My (quite short) TSC feed experiment.

[la dee da]

Hey everyone! I’m not sure how many of you have heard the “Tractor Supply chicken food is bad” rumor, but when I first stumbled on a video warning me that my Producer’s Pride mini pellets (40lb bag) feed is why my chickens had a weird molt and stopped laying this winter, I got to thinking.

Background: I live in Missouri about an hour east of Springfield, and I have Buff Orpingtons from Cackle Hatchery. When I lived in Virginia, I’d owned red sexlink, gold sexlink, heritage RIR, and heritage Black Java, and I’d fed them Dumor brand feed. None of my previous chickens had stopped laying like these girls did this year. This is my first year with Orpington hens, but I also have five laying-age pullets that my hens hatched. I have seven hens and five pullets (and a rooster).

Armed with the new feed information, I decided to do a little experiment. I bought some local feed and gave that to my chickens for a week, and the results were outstanding! I went from getting 1 egg a day (every once in a while 2) to getting 5-6 by the end of the week! I was thrilled, but I also knew this was after Winter Solstice, and it could be coincidence. So I fed them the PP feed for a week. The eggs dropped a bit in size, but production stayed the same. I wanted to try one more time for two weeks each feed, but I got sick for a week and the kids had to feed the chickens. Both bags were getting low, and the kids just alternated depending on which bag was easiest to get into (they’re still kind of young). The TSC food ran out. I bought two bags of local feed because it turns out to be cheaper and I like its scent better. Also, I like big eggs.

During the time I got sick, the egg production lessened again to 3-4 a day. I’m still only getting 3-4 a day, though they’re a decent size and my chickens have only had local feed for the past week. I wasn’t sure why production dropped again when I’ve been giving them food from the very bag that potentially got them laying 5-6, so I asked my neighbor about her experience. She’s been feeding her 40 laying pullets (and three roosters) the local feed all winter, and they also stopped laying--about a month after mine stopped, and are only just starting up again a month after mine did. So, with all this information, I have a new theory that it’s the weird weather causing the egg problems.

One thing people often forget about is that this year’s Autumn and Winter have been crazy; I think it’s that that caused the weird egg problems, not the food. If it is the food, chances are it wasn’t done on purpose. Why would large feed companies sabotage themselves when they know there are tons of local companies we can turn to?

So, have you done any experiments with your chicken feed? If so, what did you do and what were the results? If you want to try an experiment, please feel free to post and update it here!

 

[NatJ]

So far, this is the first account I have read of anyone that switched back after trying a new feed. Thank you very much for sharing your experiences.

Yes, the weather does sound like a reasonable explanation in your case, given that your chickens and your neighbor's chickens were both affected. (I wouldn't be surprised if the true explanation is different in some flocks than others. Weather makes sense in yours.)

 

[la dee da]

You’re welcome! I hadn’t seen any accounts for the switch-back either, so I was hoping this would help someone. I did forget to mention that both mine and my neighbor’s flocks free-range during the day.

 

[CKfarm22]

Hey everyone! I’m not sure how many of you have heard the “Tractor Supply chicken food is bad” rumor, but when I first stumbled on a video warning me that my Producer’s Pride mini pellets (40lb bag) feed is why my chickens had a weird molt and stopped laying this winter, I got to thinking.

Background: I live in Missouri about an hour east of Springfield, and I have Buff Orpingtons from Cackle Hatchery. When I lived in Virginia, I’d owned red sexlink, gold sexlink, heritage RIR, and heritage Black Java, and I’d fed them Dumor brand feed. None of my previous chickens had stopped laying like these girls did this year. This is my first year with Orpington hens, but I also have five laying-age pullets that my hens hatched. I have seven hens and five pullets (and a rooster).

Armed with the new feed information, I decided to do a little experiment. I bought some local feed and gave that to my chickens for a week, and the results were outstanding! I went from getting 1 egg a day (every once in a while 2) to getting 5-6 by the end of the week! I was thrilled, but I also knew this was after Winter Solstice, and it could be coincidence. So I fed them the PP feed for a week. The eggs dropped a bit in size, but production stayed the same. I wanted to try one more time for two weeks each feed, but I got sick for a week and the kids had to feed the chickens. Both bags were getting low, and the kids just alternated depending on which bag was easiest to get into (they’re still kind of young). The TSC food ran out. I bought two bags of local feed because it turns out to be cheaper and I like its scent better. Also, I like big eggs.

