What do y'all think?

[windsweptzz]

Complaints are different than proof of any problems.

Complaints are different than proof of any problems.

Our flock of over 20 stopped laying this past August. We had exclusively feed TSC Producers Pride for the past 5 years until last month. Originally I thought they were too hot, sick or all were molting. Time when on and I was deeply denying it was the feed. I really thought it was bird flu or something. We had really low temps in the teens this past December so I supplemented corn and to my surprise I started getting eggs in the middle of the cold snap! I switched to a local feed supplier and I’m getting a dozen per day In the middle of January. I spoke to an employee at TSC last week and he denied there was an issue until I told him that the previous manager had me raising their injured chicks from the previous brooder issues. Once he knew my connection he opened up about their being complaints in our area….

I had exactly the same problem and solution. We have 19 hens. Laying 3 eggs or 0 for days. I had to mix in good expensive stuff to get them to lay again. I thought adding light fixed it. Then I turned off the light and got local feed mill feed. Girls were laying lots even when super cold after the change in feed - and no light needed.

 

[nuthatched]

Yah... it can be the feed. We can prove it by changing feed and the problem is gone. Not all backyard farmers are wrong. For people to actually all talk about it - it isn't business as usual. It is something significant and unusual.

Go look at the test results in a thread under that name. More often than not, the "change the feed for laying" is someone changing from the lackluster 16% protein which isn't good enough for any breed these days to a higher protein feed will be a kick in the pants the hens need. Or pure coincidence since late January/early Feb is when most hens start up anyway.