Why is nobody laying?!

[dirkandlorie]

Here are two threads that discuss some testing results:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...en-feed-craze-posted-testing-results.1564737/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/feed-tests-more-results.1565804/

As for whether it was "debunked," I suppose that depends on what you mean by debunked.

--There are no test results showing anything wrong with any feed (at least, none that I saw.)

--Many flocks began laying again as the days got long in the spring, regardless of whether their feed was changed or not. I do not know if ALL flocks began laying again.

--For the feeds that were thought to cause the problem, quite a few people shared that they were feeding those same feeds and their flocks were laying just fine. So not EVERY flock eating those feeds was having issues.

--There was speculation about what might be causing the trouble, and many points were disproven for specific flocks (this one had enough light, that one had no parasites, another one had feed that was fine for a neighboring flock, etc.) There was no point that could be proven for ALL flocks.

My personal opinion: I think many flocks did stop laying, but for many different reasons. Some quit because of the short days of winter, some quit because they were molting, some quit because they were getting older (old hens tend to take more time off than younger hens.) Probably a few people did get bad bags of feed (maybe a mixing error at the mill, or maybe feed that was stored too long or stored improperly). Some flocks might have had parasites, or diseases, or stress from weather or predators.

With all the different causes, I think it's pretty clear that "bad feed" did not cause ALL the problems that people were complaining of. I did read at least one story of hens that showed ill health over multiple months, including no eggs, and a change in food did improve their health and then they did start laying again-- so that one probably was a feed issue, even if many others were not.

Thank you so much for responding to my question. Was kinda curious about the outcome. As for my girls, I took them off Purina foods, put them on a local farmers co ops feed and they all started laying again. And just for s&g, I put them back on the food I'd pulled. They stopped laying again. Both tests took just a week each, and only say that my girls perform better on the co op feed. Off to read those threads you listed for me now. Thanks again!

 

[NatJ]

Thank you so much for responding to my question. Was kinda curious about the outcome. As for my girls, I took them off Purina foods, put them on a local farmers co ops feed and they all started laying again. And just for s&g, I put them back on the food I'd pulled. They stopped laying again. Both tests took just a week each, and only say that my girls perform better on the co op feed. Off to read those threads you listed for me now. Thanks again!

It does sound like the feed was an issue in your case. Changing back to the "bad" feed again, and having the laying stop again, definitely helps check whether it was the feed (likely) rather than something like amount of daylight.

 

[aart]

I took them off Purina foods

I've never fed anything but purina flock raiser, never had a stoppage except for older birds in the winter.

 

[dirkandlorie]

It does sound like the feed was an issue in your case. Changing back to the "bad" feed again, and having the laying stop again, definitely helps check whether it was the feed (likely) rather than something like amount of daylight.

Just finished reading those threads you posted for me. Thank you again. Very informative and funny in some cases, good pairing with my morning coffee. I don't know much about the conspiracy theories, only that my girls are too precious to me to take a chance on feeding them something that may have something wrong with it. And the best part was discovering a new feed and store that they seem to be thriving on. Now back to my morning chores, which I'm seriously late on. Thanks for the lazy morning spent just sitting and reading. Lol

 

[rod5591]

I have 30 laying hens, and get between 16-22 eggs per day.

 

[Ponypoor]

I have around 15-20 laying hens right now, but I'm getting an average of 3-5 eggs a day. I have literally no clue why they've started laying so badly. It used to be that I got an average of 8-12 eggs a day, but recently the production began dropping steadily to this point. I have a few 2yo EEs, a 2yo Brahma, a few 1yo Golden Comets, Black Australorps, and Cuckoo Marans, and a 1yo EE. I'm not surprised that the older EEs and the Brahma have slowed a bit, but the GCs, BAs, and CMs shouldn't be this bad off. Here is everything I can think of regarding food, habitat, and what I've tried to solve the problem.

Food: I feed them fermented 16% layer feed and then turn them out into our pasture for the day where they get grass and bugs all day. They get some treats, but pretty much only fruits, veggies, and the occasional mealworms. I'm extremely strict about carbs. They do get a couple small handfuls of corn to bribe them home at night. I have crushed eggshell on offer for them to get calcium.

Habitat: They have a nice coop with plenty of space and several nest boxes. Our pasture is about 1 acre and they share it with our goats. The pasture is mostly open, with only two pine trees and a tire playground for the goats. I have searched in the pine straw around the trees and looked inside every tire for hidden nests. The chickens cannot get to the goat sheds to lay in there.

What I've tried to solve the problem: I have increased their protein a bit with the mealworms. I used to be really bad about putting eggshell out, but I keep it on offer almost all the time (there are occasions where they go a few days without). And I have dewormed incase parasites were stealing the nutrients. Nobody is molting or regrowing feathers right now.

Does anyone have a clue what is going on and what I should do differently to solve this problem?!

EDIT: Feed is 16% protein.

Have your girls started laying now?

 

[Poultry mum]

What’s the weather conditions like? Overly wet? Cold? Over hot?? It maybe that the weather just isn’t in that optimal range… and that’s not something you can control… also what bedding/ nesting area like? Is it possible that maybe a rodent or a snake or bird is stealing eggs? I had this problem everything was perfect and my girls weren’t egg eating.. wasn’t until I saw both a RAT and a RED BELLIED BLACK SNAKE in my nesting area that I realised what the issue was… the year before it was the damn crows stealing the eggs or my dogs lol

 

[ThePhoebeFive]

Have your girls started laying now?

Not yet, but I'm still in the process of getting rid of the roosters. We had to wait for a friend to be ready to take them, and then once they were we got sick and couldn't pass him off.

 

[ThePhoebeFive]

What’s the weather conditions like? Overly wet? Cold? Over hot?? It maybe that the weather just isn’t in that optimal range… and that’s not something you can control… also what bedding/ nesting area like? Is it possible that maybe a rodent or a snake or bird is stealing eggs? I had this problem everything was perfect and my girls weren’t egg eating.. wasn’t until I saw both a RAT and a RED BELLIED BLACK SNAKE in my nesting area that I realised what the issue was… the year before it was the damn crows stealing the eggs or my dogs lol

Unfortunately I've ruled all of those options out. It seems to have been the number of roosters I have.

 

[Cindy in PA]

Because it is cheaper. I ran the calculations to find out how much cat food I need to adjust the protein to 20%. I'm willing to do what it takes, but if I can do it as cheaply as possible, I'd rather do that.

Have you priced higher protein feed? My Kalmbach flock maker 20% is only 50 cents - $1 more than their 17% Layer pellets.