We Switched Chicken Feed... Heres what Happened...

[@ronshook5194]

Hi, Glad your egg production is better. I have had chickens, since I was 8 yrs old, now 73. Just a few suggestions, things I've been doing for years. In winter, I buy the birds cabbage, any other green leafy vegetables, I give them cut up apples, safe table scraps,....sometimes a a small amount of dog food , soaked. I make sure they have a dust bath, consisting of saltless sand, wood ashe , diatomaceous earth. I also have oyster shell, in separate container free choice, and gravel , FOR their gizzard. I'm also a retired zoo keeper. Right now I have around 40 layer type birds,.... and around 30 different bantams. All the best, you have a nice flock.

[@uprightfossil6673]

Right there with you. Most of these complaints are from people who think cheap feed is the answer. I never had an issue because I free range and have several compost piles. My birds also get the “bad” corn and veggies from the garden. I just freeze the ears, worms and all and toss it out to them mid winter. They will eventually learn and stop complaining.

[@uddiptabhaumik7508]

Good advice sir. Keep up the good work.

[@DanieBelle8023]

​@@uprightfossil6673 do you use any supplemental feed or free ranging and feeding scraps is enough?

[@uprightfossil6673]

@@DanieBelle8023 feed is available but it is mixed with the oyster shell and oats (the cheaper one that will germinate) and whole corn from tractor supply. Cracked corn is for juveniles and meat birds for a short period during growth and development. Corn meal for the babies.

[@annwithaplan9766]

Good tips, thanks. We have a Shook poultry in my area where I used to buy their feed from. : )

[@danielbrown1724]

I’ve had great success with Nature’s Best Organic Scratch grains lately. My 3 chickens love it and it’s good for them.

[@Steven-gv1ke]

One of my good friends who has 60 chickens and 15 ducks said for MONTHS now he has not got a single egg. He used commercial feed from Tractor Supply. I told him about all of this going on, and he went to a local mill where they make dog food and various other types of food for animals and use local ingredients, and he said within 5 days of swapping feed, all his chickens and ducks are producing about an egg a day now. Something is definitely going on. Seems like every day I trust our government and these elites less and less.

[@Me-mn4nw]

Tell him to research the quality control issue during manufacture where protein levels fell to 12% and lower. If he has proof of purchase during that time, I am sure they will make it right

[@eduardocruzo8607]

MORON. What the government and 'elites' have to do with Tractor Supply and its manufacturers? Keep eating QAnon SHIT.

[@uprightfossil6673]

The feed is bad, but the weather did not help. By the time he switched the weather had changed. In any case, if you have chickens, you should have compost piles to keep them busy in winter or you will experience this issue often.

[@SagebrushRambles]

Oh good lord. Purina is just a animal feed production company not the damn government. Don't be so paranoid.

[@uprightfossil6673]

@@SagebrushRambles most of these problems are from people who are new to raising birds. Everyone with experience knows not to rely on just feed in the winter

[@ashleypovia8697]

I switched a few months ago to a local feed mill , and I get SO many eggs now . They’re bigger too . I was getting none to maybe 4 eggs a day (if that) from 40 hens . Just the first week after switching feed egg production has sky rocketed

[@BarbaraGill]

Just to let you know, Purina makes both of those feeds! My recommendation is that you go to a local feed store, and buy local whole-grain feed.

[@jbones2121]

They may make both but they don’t make them the same. Ingredients are way different.

[@jbones2121]

I do agree about buying local whole-grain feed. Some folks (maybe city folks) don’t have that option.

[@jhart7304]

@@jbones2121 oh, well i guess that makes it ok. 😂

[@Me-mn4nw]

@JBones The issue has been resolved. The protein level during manufacturing dropped from 16% to 12%.

[@intuitivelyinspiredSamBlack]

She might be a whiting true green 🤷‍♀️

[@dawn550]

This is our first year with 7 Hens and they'd been on dumor non gmo since finishing chick starter. We were getting up to 5 during the summer and then it stopped to a max of 2 eggs. We just assumed it was a winter thing. After reading about other people's problems we decided to try nature smart organic layer feed. we're now getting up to 6 eggs/day (average 4/day) and my Americaunas are laying blue eggs again after not having any since August!

[@uprightfossil6673]

Most of the issue with lack of production is from unusually early cold weather. If you make compost piles your birds will be able to offset the climate by scratching up extra food and your problem will be solved. Also, if you feel generous, trim the fat from your steaks and chops and feed it RAW. Chickens are omnivores and appreciate the extra protein and fat in the winter. Problem solved.

[@CarolReidCA]

Don't forget to give them fruits and veggies, and some fish like tuna or canned cat food, as well as shredded carrots and whole groats like buckwheat are great. I'm getting an egg every day from my hens, and they taste amazing!

[@BooksbyAFoster]

I bought some rice at the market... swap meet... old... a little out of date... I cook the bag with whatever veggies I had left over... and made a giant pot of super fun. My chickens now see me coming and come a running... I do this often... about once or twice a week... I get at least one egg or about 20 to 23 a day... doing this... out of 24 hens... We buy just simple scratch... and add extras from the house... We eat... they eat... God is good and they are blessed, as they keep laying and we keep giving them away to others... Thank you Lord for every egg.

[@shellydesormier4646]

I raised my new batch of chickens with rice, and noodles along with their feed, they go absolutely crazy for their rice and noodles! It’s hilarious. 🐚🌸

[@sandraoller9784]

Y ou don't have to cook rice. They will eat it ,but they love crunchy things like raw rice and pasta

[@johnchandler1687]

Try to use whole grain brown rice. All the vitamins and many minerals are in the outer layer that is polished off to make it white.

[@noconsentgiven]

Amen!

[@dookie3748]

God bless you!!!❤

[@terigrogan]

I have been saying this for the past 4 months to everyone. My Tractor Supply store had a lot of returned bags of the Pride. Glad you switched. Tractor Supply also sold Standelee alfalfa pellets that had mold in the pellets killing several farm goats and getting horses sick

[@ToilaCarissa]

How horrible 😢

[@daveclark1904]

Just started my first flock a few weeks ago! Loving all you guys and this community for all the help in raising chickens and all the different feed options since they sabotaged us! Keep it doing, Thanks!

