Steel wool pieces in oyster shell

[21hens-incharge]

I am very lucky my feed store already carries it.

I am betting any feed store can order it. Definitely worth looking into. Mine actually looks like little shell pieces.
My gals never touched the manna pro but went all happy chicken crazy over the pacific pearl.

http://www.lindmarine.com/services-products/oyster-shell-calcium-for-poultry/

They have a phone number at the bottom. May be worth calling them.

 

[apryl29]

I just spoke with the quality control at Manna Pro. The girl was lovely and said they use the steel wool to clean the oyster shells. Obviously, something was aged and broke off the machine it would seem. She's sending some small 5 pound bags from a "different vendor" - so this makes me think that the same vendor supplies 50 lb bags to different companies. I am now running my fingers through all of the shells before I fill up the holder since the Coastal had some, but minute compared to Manna Pro from TS. Something's up they are definitely aware of - be careful and check before you feed it.

Good to know! I dug around the top of my bag last night and didn't see anything that wasn't supposed to be in there. Unfortunately I don't have something to dump it into to look deeper, but I'll keep an eye out. Thank you for checking!

That sounds like it should be a RECALL !!!

Please if anyone finds this CALL THE COMPANY and demand that they do a recall.
I can't even imagine how many don't check the bag (I didn't ) and had hens die

I will be checking my bag in the morning !!

It's possible they can't issue a recall if they don't issue lot numbers for their product. Without lot numbers they won't be able to tell which bags may be contaminated.

 

[NancyNurseCxMama]

I have the Dumor brand from TSC and checked it last night. It's a five pound bag---my girls aren't laying yet but they should be close so I bought a small bag and put some out in case some feel the need to munch calcium (they're still on chick feed right now). Three of the six are interested and three took some and spit it out.
Yep, pieces of very fine fuzzy steel wool. Not a lot and I could see them and pick them out. Finer and softer than Brillo or SOS pads, sort of like a small blob of furry hair, just like in Gina's photos.
From now on I will spread out whatever I give them in a big pan and check for crap like that before putting it in their oyster shell dish.
Maybe this is an accepted thing, like bug parts in dried pasta?
Disturbing but perhaps those very fine pieces degrade quickly if eaten and hopefully do no harm.
Still, YUCK.

 

[lazy gardener]

I have the Dumor brand from TSC and checked it last night. It's a five pound bag---my girls aren't laying yet but they should be close so I bought a small bag and put some out in case some feel the need to munch calcium (they're still on chick feed right now). Three of the six are interested and three took some and spit it out.
Yep, pieces of very fine fuzzy steel wool. Not a lot and I could see them and pick them out. Finer and softer than Brillo or SOS pads, sort of like a small blob of furry hair, just like in Gina's photos.
From now on I will spread out whatever I give them in a big pan and check for crap like that before putting it in their oyster shell dish.
Maybe this is an accepted thing, like bug parts in dried pasta?
Disturbing but perhaps those very fine pieces degrade quickly if eaten and hopefully do no harm.
Still, YUCK.

You can be assured that if I opened up a bag of pasta and found dried bug parts in it, I'd be taking it back and demanding my money back. It's one thing to harvest salad from your garden, and find an aphid swimming in the italian dressing. It's entirely an other thing to buy processed food products and find them contaminated. Same goes for animal feed or supplements. Contamination, while it does happen, is not acceptable.

 

[GinaNew York]

I have the Dumor brand from TSC and checked it last night. It's a five pound bag---my girls aren't laying yet but they should be close so I bought a small bag and put some out in case some feel the need to munch calcium (they're still on chick feed right now). Three of the six are interested and three took some and spit it out.
Yep, pieces of very fine fuzzy steel wool. Not a lot and I could see them and pick them out. Finer and softer than Brillo or SOS pads, sort of like a small blob of furry hair, just like in Gina's photos.
From now on I will spread out whatever I give them in a big pan and check for crap like that before putting it in their oyster shell dish.
Maybe this is an accepted thing, like bug parts in dried pasta?
Disturbing but perhaps those very fine pieces degrade quickly if eaten and hopefully do no harm.
Still, YUCK.

