of my top 10 either. If I do see something before someone else I will certainly post it here.

 

[Brooks_]

I don't think there is a way to access his lab. One can try an email but I'm sure he gets far more than he and his staff can answer as most do that has reached that level of involvement.

Apparently he announced the testing in a tweet (or similar), so it's wait and see.

 

[Bhubbard]

Not yet, but someone has a sample in transit. Two more folks have offered, and someone has even seen offered to help pay. I'm grateful! Restores my faith in people a little.

What's weird, though, is that the guy everyone says Isa food expert (can't remember his name - my b) hasn't released any results. I think he was supposed to conduct testing a while ago and hasn't. Most of the labs I've contacted have a turnaround time of 5 business days. I want to see those results, too.

Not to add to the craziness of this (but I am). I reached out to a few labs. Hard time getting a response. The lab that did respond was in NY ALFA? Anyways once I said it was for chicken feed and I wanted a simple breakdown of nutrition I am being ignored. Not implying anything just letting everyone know I’m also trying to follow up on this and finding a lot of dead ends. I attached my response from lab. I simply said back what feed it was and just wanting info on it. No mention of conspiracy to lab. I emailed 3x and called twice. No response.

 

[Bhubbard]

My final thought on this feed is the company is well aware it’s in question. It’s on them to prove to consumers it’s safe and accurate on label. They are silent on it. It can all be false and nothing to see here and it goes away for most of us by releasing info. We buy their product and clearly a lot of us have moved on. It’s up to them to stop the bleeding not us to prove why we are moving on.

 

[Aunt Angus]

My final thought on this feed is the company is well aware it’s in question. It’s on them to prove to consumers it’s safe and accurate on label. They are silent on it. It can all be false and nothing to see here and it goes away for most of us by releasing info. We buy their product and clearly a lot of us have moved on. It’s up to them to stop the bleeding not us to prove why we are moving on.

They aren't silent on it. The companies test their feeds multiple times throughout the production process. They are releasing statements, etc.. However, folks aren't accepting their statements for various reasons. I have had excellent responses from labs. I usually use UC Davis for feed/soil testing here because it's close and reputable, but I decided against using them for this because I figured folks would balk at accepting the results from a lab that is largely funded by the state.

I am of the mind that no amount of reassurance or statements or analyses by the companies will placate those crying foul. I was hoping to help settle the argument, but I am fully aware that whatever test results I get from the labs will be questioned. It's an exercise in futility, except perhaps in social experimentation. The results will likely show that people are broken - regardless what "side" they are on.

 

[Sammster]

They are releasing statements, etc.. However, folks aren't accepting their statements for various reasons.

Are they? I'll have to go see if I can find what they said.

TSC never did release a public statement (that I could find, last time I looked) regarding the matter I emailed them about. They did respond to me - but, I would think a public statement would've been in order

 

[littlecoopnextdoor]

Are they? I'll have to go see if I can find what they said.

TSC never did release a public statement (that I could find, last time I looked) regarding the matter I emailed them about. They did respond to me - but, I would think a public statement would've been in order

other folks on the thread said they had notices posted in their stores to address people's concerns