[@finfan1009]

Chickens love scraps.Bread,greens,apples. Fruit,noodles. Lots of things. They will eat oranges if you slice them in half.

[@laurenandreas5950]

We grow extra greens and squash, zucchini, tomatoes etc. for the chickens. They LOVE FRESH vegetables and everyone usually has too much from the garden.

[@peacetruth3074]

Thank you for posting this. We really appreciate it. We're just getting ready to build a coupe and start chickens, but we did hear about the problem with the feed. Practical experience really helps. May God continue to bless all of your efforts.

[@paulinesykes4050]

Hen with top not

[@georgeingridirwin6180]

Yes we are just beginning to think about it. So starting to look things up now.

[@tinafrench4926]

I have Easter Eggers that lay the green eggs. Also, we add to our chicken feed during the winter months. We add black oil sunflower seeds and whole oats. Our hens love it and never slow down. Just remember, sometimes their little bodies need a break.

[@erinvendetti5812]

Chia seeds are fantastic too and regrows over and over

[@childoftheking1960]

Do you just throw the chia seeds on the ground? 😊

[@darrylsmith-oy7vp]

​@@childoftheking1960u can? But it's best to put the seeds in some yogurt. Plain reg or Greek. Also add grind pumpkin seeds for worming natural and in the winter/fall safflower for mottling and stress. Both safflower and black seeds during summer heat really conditions then, no corn at all! Only in winter corn keeps them warm and fat😊 I cook pumpkin by baking it a bit then cut it halves and mix in yogurt served in the pumpkin? Yeah the eat it all. Lots of vitamin and lots of fun watching the fuss. Both seeds high in protein makes feathers shine and easy to grow back. Don't use but a cup of seed 12 or less birds. If to much protein u will see them with wings raised like angels? If so, just cut back ur feed has a balance ratio of fat, protein plus carbs.

[@childoftheking1960]

@@darrylsmith-oy7vp thank you!!

[@darrylsmith-oy7vp]

@@childoftheking1960 Look at u🤗 I'm a 1960's June Bugg! Thank u too. Now if u don't Free Range ur birds? It's not necessary to. Worm them often, just powder n spray their environment Spring time or 6months. Usually if y'all have hard winter ❄️ that an eviction notice. Ha, haah! Another extra tip? Is to put an oil in their eggs? @tbsp olive, grape seed or coconut oil, not! Avocado makes them sick. But boil r scrambled extra eggs add the oil after chopping and put in food at feeding. Boy they shine with the blues and greens plus look like their wearing mink coats. Yeah, I spoil mine. I hatch them out and grow them in the house as chicks. Best time to hatch is late Nov thru Dec. Don't have to deal with the heavy Spring rain and summer heat? By late May they ready to go as fryers or egg layers. Anyway, In God We Trust! He needs to grab the wheel away from all these devilish things? I believe that Paul may have to rewrite plus apologize to the Corinthian's, just saying? U keep ur Faith Alive.

[@jeremyhinken3365]

Yep. We get our feed, scratch, grit, treats and bedding from the local small, family-owned feed store. We simply bump up the scratch and supplements during winter, so not only do they stay warmer, but egg production hasn't declined hardly at all. We get all our produce locally and they get all the *safe* scraps. Finally, we clean, dry and bake all the eggshells, then break them up as fine as possible and add it back into the feed for calcium.

[@curiouscat3384]

I don't fuss with the eggshells. I just rinse out the white so they won't get sticky, let dry and crumple in my hand before putting them in their bowl. They're very happy and lay good hard shell eggs ;)

[@kieferandabby3169]

I'm new with all of this. We have quail instead of chickens because we live within city limits and aren't allowed chickens. Can you walk me through what all you do to add the eggshells back into their feed? Especially the baking part

[@jeremyhinken3365]

@@kieferandabby3169 Sure! After we use the eggs, we wash the shells in clean water and boil them for a few minutes to get rid of the funk. Then, break them into roughly dime size pieces and put them on a dedicated baking pan. It's really to make them no longer taste like eggshell and make them easier to crush after. If you just directly fed the shells back to them, you'd run the risk of the birds eating their own eggs after they lay them. Bake the shells at 325 degrees F for about 10 minutes. Then, crush them up in either a mortar with a pestle or in a dedicated coffee grinder using short pulses. The whole process is actually super quick, and we only do it once per week or so. We have about 30 birds, so I give them around a 1/4 cup mixed in with the crumbled feed. I've dropped eggs several times while collecting them and they don't break, lol. It also protects the birds from having eggs break inside of them. That's a bad deal right there. It happened to one of our rescues and she almost didn't survive.

[@kieferandabby3169]

@@jeremyhinken3365 thank you so much for the info! Navigating all of this without ever growing up anywhere near a farm or farm animals has been interesting to say the least😅

[@jeremyhinken3365]

@@kieferandabby3169 Ya! We'd never raised chickens before either. Some of the best info is at your local feed store and on your local fb groups. I'd avoid the big box stores if you can...

[@juliefalk1594]

The chicken with the dark body and orange heads is your blue egg layer. We have 6. They all have kind of hawk-like colors (not just solid). They are Americaunas. Our production is similar. We’ll let you know!

[@bernardhill3042]

Have no problem with pride

[@bethanndavis115]

Or EasterEggers

[@janeshurley1235]

I believe Easter egger is another name for the americaunas, which is a hybrid of the Ameraucana and another breed. They hide it by the slight difference in spelling. If any of your chickens have the puffy cheek feathers or for a better name the dewlap on the neck, that would be your blue/green egg layer. That is assuming it inherited those genes.

[@GracefullyHisForever]

I was coming to Ishida the EE too

[@kimschoenberg2269]

I have a hen that lays green eggs and she looks like your blond colored hen.

