Mustard colored urates, stool otherwise normal

[mama23]

I have been supplementing him with egg white powder (maybe 1/2 tsp total a day) to get him through this since he was moulting, weak and not eating at the time and I was afraid of mareks. In the past when I had hens with signs of mareks this increase in protein seemed to help and they did not become paralyzed. I am weaning him off this now that he's eating well.

 

[Eggcessive]

While mold and mycotoxin may be a problem, there is no way of knowing for sure what the cause is without a necropsy down the road.Here are some articles about liver problems with mycotoxin poisoning from mold:
http://www.thepoultrysite.com/diseaseinfo/100/mycotoxicosis/

https://www.extension.purdue.edu/extmedia/AS/AS-615-W.pdf

 

[Notaneggspurt]

I'm guessing you don't go through vey much food with the three. I know what you mean by black specks. We had some in the last bag before switching to a new brand. They weren't weevils. Like you said it looked almost like a tiny piece of charcoal.

 

[mama23]

I don't know anything about mold. Does the black sound like mold? I am pretty observant and I don't recall seeing it before.

 

[Notaneggspurt]

This was my first time seeing it in 5 years. Seen weevils, seen other bugs and mold. I thought at first it was sunflower seed shells.

 

[Eggcessive]

I have only seen the blue green mold, and it smelled very “chemical.” It happened overnight, and since my feed is inside the coop in a metal can, I did not see it right away, but the odor gave it away.

 

[mama23]

Ok I'll check for smell in the morning. I'm toward the lower third of the bag anyway so I plan to toss it. I use about one 40 lb bag every two months. They waste a lot.

 

[aart]

I have seen some black specs in crumble, not many in bag tho....figured 'burnt' during processing due to grinder malfunction or build up breaking loose.

What are the MFG dates on your feed?

Never heard of yellow urates being a sign of something.

 

[Abriana]

Don't have advice to offer, but I'm following!
what a precious boy!

 

[mama23]

Thank you I think he's handsome too. He's a sweet little man.

I'm not sure what the date is. They write it in code. Even the feed store workers can't tell me. I know the 18 on the end means it was bagged in 2018 but the other numbers make no sense. My tractor supply doesn't turn over feed often. I'm switching to the flock party starter I think. I also just ordered scratch and peck grower corn free and soy free. My beautiful white Cochin hen who is a few years old and on chronic milk thistle for liver issues always smells like corn. Whether this has anything to do with his problems or not it's a reminder to me to move forward on getting them away from corn. Seems the only feed I can get around here has the first ingredient as corn.