During the time I got sick, the egg production lessened again to 3-4 a day. I’m still only getting 3-4 a day, though they’re a decent size and my chickens have only had local feed for the past week. I wasn’t sure why production dropped again when I’ve been giving them food from the very bag that potentially got them laying 5-6, so I asked my neighbor about her experience. She’s been feeding her 40 laying pullets (and three roosters) the local feed all winter, and they also stopped laying--about a month after mine stopped, and are only just starting up again a month after mine did. So, with all this information, I have a new theory that it’s the weird weather causing the egg problems.

One thing people often forget about is that this year’s Autumn and Winter have been crazy; I think it’s that that caused the weird egg problems, not the food. If it is the food, chances are it wasn’t done on purpose. Why would large feed companies sabotage themselves when they know there are tons of local companies we can turn to?

So, have you done any experiments with your chicken feed? If so, what did you do and what were the results? If you want to try an experiment, please feel free to post and update it here!

In my opinion, you can disagree me with all you want. But here’s my take, Producer Pride is more available than a local company…. i don’t have “local companies” by me that sells chicken feed. Prices of eggs went up, so in their minds they turned to backyard chicken owners and said hey let’s make this food toxic so they can’t get eggs either and are forced to pay for store bought.

A lot of people are unaware what to actually feed their chickens. So they get laying pullets and think “hey i’ll by it the cheapest ‘layer feed’ i can find” aka TSC. Readily available and pretty cheap. And ik this is a fact because i’ve myself educated a lot of people on here alone that you shouldn’t be feeding your chickens anything under 18%.

Now, i made the same mistake when i first got my chickens. I bought Producer Pride layer feed because it was cheap. After reading on here ab what other people fed theirs i changed the food to Purina All Flock 20%. As soon as i changed the feed, egg shells got stronger, yolks were more orange, they were laying a lot more frequently, and i noticed my birds had more energy.

Call me crazy but NO ONE should be feeding their chickens producer pride, and should turn more towards something 18% and above if you want good eggs.

 

[la dee da]

In my opinion, you can disagree me with all you want. But here’s my take, Producer Pride is more available than a local company…. i don’t have “local companies” by me that sells chicken feed. Prices of eggs went up, so in their minds they turned to backyard chicken owners and said hey let’s make this food toxic so they can’t get eggs either and are forced to pay for store bought.

A lot of people are unaware what to actually feed their chickens. So they get laying pullets and think “hey i’ll by it the cheapest ‘layer feed’ i can find” aka TSC. Readily available and pretty cheap. And ik this is a fact because i’ve myself educated a lot of people on here alone that you shouldn’t be feeding your chickens anything under 18%.

Now, i made the same mistake when i first got my chickens. I bought Producer Pride layer feed because it was cheap. After reading on here ab what other people fed theirs i changed the food to Purina All Flock 20%. As soon as i changed the feed, egg shells got stronger, yolks were more orange, they were laying a lot more frequently, and i noticed my birds had more energy.

Call me crazy but NO ONE should be feeding their chickens producer pride, and should turn more towards something 18% and above if you want good eggs.

I have never even seen an all flock bag of food, so that’s never been an option for me. I did, however, feed my birds a 50-50 mix of layer pellets and chick grower when my pullets were close to laying age, and it made no difference whatsoever in my hens’ laying or energy. That’s not to say you’re incorrect, or that I even disagree with you, but it doesn’t seem to make a difference for my free-range chickens. I’d love to buy a bag of all flock if I could find it and see if it makes a difference. I’m always experimenting when I can .

I still don’t understand the logic of why feed companies would sabotage their own income to profit egg producer companies. Not only is that sort of thing illegal and could land them in jail, it also hurts their wallets—it’d take a pretty stupid executive to take such a risk when they know the backyard chicken-keeping community is close-knit and would figure it out pretty quickly.

Mistakes in commercial products, however, does happen. It could be they accidentally overcooked (or whatever they do to make the food into pellets) the food for a batch or two, thought it wouldn’t make a difference in the nutrition, and sent it out. That I can believe. If you have some insight I don’t know, feel free to let me know.