[@tomstewart7625]

Aloha from Hawaii! The way you can tell the color of the eggs before they are laid, Is by looking at the Chicken's EARS! Right behind the eyes. If it is Brown, Then the eggs will be Brown. White will be White, Green will be Green And so on. Aloha Tom and Sue

[@beckylieb2637]

Lol .... getting up before dawn tomorrow to go see the colour of my hens ears 😂

[@fullerfamilyfarm4925]

You are exactly right about producers Pride making your egg production completely stop. We lost our Entire quantity of dozens right before Christmas of this year, we switched our food and we are now having them start to lay. It was shocking the change that happened overnight, they went from big fat biddy's, to little skinny Minis.. talk about frustrating devastating and a waste of money!!! I was wondering if this was happening to anyone else and clearly it is, so many people are sharing post like yourself, thank you for taking the time to share

[@fullerfamilyfarm4925]

Blue eggs are from the Americana

[@LifeofHommels]

It was crazy. It's like night and day. I switched them and now I'm getting back up to a dozen a day! Guess it's worth it to spend a few bucks more on chicken feed.

[@LifeofHommels]

Thank you!

[@commonsense332]

Your confused I buy the same brand from tractor supply after the chickens stop molting than they lay again!!

[@lindagreenwell2242]

Purina makes both Producers Pride AND Dumor. Buy local and mix your own feed.

[@ToxiicZombee]

I like kaumbach, I do a mix tho of about 50 percent kaumbach, and I do 15 percent wild bird feed, 15 percent wild finch, cracked deer corn (cuz deer corn is cheap) 10 percent. and 5 percent thissle and safflower. I also give them a red solo cups worth of dried black fly larvae so I don't have to give them calcium supplement. There's enough in the larvae. And I give them all over our table and vegetable scraps. My local farm store has a steady supply of the bird seed at all times I love them.

[@jameschandler2776]

We did the same. We quit using Dumore and went to a local mill and had our own mix of whole grains made up for us. We went from 1 egg a week to 14 a day from 20 hens. It took about 2 weeks for them to start laying again. Our girls are 1 year old. We don't go to TS for anything any longer. All their feed is made by Purina.

[@wendytipon6020]

Dumore mold real easy, we dont use that either

[@margeriqgm579]

Yes I was concerned that he switched to purina since their name was the one brought up that stopped chickens from laying! 🤷🏻‍♀️ Scratch and Peck layer feed is all we use! We have 10 chickens never stopped laying all winter we range from 8-9 eggs daily

[@SVMSICE]

@@margeriqgm579 excellent!

[@southtexasgal4393]

Not to mention that TS is a part of “the cult” and was caught sponsoring a drag queen story hour. 🤮

[@theozzy4717]

Which whole grains do you use?

[@tarrimarkel]

Just started raising chickens, have six RIR hens. They are just turning 10 weeks, but have had them on organic Scratch and Peck, first the starter crumbles since a few days after I brought them home at 5 days old, and now the grower (whole grains) since they turned 8 weeks. They are out of the coop & run every day, foraging for bugs and greens in the back yard, and are just really beautiful healthy girls. Am adding flax & chia for treats, and will be hanging a produce holder in their coop shortly, so they can access apples, and other greens at will (someone suggested cabbage, so will be adding that, too). Have a designated dust bath, with sand, chickie dust & a small amount of diatomaceous earth, set up for them, and various roosting bars. Very excited to see what type of egg production we will get with these ladies. Will come back and update once they start laying. I will add that personally, I would never use anything Purina or ...Egglands Best .. or any of those "national' brands [same goes for my dogs or cat, either...my senior dog (chihuahua terrior) is 17 and still going strong; have had him on a human grade, organic &/or non GMO food for most of his life]. Would avoid anything with GMO ingredients like the plague. Everything I grow is organic, and whatever I buy, as well. Yes, it's more expensive, but you get what you pay for and as the old adage goes .. you can pay the farmer or pay the doctor.

[@jerryflynn6485]

Make your own. Black sunflowers seeds, whole oats, millet, flax seed and maybe some corn if you want to add it.

[@LifeofHommels]

I would love to start making my own! I have briefly looked into it. Would love to hear more. Where do you purchase all the stuff? How do you mix it? Ect....

[@dellaangel]

Price to make your own feed has tripled since this time last year. Your food scraps are good to feed em like Cooked beans (protein), pasta, veggie scraps and definitely reuse their eggshells (calcium). After they dry break/grind em up and feed it back to them. Their shells are almost entirely made of calcium carbonate & a tiny bit of proteins.

[@victorybase5847]

@@LifeofHommels check out Azure Standard. The owner is a rock solid God fearing farmer w a big family to feed. Their farm grows & sells only non gmo & organic food, including grain & chicken feed. Bc of my health issues I switched to all organic last year & many homesteaders were talking about them on their channels so I started using them last summer. Hopefully they’ll always be around bc now I’m never going anywhere else’s. There’s really no company in America that does what they do. I have 12 hens & 1 rooster & had no issues w egg production. I buy the organic grains & feed but they grow & sell regular non gmo feed also. I’m not affiliated whatsoever just a happy camper that’s grateful I found them. Go to their about page or check out their KZbin channel. You’ll be impressed I guarantee it. I’m glad your hens started laying again but just so u know, Nestle Purina & Purina manufactures & sells Producers Pride & Dumor feeds & about 10 others packaged under different names. Last September Nestle partnered w a fake meat company called Impossible Meat. They’re building a new manufacturing plant in NC it’ll be the largest US producer of lab created beef, chicken & pork. Seems logical or at least probable that they’d want to slow egg production to force people into buying fake meat since hens wouldn’t be laying eggs & chickens wouldn’t be hatching. It’s a lot to read but the back story is important. Take care & God bless :)

[@ihavenoclue9756]

​@@dellaangel thanks for the heads up on the egg shells. I've been throwing them in the compost.

[@pamanderson1417]

@@LifeofHommels we use hard red winter wheat as the base for our feed because we can buy it farm direct by the bushel. Our recipe is 70# wheat, 10# alfalfa pellets, 8# black oil sunflower seed, 5# split peas, 5# lentils, 2# flaxseed. We soak/sprout for 2 days before feeding and offer free choice grit and calcium source. This recipe is 17.1% protein and 4.9% fat and costs us $39 to make 100# batch. It would cost more if we had to buy the wheat at retail. Best wishes to you!

[@tammyhawkins2629]

We had a very similar situation happen with our hens. After changing their feed now we are also getting a least double the amount of eggs daily. Thanks for the video.

[@josephrickard7973]

We have 15 hens and 1 rooster. We haven't got 1 egg in 3 months. We buy that TS feed. Randomly we got feed from another place and are getting 12 a day now. I had no idea this was going on until today. But it all makes sense now. Thanks for sharing.

[@ellavaldivia6757]

This is the first time I have had four chickens that start laying eggs and I almost bought that product 16% protein in Chewy; thank you for your help.

[@williammccranie6525]

I did this a month ago. I have over 30 hens and was getting less than 8 eggs a day. Once I changed to a local laying pellet, I was back to average 24 eggs a day.

[@Teaganderry]

I have been using the Producer's Pride layer and Dumor starter for years - since I've had chickens. I haven't seen any slowdown at all. I also give my hens table scraps and cat food as snacks.

[@montanalife406]

I’ve been using producers pride for almost two years now. In late December we had a week of really cold weather at the same time days were at their shortest and all our hens quit laying. I switched their light on(I usually have it on early December) and eight days later I was getting tons of eggs again. Ours get kitchen scraps too so maybe that’s why I’ve not had problems with the feed.

[@stephaniepaul3885]

We feed our chickens this brand too and haven’t had an issue either. They also get food scraps too as well.

[@marysuerichards53]

We were using Dumor 16% crumbles and it started having too much dust in it. And then my hens quit laying regularly. We switched to Producers Pride which doesn’t seem to have the dust issue and before long, they started laying steadily again.

[@lynnharrell9598]

I watched another video from another content creator. She had similar issues in September and October. She did some investigating and determined that England’s Best, the largest commercial egg production company, actually bought Purina in 2022. It would definitely benefit Eggland’s Best if we all had to buy their eggs because everyone’s hens stopped producing.

[@-OBELUS-]

That's very interesting.

[@BeWingfulDesigns]

🧐

[@btagg2024]

Nestle owns purina.

[@jcb5942]

@@btagg2024 Lol and DuMOR is a Purina product.

[@dominictoretto5717]

This video clearly stated that he switch to the Purina made brand and got better results

[@lynnlamont3485]

Heads up. That Dumor is owned by the same company that owns Purina.

[@johnchandler1687]

The Dumor is their lowest grade feed, made for Tractor Supply. I get Purina feed there, but get the Flockraiser, 20% protein feed. Costs more, but works great. Also give them scraps and other things.

[@dennismutz8221]

It's probably the multi colored hen laying the blue egg. I switched from both of the commercial feeds you showed , to a blend made "in house" by our local grainery. Adding additional lighting in the coop helps also.

[@birdieloo6168]

You likely have either an Ameraucana or Easter Egger hen in your flock…or at least one that’s a cross. Ameraucana’s lay eggs like the one you’re getting, and the EE’s egg color varies more from blue to olive green. Both breeds have fluffy cheeks and most often have beards too. Their combs are small. I usually always have 1 or 2 Ameraucana hens in our flock as they’re docile, friendly and hardy. I tried to see which one in your flock looked like the Ameraucana, but I didn’t get a good enough look at them. Just look for some fluffy cheeks and some fluff under the chin! ☺️

[@BigPeter1313]

I have all Ameraucanas and they lay a variety ranging from blue to olive green to pinkish.

[@mooneyes2833]

Hey I have a fluffy checked bird! Called her sandy cheeks...so she's an Americana? Thought she was a rainbow

[@Robynpacheco]

That’s what I tryed to say but it didn’t come out right lol

[@tammyhawkins2629]

I also have some Ameracana hens, all of my Ameracana hens also have fluffy puffs of feathers on their chins, ALSO they have a green tint on their legs rather than the typical yellow color. They lay green eggs.

[@scottsanker3575]

Same thing. We have 40 chickens and Muscovy ducks. I was feeding them Dumor All Flock feed and we were down to zero eggs for over a month. I put up extra lights on a timer so that they now get 16 hours of light a day and I switched to feed made by a local feed mill. Within 2 weeks we're now getting 24 eggs minimum per day and it's usually more like 30-36. We're up to our eyeballs in eggs and are selling them to some of the neighbors to help cover the feed cost.

[@toddwolfe1527]

We had a Starlight hen that laid green eggs. She was a light brown color like yours. Also, experienced the same problem with Producer's Pride brand. We started getting a hog feed mix from our local AG store as suggested by some friends and we went from zero eggs to 5-7 a day as we only have 7 hens.

[@higherview136]

“Easter Egger” hens lay eggs of many colors. Feed has nothing to do with it.

[@ameliayoung8686]

I had them on exact same Dumor since they were chicks. Tried the producers pride and same thing on egg production. Next to nothing. Switched back to Dumor and egg production picked back up. Good job on the video. I also got a new tip reusing the bags.

[@lnguyen119]

I'm in VT where we have dreary, uber cold winters. I have 18 gals, but a few aren't laying yet. I get at least a half dozen to a dozen per day. Lately it's been closer to a dozen a day without a light or heat lamp. I feed mine organic local layer pellets as well as food & meal scraps from our kitchen and vitamin supplements. I'm a true believer in feeding organic and non-GMO when you can. Glad your production has increased. The quality of feed certainly makes a difference for their bodies! P.s. in your videos for the end I was looking for an Egger but didn't see one in your flock. ✌️❤️ From VT

[@shannoncoen959]

Nice job brother. Takes some time to understand chickens and dealing with being so finicky sometimes. Best and quickest way to tell the Easter egger (greenish blue egg) is to look at the side colors of the hens heads...like the ear lobes that are normally red like their combs...the Easter egger will have white colored ear lobes is what I call it. Hope you have a great and merry Christmas n Happiest New Year's. Have a blessed day.🙏💕

[@patrapper7367]

That feed never bothered my hens, still going strong and never let up...

[@jeanburgin160]

Same with my chickens more of the summer, of course it has been very hot which I blamed it on. I'll try this brand you switched to. Thank you for sharing. All the best!

[@danatripp1972]

I live in northeast Michigan's lower peninsula, very close to Lake Michigan. We have a good amount of cold and a crazy amount of lake effect snow. Even with clear weather forecasts it's common for our area to snow steadily for days at a time! We average 12-18 laying hens, our rooster Johnny, and we've enjoyed raising a few khaki campbell ducks that have been surprisingly a standout crowd at our farm 😁 I was a committed Tractor Supply consumer. I love the option to get all the big bags of feed, scratch grain, bedding, oyster shell, everything we could possibly need. I've always had great egg production, and they continue to lay in the winter months. We do give them a good amount of kitchen scraps and extra garden produce. We actually started growing some crops just for our birds lol I do love them, sometimes too much maybe but I don't care lol We are lucky to live close to many Amish farms and started buying the feed they produce. Since they make this feed for their farms as well and we have birds in the same environment it just makes the most sense. After talking with them about the ingredients we realized they already added everything my birds need so I'm not premixing dusty feed in a separate container. I know not everyone has available help close by, but if you can find large scale self sufficient farms near you it's a good idea to ask who sells feed or where they buy it. It's probably around the same price too. We paid $17 for a 40lb bag Oct 1st 2023, not bad at all 😁

[@donnagunn4124]

Hey, just watched this video. I did exactly what you did. all by accident. I thought their production stopped because of cold weather. But, like you said,, the Dumor feed was the difference in egg production. I was amazed. We learn as we go. Also, my young pullets started laying at five months on Dumor. I didn't expect them to lay so young.

[@melissagearhardt2901]

Be careful with the Dumor brand too. I had the same issues with this food, as many others have, as you had with producers pride. I switched to a brand that was not owned by Purina and my hens look healthier than they have in years and went back to laying normal amounts. I’m not sure if I trust Purina anymore.

[@silverpotter6325]

i noticed some companies watering things down even restaurants even mc funky on burgers donno its not going to help inflation tho for anyone

[@sikhness_033]

What brand did you go with?

[@felicialusterino5523]

It's your Americana that laid the blue/green egg! I had the same issue with tractor supply feed, only they quit laying all together, I started mixing my own feed and cooking some pinto beans and wheat pasta for them. The next day I had eggs, after cooking for them. I was shocked. So I went to local feed store and bought some grains and made my own mix. Glade to hear that Dumar is a better feed, I do miss the discounts at tractor supply, since I buy a lot of feed between sheep, ducks, chickens, turkey, other fowl, my guardians, and house dogs!

[@HDHQDIRECT]

If Purina can do this with chickens, ducks and quail...I'm not trusting them with the Dog and Cat Food either. Sounds like a collaborative effort to cause the egg shortage and increase prices.

[@lindawolffkashmir2768]

What I’ve noticed lately, my cats used to eat 9 Lives and clean the plate. Since the last two months, they haven’t been doing that. They’re leaving almost half of it sit. My guess is they either changed something in the formula, or they had a less palatable batch. I’ve been experimenting with some different foods until they fix the problem. I’m not hot on Purina cat foods, either, too much corn in their recipe for my taste. So I’m doing some mixy-match with the wet foods. They’re still liking the dry, though.

[@thesewingchannel8294]

Read the bag purine no longer makes this feed, it is now kalmbachs.

[@LaurasHomestead]

Yes!

[@curiouscat3384]

That, or just cost cutting across all their product lines.

[@harris5945]

I stop buying Purina products over 20yrs now not a good company

[@jennifera7031]

Interesting, we were getting that brand too and literally just bought a new bag and switched to try the brand you showed, so I will let you know!! It had slowed down, but I figured it was from the cold, they say they slow down in winter time. So this will be interesting to see if they start laying more again. Thanks.

[@DiblersTraditionalFarm]

Just came across y’all’s channel and subscribed!! Love seeing so many people starting or continuing to be self sufficient. Yes, the feed has been tampered with. Enjoying y’all’s videos and look forward to future videos! We have posted a few videos on our channel, love to share and learn from others. Have a blessed weekend!

[@huntandgatherfarmstead]

Hey, why do you say that the feed has been tampered with? What do you think has been added/taken away to affect productivity? We are also on the road to self sufficiency, and documenting it on our channel. I will be sure to check out your videos - good luck with growing your channel!

[@DiblersTraditionalFarm]

@@huntandgatherfarmstead If I’m remembering correctly, Purina made a post about how they would be changing the feed recipe. I don’t remember what exactly was said but, after they made that post all the feed was tampered with the updated recipe. I also think that they took out the necessary amount of protein. Either way, many people have caught wind of what has happened and immediately changed feeds! I’m glad to see many people starting their journey to self sufficiency. Being able to share and learn from each other is wonderful! Thank you

[@thomasjohnson1222]

I have 17 hens they are two years old and haven’t stopped laying eggs since they started laying and most of them have not missed a beat laying eggs. I use demar feed

[@hutke01]

Hi. I know it sounds crazy, but my GMA used to crack eggs and give them to her hens when they were not laying in winter( high protein); do you give them kitchen scraps? Chickens are omnivores and need fruit, veggies and meat especially in winter. (FYI: every equinox give them a cut up pumpkin sprinkled w diatomaceous earth to rid them of any possible worms). I grew up very old school 😂

[@lynncampbell6237]

The bad thing that happens when you feed your hens uncooked eggs they develope a taste for them and will crack their own eggs to eat. We had one hen start that and I learned from a u-tuber to take the shell from the egg she cracked and eat, fill it with Spicey jelopino cheese and put it back in her nest. I thought it sounded silly but tried it anyway. It worked She never ate her own eggs again.

[@theproperty541]

Not crazy I do the same. My chickens get one of their eggs back a week as a treat I just crack it right on the ground and they have never tried to eat their own eggs from the nesting box, however If you have bored chickens they will.

[@theproperty541]

@@lynncampbell6237 that’s weird that it worked because chickens can’t taste spice? They can eat hot peppers and be just fine. My chickens love jalapeño...anything with seeds they think is great.

[@turtlemark2]

The one with the green ear flaps is the one laying green eggs.. hens lay eggs the same color of their ear flaps.

[@awakenrae]

The same thing happened to me!!! I just thought well maybe they found a different nest, it's the weather, I'm not giving them enough extra protein. Then I started buying an organic layer pellet & mix in oats, millet, sunflower seeds & some others. They are laying so much now! Almost every hen is laying now and getting 5-6 a day compared to getting only 3 eggs a week with the old layer feed. So scary!

[@dougtinsley1320]

It almost sounds like there's chicken birth control in some of these feed

[@karenmccoy4077]

Well, we were buying from chewy and for some reason my husband switched to local tractor supply and yes the one you switched to, our production slowed way down and it's fall here. We are going back to chewy . We have 6 young hens also added this past spring.

[@larag4646]

To find your blue egg layer, you can do a q-tip with food coloring and gently rub the q-tip just inside the vent. Keep track of what bird has what color and when she lays the egg, it'll have the food coloring on it. Just don't use red.

[@BigPeter1313]

Thanks for the video. I'm going to switch for the winter to a local feed producer that carries between 16% - 22% protein layer pellets.

[@melissarohde6609]

I heard that some factory in Canada that makes a mineral of some sort that a lot of the national brands use had burnt down or something happened and most food is now being made without this mineral and that’s why the chickens quit laying. It’s been a huge problem over the last 6 months. We live in Ohio and had the same problem with the hens not laying. The blue egg layer is more than likely an Americana chicken also called Easter egged and they have a little tuff off feathers coming out by their ears. That’s your blue egg layer.

[@choppinbroccoli7037]

Which I knew which mineral it was. I'd just buy that mineral and add it to my feed.

[@deborahlantz3874]

I'm glad your egg production has increased, that's awesome. We feed producers pride to our chickens and recently started fermenting the food. I add a half of a scoop of scratch to the fed and our egg production went back up and the eggs are bigger. I was getting 2-3 Jumbo eggs a week, but since fermenting, I'm getting 3-5 Jumbo eggs a day. All the eggs are now larger. I wonder if I switched to Dumor feed if they would be even more and more big ones.

[@robertlassiter907]

I’ve raised rabbits, quail and still have a lot of chickens. Quality feed is everything. Throwing a lot of protein at them is not always the answer either. Cheap feed is cheap for a reason. I don’t always buy the most expensive but I always try to find good quality feed that gives good results. Interesting results, good luck.

[@rebeccawatson9410]

I don’t think it’s the cheap feed, but its the lack of Lysine in the feed. Purina seems to have taken that out of their feed.

[@CharlesJamesdesign]

Thank you I’m just about to switch over to egg layer feed and I was curious to see which feed people recommended. Going to buy some today.

[@07blackdog]

Glad you have it straightened out. I'm on my 3rd year with chickens. They have been on Purina Organic from the beginning and I've never had an issue with egg production. Stay away from any GMO in food; for people and animals.

[@debidavis8736]

Watch out for some Purinas food theyr putting something in it to keep them from laying!

[@stevegabbert9626]

@@debidavis8736 Why? That makes zero sense.

[@shaggydog5409]

@@stevegabbert9626 All Purina feed is made in China. Need I say more?

[@mactine2k7]

Why exactly... they gain, we lose. And Purina is okay with that. Purina has been going down in quality and up in price. I won't touch their products for any of my animals.

[@07blackdog]

Because that was the only Non-GMO feed available in my area,at the time. I've since switched to Sunrise Farms feed out of Virginia. 10 pounds more for the same price.

[@juliehambrook4006]

I have a nice flock of farmyard mix hens. I live in northern Canada. It’s cold and dark in winter, my birds stop laying for 3 months in winter. I have no artificial light or heat in the coup. This winter as they were not laying I economize on feed. I gave them layer as usual and a scout of hard red wheat in a separate feeder. They prefer the wheat and started laying.

[@roysuggs3635]

Both are made by Purina. Is Purina trying to sabotage Tractor Supply for some reason?

[@LifeofHommels]

I did not know producer's pride was made my purina? Thanks for letting me know. I will have to do more research. I've only even seen producers pride at tractor supply. I've seen Purina all over other stores as well.

[@jaysonvance594]

That would harm Purina more than Tractor Supply. Tractor supply could pull it off the shelves if they wanted to and it wouldn't hurt them near as much as it would Purina.

[@michellejohnston4635]

Purina, Land-o-Lakes and Happy Egg are all intertwined. Think eggs … rising prices. Stop privately owned hens from laying and force people to buy their outrageously priced products. They control the market … food starts disappearing faster and faster, people can’t feed their families on their farms. Collision course for their population control agenda.

[@littlecountrykitchen]

Purina has changed their formula on some of their feeds. It slows down eggs for some. Issue is black rock is a subsidiary/owner and they bought out largest egg producers. So they are in it for the money, not for us to be self sufficient! 🤔🙃 there was a lady on off grid with Doug and stacey who talked about it. TTFN 🌻

[@conniegraham1614]

Is t PURINA owned by China?

[@D0N074in6100p]

I grew up around chicken and we were quite surprised after getting new hens when some of them started laying green eggs. The one that's marching down the ramp withe the tiny white spots on gray/black feathers looks like the hens that layed our green eggs (you seem to have two of them). The green eggs are super tasty and very filling. They were kind of a smaller breed but were quite good at raising their whole nests.

[@mmct513]

We had the same problem. I went from zero eggs to 15 within a few days after switching from tsc feed to a co-op in December.

[@mmct513]

Actually our co-op was almost half the price as well.

[@mrpete9958]

One thing that people over look when it comes to chickens not laying is mold in the feed. The manufacturer, distributor, retailer and consumer all play a part in mold getting into the feed. Be sure to look for obvious signs such as the color being different/inconsistent throughout the product and an odd smell. Freshly contaminated feed can be really difficult to identify.

[@MyronTheHen]

Apparently they changed the recipe of the layer feed and now it’s less protein than the information on the bag says it is, so technically you could still use it but you would want to supplement your flock with a protein source.

