Feeds affecting laying?

[Aunt Angus]

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

And in some news stories.

 

[Geena]

but it carries no weight in the actual investigation.

Nor do all of the many wild claims that have been made here recently. It's all just a collection of anecdotal information that doesn't amount to a hill of beans.

Personally I'm just not willing to play into this current social media culture of attacking companies and individuals over nothing more than baseless rumors.

I don't feed Purina, Dumor or Producers Pride and I didn't get a single egg for over a month this winter, even though 11 of my girls are spring pullets. Since they are otherwise happy and healthy I saw no reason to blame or switch their feed. They are laying like gangbusters now. My best guess is it was weather/light related since it's seemingly such a widespread phenomenon.

As a wise poster here once quipped they're not egg Pez dispensers.

 

[countrybumpkin5]

Nor do all of the many wild claims that have been made here recently. It's all just a collection of anecdotal information that doesn't amount to a hill of beans.

Personally I'm just not willing to play into this current social media culture of attacking companies and individuals over nothing more than baseless rumors.

I don't feed Purina, Dumor or Producers Pride and I didn't get a single egg for over a month this winter, even though 11 of my girls are spring pullets. Since they are otherwise happy and healthy I saw no reason to blame or switch their feed. They are laying like gangbusters now. My best guess is it was weather/light related since it's seemingly such a widespread phenomenon.

As a wise poster here once quipped they're not egg Pez dispensers.

True, and I agree. Many were not "attacking" companies but rather questioning and trying to determine a cause since it is for many a new occurrence. The odd thing is that weather and light in most places is the same as always, variable, unpredictable, cold then warm then cold then wet then dry, etc., and the number of sunny vs cloudy days is just as sporadic and a yearly situation. At least here it is. And you are so right in that they're not "Pez" dispensers! Animals that produce any thing, whether milk or eggs or just grow for meat production, are affected by numerous different inputs and any stress from any source can make an obvious change. No argument there. My only issue has been the immediate dismissal of the claims of people that are not newbies to laying hens.

 

[Sally PB]

My best guess is it was weather/light related since it's seemingly such a widespread phenomenon.

I'm betting the sporadic laying I'm seeing with my chickens is due to the weather. It sure has been up and down, warm, frigid, GLOOMY, and now sunny.

I think I have 2-3 more days on my feed experiment before I switch back to what they usually get. My prediction: They'll start laying more when they get their usual feed again. It might have something to do with the feed, but I'm betting it's more due to the increase in sunshine, and that the hens are getting "back into it." I see them sitting in the nest boxes for a while, even if they don't lay.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

immediate dismissal of the claims of people that are not newbies to laying hens.

It was happening to people that are saying it wasn't feed too. My experience so far seems to have been ignored for the main part because I don't feed tsc brands.

most places is the same as alway

And other places were far worse than normal for their winter weather. Not to mention plenty of other reasons have been given and dismissed without a second thought it seems

 

[Cindy in PA]

True, and I agree. Many were not "attacking" companies but rather questioning and trying to determine a cause since it is for many a new occurrence. The odd thing is that weather and light in most places is the same as always, variable, unpredictable, cold then warm then cold then wet then dry, etc., and the number of sunny vs cloudy days is just as sporadic and a yearly situation. At least here it is. And you are so right in that they're not "Pez" dispensers! Animals that produce any thing, whether milk or eggs or just grow for meat production, are affected by numerous different inputs and any stress from any source can make an obvious change. No argument there. My only issue has been the immediate dismissal of the claims of people that are not newbies to laying hens.

I pretty well called it bogus, because 10 people turned into 1000, went from backyard birds to farmers to the big egg companies getting tainted feed to raise the price. Not once did anyone mention contacting the company or getting it tested until several weeks down the road when the damage had been done. I also don't think the corporations have been hurt (TSC & Purina) or they would have made a bigger deal. Social media is a curse & allows nobodies to become experts with no vetting. My chickens have gone back to not laying as much as a few weeks ago, but we have gray day upon gray day here, so who knows.

 

[Bhubbard]

Weird…. I’m actually friends with the store manager here in the central Ohio region for TSC. He was completely in the dark on this topic until we talked about it a few weeks ago. Guess the statements didn’t make it to the people running their stores.

 

[countrybumpkin5]

I pretty well called it bogus, because 10 people turned into 1000, went from backyard birds to farmers to the big egg companies getting tainted feed to raise the price. Not once did anyone mention contacting the company or getting it tested until several weeks down the road when the damage had been done. I also don't think the corporations have been hurt (TSC & Purina) or they would have made a bigger deal. Social media is a curse & allows nobodies to become experts with no vetting. My chickens have gone back to not laying as much as a few weeks ago, but we have gray day upon gray day here, so who knows.

Well, because I am not bothering to follow any of it except what little dab I've seen posted and replied to on here, I have/had no knowledge of anyone saying that big egg companies are getting tainted feed to raise the prices. They've never needed a reason to raise prices nor to kill thousands of birds (or any other animal) under false pretenses. It's true about social media which is one reason I have no accounts on any platform. I've based my comments on those made here. That said, we always have gray day after gray day after gray day, but that may be the reason, or one of the reasons, it's happening to some. I would say, based on my experiences over decades that is not the reason I've seen what I have here this fall/winter, but if it's feed then it's likely the overall lack of quality in the grains all over. As stated, I do have massive EMF exposures here now and that's well documented to cause problems from, initially, mild, all the way to death, in all species. However, there is one reason that, as you say, 10 turned into 1000, (again, I have no knowledge of that many claiming feed as a source of problems), and that is that, as noted here by a few, a person may not think of it being a problem that is not confined to their own flock and property until they hear of others with the same issue. Laying hens would not be the first, nor last, situation where that occurs.

 

[countrybumpkin5]

It was happening to people that are saying it wasn't feed too. My experience so far seems to have been ignored for the main part because I don't feed tsc brands.

And other places were far worse than normal for their winter weather. Not to mention plenty of other reasons have been given and dismissed without a second thought it seems

I can't say that the "plenty of other reasons " have been dismissed without a second thought because I am not one of those claiming a feed issue nor do I personally know anyone that is and whether or not they have considered any or all of those other possible reasons. I'm fairly confident that any seasoned flock raiser would consider all possible sources before contributing it to the feed unless they had made a sudden change. I don't feed TSC brands either and saw a drastic change in my April pullets that I have never before ever experienced here and the weather is the same crappy up/down it always is every winter. What does that mean? Who knows.

 

[Huntmaster]

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.

This was posted last Tuesday on another thread and others have seen it posted at their TSC stores.
From my local TS: