No More Feather Shedding with Soy-Free Feed

[Outta Here]

My pullets are just starting to lay, but for the past few weeks I've been dismayed at how many small feathers I was raking up every morning. They even floated to the bathroom adjacent, and there was always a lot of feather-sheath dandruff on my patio chairs where they nap.
I had raised them on an organic, soy free starter/grower, but in the last few weeks I fed an organic feed with soy. Then I switched to Nutrena Hearty Hen Layer Feed, which is soy free, and after half a bag I am seeing a 95% reduction in feather shedding. My daughter remarked how beautiful my girls looked and I just said, "Oh, well, that's because they're young!" But the remarkable change in their feather loss and the healthy shine is amazing, so I can only attribute it to this soy-free feed: https://www.nutrenaworld.com/product/naturewise-hearty-hen
It has flax in it, which has some concerns, but the company answered me that it is less in percentage than the calcium in it, which is 3.70%. It's also a pelleted feed, which means less waste. Because of the botanicals and essential oils, it smells lovely. The girls were a little askance at first, but now they are gobbling it and looking fine because of it!

 

[Katanahamon]

All my research thus far indicates flax is nothing but good, especially in terms of cancer prevention. There are allegedly some breeds susceptible to fishy tasting eggs from an overdose of flax because they lack an enzyme other breeds have to nullify that taste, but, nowhere can I find a definitive list of which breeds have or don’t have that enzyme..

 

[Outta Here]

All my research thus far indicates flax is nothing but good, especially in terms of cancer prevention. There are allegedly some breeds susceptible to fishy tasting eggs from an overdose of flax because they lack an enzyme other breeds have to nullify that taste, but, nowhere can I find a definitive list of which breeds have or don’t have that enzyme..

Well, that's even more to like about this feed! Thanks...

 

[Katanahamon]

My pullets are just starting to lay, but for the past few weeks I've been dismayed at how many small feathers I was raking up every morning. They even floated to the bathroom adjacent, and there was always a lot of feather-sheath dandruff on my patio chairs where they nap.
I had raised them on an organic, soy free starter/grower, but in the last few weeks I fed an organic feed with soy. Then I switched to Nutrena Hearty Hen Layer Feed, which is soy free, and after half a bag I am seeing a 95% reduction in feather shedding. My daughter remarked how beautiful my girls looked and I just said, "Oh, well, that's because they're young!" But the remarkable change in their feather loss and the healthy shine is amazing, so I can only attribute it to this soy-free feed: https://www.nutrenaworld.com/product/naturewise-hearty-hen
It has flax in it, which has some concerns, but the company answered me that it is less in percentage than the calcium in it, which is 3.70%. It's also a pelleted feed, which means less waste. Because of the botanicals and essential oils, it smells lovely. The girls were a little askance at first, but now they are gobbling it and looking fine because of it!

I’ve been feeding the organic Modesto Milling non corn, non soy starter crumbles, got a small test bag (one kind) of their organic layer whole grain, looks amazing, I’ve put a handful into their crumbles w some other stuff, they love it..pick it out like treats..here are some pics for your files..

 

[Katanahamon]

My pullets are just starting to lay, but for the past few weeks I've been dismayed at how many small feathers I was raking up every morning. They even floated to the bathroom adjacent, and there was always a lot of feather-sheath dandruff on my patio chairs where they nap.
I had raised them on an organic, soy free starter/grower, but in the last few weeks I fed an organic feed with soy. Then I switched to Nutrena Hearty Hen Layer Feed, which is soy free, and after half a bag I am seeing a 95% reduction in feather shedding. My daughter remarked how beautiful my girls looked and I just said, "Oh, well, that's because they're young!" But the remarkable change in their feather loss and the healthy shine is amazing, so I can only attribute it to this soy-free feed: https://www.nutrenaworld.com/product/naturewise-hearty-hen
It has flax in it, which has some concerns, but the company answered me that it is less in percentage than the calcium in it, which is 3.70%. It's also a pelleted feed, which means less waste. Because of the botanicals and essential oils, it smells lovely. The girls were a little askance at first, but now they are gobbling it and looking fine because of it!

Also..they do shed in cycles, is it possible that it’s a coincidence that maybe they finished a cycle when you changed foods? Just considering another angle..mine are 17 weeks old yesterday, I gave up removing feathers from the run and coop, except occasionally, there are ..just..too..many..!

 

[Kiki]

Also..they do shed in cycles, is it possible that it’s a coincidence that maybe they finished a cycle when you changed foods? Just considering another angle..mine are 17 weeks old yesterday, I gave up removing feathers from the run and coop, except occasionally, there are ..just..too..many..!

This... exactly.
The feed is not what stopped the shedding.

It was a pure coincidence.

 

[Katanahamon]

This... exactly.
The feed is not what stopped the shedding.

It was a pure coincidence.

How funny..I grew up there, went to Spring Branch High..

 

[Outta Here]

Well, that's even more to like about this feed! Thanks...

The reason I was initially worried is that flax has triple the phytoestrogens than soy.

 

[Outta Here]

This... exactly.
The feed is not what stopped the shedding.

It was a pure coincidence.

It's possible that the feeding was just coincidental to the end of a cycle. Mine are 16-19 weeks, two laying every day. But I wouldn't state it so definitively without more testing and observation. Many of the reviews for this feed speak of feather health and shine improvement, and I doubt all of them would have started feeding coincidentally at the end of a shedding cycle.

 

[Katanahamon]

The reason I was initially worried is that flax has triple the phytoestrogens than soy.

View attachment 2787659

Hmm..I haven’t heard that..I think more research is in order. And, not all phytoestrogens are the same..genistein is one which when removed and concentrated from soy will actually prevent tumors in chickens..I got into this yesterday w someone. They thought therefor soy was “good,” but I pointed out whole soy is not a concentrated chemical subunit. That study said genistein was the chemo protectant, not whole soy..
here’s an older study..https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/05/100504124740.htm