[@drumcrazy72]

Thanks

[@JimDon-xj5qp]

I've stopped shopping at TSC--not necessarily because of the feed issue--but rather, because I just feel it's become too commercialized. And their prices reflect their ad-blitz. Case in point: their sponsorship of Yellowstone. Besides, I'm all-in for buying local. I've found other farm and feed stores that spend nothing on advertising, other than email communications. But mostly, I've been making my own feed from sunflower seeds, grains, oats, and whatever seeds and grains are on sale. I'll stock up, and mix it all up in a large trash bin.

[@blacksinglemomhomesteadont6454]

Great job! Glad your babies are producing again. Looks like you have an Easter Eggers who laid that blue egg. Stay warm.

[@kristinfrancis]

I’ve heard about this but all we’ve ever bought is producers pride from TS - the only place in our town that has feed. And our 3 golden comets, 1 year old , 1 buff orp and 1 black hen - both 3 years old have all been laying eggs just fine. Of course they slowed a bit during winter but in the last month we get 4 eggs every day and sometimes 5. Don’t know if I buy the feed conspiracy - just thankful they are laying

[@Litcll]

Try Kalmbach. I've been getting tons of eggs all through the winter. I've had a week here or there where they were slowing down. But on average, I'm getting over 2 dozen a day out of 32 hens. I too wasn't getting any of my colored eggs before I switched. Now I'm getting all of the colors. Blue, green, olive, Spearmint & someone is laying a beautiful gray one!

[@bambamnj]

I use to have chickens and I got some Araucana chickens from my Aunt and they laid bluish-green eggs. I couldn't recognize the breed through your video but you may be able to look up the breed and see if you have one of those. They were nice hens and I had them for several years along with my RIR and my Bared Rocks. My favorites were the Barred Rocks. I liked the black and white feather pattern and they were very calm hens, even the rooster was calm. I had a RIR rooster for a while but he got aggressive and I got tired of booting him. I am not saying your conclusion is wrong but.. you need to be careful there are several factors that may old change the laying pattern of your hens. Temp is definitely one of them so if it's suddenly gotten warmer, that could spur the hens to start laying again. Amount of daylight is also a trigger, so it is possible that it's just finally go to the amount of sunlight hours/time that your hens needed to spur them to lay. Again, I'm not at all trying to change your conclusion about the feed, just giving you some other things to things about. If, next Winter, your egg production doesn't drop off that much, then you will know for sure. There are chickens called "Easter Eggers", they are basically a mutt breed and not formally recognized as a breed. These types of chicken are know to lay various colored eggs, including greenish and bluish. So it is possible that you just got a mutt thrown in with your batch of chicks. Specially if you got your chicks from a private seller. ***Just in case anyone reading my post is wondering.. RIR = Rhode Island Red

[@johnqtrump9495]

I switched from dumor to kalmbach and it was unbelievable the change in my birds. My egg layers were almost a year old with zero eggs ever. After the switch we are getting atleast an egg a day from our chickens. And it is cheaper from our local feed store than any feed ive seen anywhere else. Roughly 20 dollars a bag for 50lbs.

[@michellejohnston4635]

Highly recommend boycotting all Purina products. You can supplement your feed w/a protein (meal worms, black soldier fly larvae) … I used the PP brand for months while supplementing with additional protein and calcium and never had a problem w/egg production. I stopped using the PP several months ago (bc of TSC’s support of the LGBTQRSTUV-Z alphabet society agenda and the drag queen festival for kids) and have been using a completely unrelated brand. Again, never a lack - I actually have so many eggs I’m able to bless others with my abundance.

[@HoneyMarketingBoard]

Its the little black Silkie. I have the same bird, its green in certain light. I stopped using layer pellets last year as well. cracked corn and scraps now + grit.

[@Mayhamsdead]

It blows my mind that this is happening outside of Europe. In Europe, we don't use "feed". It's the worst thing you can do to your chickens. Use grains. Whole grains. And in spring and summer don't shy away from feeding them literal blades of grass as a "snack", or even green onion. We did this for 12 years and we consistently got 2 eggs a day PER hen! They were so happy, one of them layed a "matrioshka" (I think you'd call it?) - a huge 3-3,5 inch egg that has another fully formed one inside it. I miss those hens, and George, the dumb-ass rooster who'd always tidbit and give all his food to his "wives".

[@hawksgirl4948]

May I ask what type of grains?

[@Mayhamsdead]

@@hawksgirl4948 They especially love sun-flower seeds. Though, you'd have to mix them with something else, since, just like with humans, they have a "taste fatigue" threshold which ends up with them eating less and producing less. What we used to do is mix the sunflower seeds with corn grind and water. This way they had an oat-meal like consistency to their meal, and got some hydration out of it too. In fact, I think any chicken would prefer a multi-grain "porridge" to dry feed. That's just one example, but you can try any mix of 2 or more seeds depending on what you have available in your region and what is least costly in relation to the seasons. I/we don't claim to be expert chicken nutritionists, but this is what worked out for us. Oh, and (this may be controversial, but) - if we noticed they were lacking in calcium, we would on occasion feed them eggshells as well. Keeps their beaks, feathers and eggs they produce a lot healthier. Hope this helps!

[@cjchitwood5521]

we were using CalRanch's "generic" brand "Country Companion" and had the exact same problem. They stopped laying around mid October, and we are pretty far south (literally bottom of Arizona). Heard of the problem with feed and switched them to, weirdly, dog food. WIthin a week they were laying again. Now we are getting about 7 eggs a day (from literally zero with 9 laying hens) and that should go up as our young ones should be maturing soon...

[@the0prynce]

My girls just started laying like crazy again too, being fed from the same bag of Producer's Pride they've been not laying on for a month. This is the same time last year they started laying more too. The days get longer, they lay more. Hasn't it always been like that?

[@rogermace4760]

Our little homestead is running smoothly and we feed the chickens and ducks Tractor Supply feed products and have no issues with the feed products they offer. Maybe some of these young folks need to listen to us older folks who have been involved in raising chickens and ducks and other farm animals. If you have the time read back through some of the messages and learn from their messages, they've been successful for years with their operation of raising animals and sure seems they are speaking from experience! 🤔

[@nbreyes20031]

Dumor is made by Purina same as Producer’s Pride 😢

[@perrysmith6872]

I stopped buying laying pellets last winter after out three days of artic blast . Went to a local feed store bought their 16% hog mix n over night they started laying . 32 hens I got 28-30 eggs a day . Something happened to da laying pellets regardless what brand ur buying .