 

[CKfarm22]

I have never even seen an all flock bag of food, so that’s never been an option for me. I did, however, feed my birds a 50-50 mix of layer pellets and chick grower when my pullets were close to laying age, and it made no difference whatsoever in my hens’ laying or energy. That’s not to say you’re incorrect, or that I even disagree with you, but it doesn’t seem to make a difference for my free-range chickens. I’d love to buy a bag of all flock if I could find it and see if it makes a difference. I’m always experimenting when I can .

I still don’t understand the logic of why feed companies would sabotage their own income to profit egg producer companies. Not only is that sort of thing illegal and could land them in jail, it also hurts their wallets—it’d take a pretty stupid executive to take such a risk when they know the backyard chicken-keeping community is close-knit and would figure it out pretty quickly.

Mistakes in commercial products, however, does happen. It could be they accidentally overcooked (or whatever they do to make the food into pellets) the food for a batch or two, thought it wouldn’t make a difference in the nutrition, and sent it out. That I can believe. If you have some insight I don’t know, feel free to let me know.

Like i said it’s my opinion. No facts are given, except for the facts for my own flock….. Purina all flock is 20% protein. More protein= more energy. More protein= better eggs. You can find it on chewy or amazon too.

A lot of people can agree with giving your chickens food with my protein + free choice oyster shells.

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

I am just not convinced that forcing bakcyard chicken owners to buy eggs would help the egg company's profits since 1) most of us would rather go without eggs than buy store bought golf balls and 2) from what I hear there are egg shortages in the stores too. I would be interested to know how many backyard chicken owners purchase eggs during the winter. I know I personally have done it once. Last time I ran out of eggs and needed a couple for a recipe I asked my neighbor across the street for a couple since she has half a dozen newly laying RIRs. I would rather go without eggs for a couple days than buy from the store but maybe that's just me?

 

[CKfarm22]

I am just not convinced that forcing bakcyard chicken owners to buy eggs would help the egg company's profits since 1) most of us would rather go without eggs than buy store bought golf balls and 2) from what I hear there are egg shortages in the stores too. I would be interested to know how many backyard chicken owners purchase eggs during the winter. I know I personally have done it once. Last time I ran out of eggs and needed a couple for a recipe I asked my neighbor across the street for a couple since she has half a dozen newly laying RIRs. I would rather go without eggs for a couple days than buy from the store but maybe that's just me?

Depends on what you do with your eggs. Are you a home baker on a daily and need them constantly? Do you cook breakfast/dinner that needs eggs daily? Do you sell them? There’s many reasons people would need a dozen eggs everyday. Sometimes a dozen eggs only lasts a couple days…. Especially when you eat eggs for protein.

I know my mom bought a carton when our chickens slowed down because of molt, but she used eggs for a variety of reasons.

However, i am convinced because that’s how the government works

 

[la dee da]

Like i said it’s my opinion. No facts are given, except for the facts for my own flock….. Purina all flock is 20% protein. More protein= more energy. More protein= better eggs. You can find it on chewy or amazon too.

A lot of people can agree with giving your chickens food with my protein + free choice oyster shells.

Oh, I didn’t mean to sound like I was dismissing what you were saying. I wouldn’t be at all surprised if chickens do well on a higher protein diet than what layer feed gives. I just don’t have that option right now (I’d have to get rid of my chickens for the price of ordering all flock, yikes!). I think we’ll have to agree to disagree on the government and feed companies sabotaging our chicken feed—it sounds like we each have a strong opinion and won’t convince the other.

I hope others, if they’re worried about their chicken feed, will experiment with theirs and get some help from this thread. Who knows, maybe Purina All Flock is what they need. For me, both Producer’s Pride and local Layer feed are fine, though I get bigger eggs from the local stuff.

I’m glad you found what works for you!

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

I am just not convinced that forcing bakcyard chicken owners to buy eggs would help the egg company's profits since 1) most of us would rather go without eggs than buy store bought golf balls and 2) from what I hear there are egg shortages in the stores too. I would be interested to know how many backyard chicken owners purchase eggs during the winter. I know I personally have done it once. Last time I ran out of eggs and needed a couple for a recipe I asked my neighbor across the street for a couple since she has half a dozen newly laying RIRs. I would rather go without eggs for a couple days than buy from the store but maybe that's just me?

I don't bake things that need eggs if I don't have eggs. I am a stubborn old cuss lol