Tractor supply brands of feed

[Ascholten]

You see the feed as the only thing in common.

I see the feed AND THE SEASON as things in common.

If the birds start laying again with new feed and longer days, it could be caused by either the feed or the daylength.

If the birds start laying on new feed, and then you switch back to the "problem" feed and they STOP laying again with even more daylight, that will make a much stronger case for it being the feed. (Obviously, checking that will take several months.)

But they did not do this LAST SEASON, and the characteristics of the SEASON don't change. winter is winter the weather is the same generally etc. the characteristics of the food CAN change.

Aaron

 

[Florida Bullfrog]

But they did not do this LAST SEASON, and the characteristics of the SEASON don't change. winter is winter the weather is the same generally etc. the characteristics of the food CAN change.

Aaron

Their age changed.

If pullets come of laying age in summer, they often lay through their first fall and winter, possibly slowing down a bit here and there but generally keep going.

If a pullet comes of age in fall or winter, she’ll often hold off on laying her first eggs until later winter or spring when the days start getting longer again.

Once a hen hits their first adult molt at or around 18 months, and when that molt comes after the summer solstice, they’ll often shut down for months.

 

[AnnPann]

I've been considering Kalmbach as they have an similar version in pellets. But, those are special order/store pick up the NB crumble is coming with free shipping.

I recently switched to Kalmbach feeds, and have it on auto-order from Chewy, so I get free shipping. Received 4 bags so far and all have been within 1 month of mill date. I get the 20% protein all-flock kind, and chickens like it, but seem to be eating less of it than they did the 18% starter crumble I was using before. It also oddly smells a lot like pizza, which is a bonus.

 

[Ascholten]

Also interesting is. once you start looking and KNOW what to look for, you start seeing things.

I made a comment about a week or so about my 'goofy birds' I put down some calcium gravel in the way of crushed shells and they GOBBLED them up like snacks and ate probably half a cup. I was laughing the greedy little pigs thought it was snacks..... or....

Maybe they KNEW it was calcium and if they are severely deficient now, to the point they are not laying eggs, they KNEW to eat the hell out of it when I put it down.

hmm

Aaron

 

[HensInTheForest]

When you stand back and take a 30k view from above it’s easier to process our world, but let’s facing it it’s getting harder with so many sources of information to get the truth and facts fast. So much positioning.

I choose not to let fear rule my decision making, but its harder and harder to cut thru the noise makers.

The list of food plants that have been destroyed by fire, coupled with the bird list of turkeys and chickens killed due to avian flu is long and concerning. Being in MN we have big turkey farms here it was bad. Hopefully they can recover their flocks quickly I don’t really know their process TBH.

Other issues affecting us all globally with crops and supply chains are impacting this further.

Now the push for eating bugs LADEN with parasites does make a discerning person stop and consider. Why do they want people eating bugs? Um nope not me sorry.

Kill all the cows global warming, all protein is bad eat this reconstituted protein Or better yet hormone disrupting soy. Did they forget that eating steak actually raises your IQ and is essential in brain functions especially in children developing?

Yes some of these folks are taking advantage of the fear hysteria. But not my 75 year old neighbors down the street.

Agreed you can’t just give them new food and say now they are laying again. You have to feed them the other kind again to really prove this as true.

Glad people here are so passionate for their flocks And can easily pop on here and say wow goat food could poison them in a matter of hours post that for us to have as intel.

Chicken people really rock!!!

 

[Kanekoded]

Perhaps, those who believe they're having issues with the feed could post the brand, type, lot number, production date and where it was purchased? That way if others are having issues with the same exact feed they have something to compare against.

Just a thought.

 

[NorthwoodsChick]

It has been VERY gloomy here. We have had two days with appreciable sunlight since the first of the year. Yeah, the hours of daylight are getting longer, but man! it seems like dawn hasn't gotten any earlier, or dusk much later.

Cold came early this year for a lot of the nation. Late Nov and Dec saw record lows, lots of snow. In my area I have rarely seen -15 F in Nov/Dec yet it happened. Now its mostly overcast with heavy snow that comes in weekly to biweekly batches (as opposed to typical 2-4 inches a day throught Jan) then sunny for half a day before clouding up again. Sun is out right now. In fact I just collected 3 eggs in shorts and chickens are in the sunny run. But it’s MI; wait a minute the clouds will come back and we’ll get that snow squall come in by afternoon commute.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Note to self. Come back to this after work. Post.

Note to others, I'm likely to be casually insulting. Its not directed at any poster here but is almost unavoidable when making a generalized assessment of the state of things, the problems of self selection, and Internet-fueled popular beliefs. I have a lot left to do today, no time to sugarcoat. or sand the edges off.

 

[NorthwoodsChick]

Note to self. Come back to this after work. Post.

Note to others, I'm likely to be casually insulting. Its not directed at any poster here but is almost unavoidable when making a generalized assessment of the state of things, the problems of self selection, and Internet-fueled popular beliefs. I have a lot left to do today, no time to sugarcoat. or sand the edges off.

 

[Blue Ridge Farm]

There is a problem with the Tractor Supply feed. It's all I have ever used and my laying hens have never stopped laying like now. If I get 4 eggs a week I'm lucky. Other local farmers are having the same problem. I am going to find a new feed source.