[@Bigmac-cy3kd]

Hello, we have a small farm here in Pennsylvania. We have somewhere around 50 chickens. We used to feed purina, then my flock stopped laying completely. They went 2-3 months over summer without laying an egg. I read somewhere they did a test on purina feed and they only came up with 5 percent protein. No good for egg production, needs to be around 16 percent. The bags actually say 16. Long story short, I switched to a local feed mill, i mix my own feed and add soybean meal for extra protein. Eggs everyday.

[@hackettjk]

We have used Naturewise, Flockraiser, the Dumor you are recommending and the Producers Pride Layer Feed and I have to say we switched last to the Producers Pride Layer Feed and we have gotten MORE than we got before. I also add in oregano in the feed. The producers pride now comes in a 50lb bag as well. I also wonder if there are other factors as well not just the feed. But its great you found something that is working for your hens. 😊

[@bonekollektor1659]

I've got 1 green egg hen, she's kinda tan & has a mohawk. That's all I know. Very good information on the feed!

[@bettyfuller3678]

We switched feeds like you did. Our hens love it! I have 7 hens and they lay daily.

[@BRAV-lm6xk]

My chickens have stopped laying entirely. I have 10 hens. They were 2 years old in March. I don’t know what to do. We use the house brand from Atwood’s (a place similar to Tractor Supply). Always had good results with it until now

[@medemiga]

The Easter Egger is your greenish/blue egg layer. That will be one of the mingle colored girls. The light brown one you pointed out in the video looks like a Buff Orpington and they lay a light brown egg. I have a mixed flock and love the variety of egg colors. So beautiful.

[@dalepres1]

Is it possible that just the change fixed the laying problem - and maybe from some non-Purina brand to the Tractor Supply brand could yield the same increase?

[@Snooty65]

Wonder what time of year it is. Are the days getting longer. Hens are stimulated to lay as the day length increases. Could possibly be a coincidence that you changed feed after days began to get longer. Shorter days slow down production. This how mother nature tells birds to lay eggs in the spring

[@reba4007]

Sapphire Blue Plymouth Rock lays the green/blue eggs. The brown hen is a Buff Orpington, a great sitter. Egg production goes down when they don't get enough protein.

[@pederslilfarm9218]

Hi, I have a few Easter Eggers & Lavender Ameraucana Chickens. I thought I noticed a gray chicken, I'm thinking it's her 😊 thanks for sharing, we have switched to organic feed (pellets), there is one called "Organiq" we buy it in 50# bags. We also give our hens some whole corn in winter and oats, also keep a dish of Flaked Oyster Shell and black fly larvae for extra protein which we give all year round. Hope you figure out your blue egg layer 😉

[@gregzeigler3850]

My chickens quit laying on Dumor. I switched to a feed out of Texas (From R&P). I'm now getting an average of 60-70 eggs a week from "meat birds".Mine are Speckled Sussex, Jersey Giants and Brahma(24 hens),

[@stever459]

That light colored Easter egger , nice coop set up I like your use of the rock around the bottom

[@seacruse]

I've had the same problem with DuMor. I switched to Big V brand and that helped for a few months, then they stopped laying again. Have gone back to basics and feeding them whole corn, oats and a small percentage of black oil sunflower seeds. 3 parts each corn and oats to 1 part sunflower seeds. Also giving them Rooster Booster Poultry Cell in their water a long with diatomaceous earth in their feed. Egg production is up from 2 a week to 3 to 6 per day.

[@lisasaunders4835]

I use omega 3 feed mixed with steam rolled oats, steam rolled barley, cracked corn and oyster shell. Best feed ever! Will keep your hens healthy and laying all year around even though egg laying will slow down with less daylight. Don't forget fruit and veggie treats and more protein in winter.

[@ThomasDebeaupre]

Good thoughts on that !! Ive learned to avoid the "stuff" from the multinational corperations.. and rely on the more local people who use the grain thats grown right here in the valley. Costs a few more dollars per bag, but I can trust whats in it.

[@katskills5560]

I have speckled Sussex and I think they’re the ones that are laying in the bluish green eggs. I also have the white leg horns and 2 polish. I get 1 white egg, mostly brown and blueish green eggs.

[@whyamitheone4527]

Was having the same issue. Switched from tractor supply feed to a local one and I'm now getting three times the eggs.

[@twb6596]

Do you have supplemental light in the winter Optimum egg production chickens need 14 to 16 hours of light

[@caroljeanwilkie39]

We have used a higher protein feed for years as we found the hens lay more eggs. We used Nutrinia 22% for several years as we had ducks and turkeys to feed too. Now we just have 5 old hens. One is a white leghorn, she is 6+ years old, and lays 4 eggs per week. Currently we are using Naturewise All flock 18% protein. When your chickens molt once a year, they will recover faster and begin laying sooner if you're feeding a higher protein food.

[@howardhenk5480]

Longer daylight in spring is helping. I have my feed ground at a feed mill a lot cheaper then granular feed and I feed 19% protein

[@FranK-ik4ku]

The black hen is the green egg I believe! Great videos!

[@judithcook6275]

I get my layer feed from a Mennonite store. Their layer is all real grains and you can see & smell it. The tractor supply that you used to use looks and smells like what comes from the back of the chicken.

[@gail6069]

Exactly i bought that brand.. they molted for the 1st time this year.. no eggs. Now I'm using a different feed..chick starter this week i bought a small bag for more protein. Feathers are coming in faster.. so hopefully i have eggs soon as well

[@build2break]

Lost my best hen early this morning, so now I’m trying to retrace my steps a bit. My now 11 hens are free range in the back yard leaving their coop open to come and go as they please. All winter has worked great but one hen preferred to be in the coop on her eggs.. Lucky for my I’ve been using the Dumor since day one, had a guy tell me the pellets could choke the chicken.. she left us with 6 eggs, we usually get 2-5 eggs per day even in the coldest bits. We will see how production changes.

[@build2break]

Yesterday we got 5 eggs, 4 today.