this is seriously upsetting, is there a manager on this site that can post a general warning to members to watch out - we need an uprising of some sort if this is in so many brands and sizes - I have no idea what this is doing to their insides - I wonder if a report to the dept of health or agriculture will help? we need advice on this

 

[GinaNew York]

You can be assured that if I opened up a bag of pasta and found dried bug parts in it, I'd be taking it back and demanding my money back. It's one thing to harvest salad from your garden, and find an aphid swimming in the italian dressing. It's entirely an other thing to buy processed food products and find them contaminated. Same goes for animal feed or supplements. Contamination, while it does happen, is not acceptable.

the problem seems much more widespread being in dumor, coastal and manna pro and in different size bags - this is an industry-wide problem or is there only one distributor for all these brands? does anyone have any more info?

 

[rjohns39]

the problem seems much more widespread being in dumor, coastal and manna pro and in different size bags - this is an industry-wide problem or is there only one distributor for all these brands? does anyone have any more info?

I suspect that several brands use the same packer/source. I've been trying to confirm but simply have been unable. I also suspect the "machine" in question is on the 50# bagging line as they often use different lines for different size packaging. My suspicion is based on your call to mannapro who offered 5# bags as a replacement.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Have you taken a magnet to see if it's magnetic? Is it prickly/very sharp like steel wool?

I have found a small piece like you show in your photo in my oyster shells - but it was soft and fibrous - like don't know how to describe it - sea weed? or something "hairy" that would grow on the outside of a shell. What I found was not steel wool, but it does look like it. (The piece I found did not stick to a magnet).

Now, I don't doubt you...I understand you called and got a response. If what you found is magnetic, then I would dump the whole thing and not risk there being any metal filings that the chickens would consume.

 

[GinaNew York]

Have you taken a magnet to see if it's magnetic? Is it prickly/very sharp like steel wool?

I have found a small piece like you show in your photo in my oyster shells - but it was soft and fibrous - like don't know how to describe it - sea weed? or something "hairy" that would grow on the outside of a shell. What I found was not steel wool, but it does look like it. (The piece I found did not stick to a magnet).

Now, I don't doubt you...I understand you called and got a response. If what you found is magnetic, then I would dump the whole thing and not risk there being any metal filings that the chickens would consume.

oh yes, it is steel wool I just called the CT dept of agriculture to hve them look into it

whoever has found this and still has the bag it came from - call your dept of agriculture asap

Agricultural Commodities



Agricultural Commodities Division is responsible for the regulation, inspection and sampling of feed, including large animal and pet foods; agricultural seeds including crop, lawn and vegetable seeds; fertilizers; liming materials; and soil amendments. Samples are collected at retailer, wholesaler and milling operations and delivered to the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station for testing. The test results are published by the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station.

This Division also is responsible for monitoring product
labels for compliance with state and federal law. The sale of fraudulent or contaminated materials may also be stopped or suspended by the Agricultural Commodities Division.


Division staff are also responsible for inspection and regulation of additional agricultural commodities such as fruit contained in controlled atmosphere (CA) facilities. Commodity inspections are also conducted for frozen USDA poultry products utilized in school lunch programs.

The Agricultural Commodities Division is frequently asked if dog biscuits are considered pet food, and if so, must the producer of the product or products register these products with the State of Connecticut. The answer to this question is "yes", in order be sold legally within the state's borders each feed product formulation must be registered. Please see the "Commercial Feed Registration" form: Commercial Feed Registration Application

For further information or guidance, please contact Wayne Nelson at [email protected] or call (860)713-2565.

 

[NancyNurseCxMama]

You can be assured that if I opened up a bag of pasta and found dried bug parts in it, I'd be taking it back and demanding my money back. It's one thing to harvest salad from your garden, and find an aphid swimming in the italian dressing. It's entirely an other thing to buy processed food products and find them contaminated. Same goes for animal feed or supplements. Contamination, while it does happen, is not acceptable.

Oh ITA with you but....
http://www.sixwise.com/newsletters/...and_rodent_hairs_are_allowed_in_your_food.htm