Talking today about the controversy over Tractor Supply Co chicken feed. I have experienced the same pattern in my chickens not laying and then laying again normally and I don’t feed Tractor Supply layer feed so I’m not buying that that is the cause. So I’m switching from my regular layer pellets and feeding Producers Pride for a while to see if it has any effect on my chickens laying habits.
********************
Hi Garden Friends, I’m Dani from Wicked Awesome Gardening
Welcome to my world of learning to garden. The desire to grow my own food has been within me my whole life and I never thought it possible in the places I have lived in. In recent years I have discovered that this is not the case and there are a million ways to grow no matter where you are!
Now a year into my Youtube journey I have learned that even more of my dreams are possible! That I can have the little farm and grow my produce and meat and live so much more sustainably! Join me on this journey of my own education and you will definitely learn and be inspired along the way! Step into my waiting room, my classroom, as I transform my entire life along with my garden spaces!
********************
CONNECT WITH ME
Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/322923365293865/
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Wicked-Awesome-Gardening-108907954568353
E-mail Me: wickedawesomegardening@mail.com
To have a gift sent to me from my Amazon Wishlist: https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/2PPVSDEPQ27UK?ref_=wl_share
#wickedawesomegardening #gardening #backyardgarden
20 Comments
Wow. I have to check this out. My brothers chickens get feed from tractor supply and have limited eggs
I am with you. I haven't really paid too much attention to the YouTube posts about this. The ones I have seen on my recommended feed are from hardcore preppers and I pretty much steer clear of those, including the big ones, who shall remain nameless. Fear mongering is absolutely what it is, cashing in on the controversy. My girls do stop laying for about a month every winter. I have had chickens for 2.5 years now and it's just the way it is.
All hens slow down or stop in the cold weather. We do buy feed from Tractor Supply and have never had an issue.
I agree. My prepping group got all up in arms about the chicken feed. I'm not buying it either. I get grains from my local feed store. My chickens have always taken a break every winter. I freeze surplus eggs every summer to cover the time in the winter when they dont lay. Nothing new. We all have enough trauma from what's happening in our country. Fear mongering needs to stop. By the way, eggs at the store in my area is now $10 a dozen.
About this time last year we didn't have any eggs coming in from 20 layers. We had some chicken starter left over from our spring meat bird run and decided to throw it out to them. We've since switched to buying local in bulk and have had eggs ever since as well as a cost savings. Buying 1000 pounds local and storing it in pickle barrels have saved us about 30 to 40% over TSC.
Nice to see the ladies. My Rhode island reds (1 yr) stopped but they were molting . Sexlinks started laying for first time (9montgs old) so…go figure
Both my neighbors and my Flocks stopped laying about the same time in fall, more likely due to the heat. We don't use Tractor Supply feed so it's a non-factor for me.
Lol, I said the same thing to my husband when I started seeing this everwhere. I'm not willing to feed it to my flock because, just in case you weren't already aware, that feed was always "budget quality". This would mostly impact flocks that aren't free ranging or getting alternative sources of nutrients outside of what is in that feed but I keep wanting to ask the people having issues if they give them anything else. It will be interesting to see what you find as well. 😊
Good for you. Do what's good for you and people need to stop the hoopla. My chickens always slow down in winter. Same feed as always.
It's not the feed. It's the light. I added a brighter light it took about 3 weeks, but I'm getting 13 eggs a day now. I did end up looking for other feeds and found a cheaper local place, so just switched from Producers Pride.
I have had no chicken eggs until I switch to local feed mill. It started last fall ,the thing is i have a flock indian runners who ate the same dumor layer pellets and lay every day . The difference is i add brewers yeast to the duck feed for extra protein and b vitamins and thiamin . Did tsc sponsor this video? you have experienced less than one winter and you are full of advice , typical u-tuber.
For the last 3 years ever since I owned chickens they always slow or stop laying eggs this time of year! Are people falling for the TREND?
Smash that like button and support chicken booty! 3:02
Chicken butt 🐔
My hens stopped laying with the cold and the dark too. Now we're getting 3-4 eggs a day and very grateful. I'm on the fence about this issue because I've heard a lot of rabbit breeders and some pigs too that they've had issues with feed. Whether this is manufactured and intentional, or just lower quality due to the drought last year etc. remains to be seen. I wouldn't be surprised if it was intentional, but also from a business perspective, it's going to hurt profit if you start killing your clients or lowering fertility. Thankfully I haven't had any issues. I'm not really brand loyal, I honestly forget what we give our chickens every time I get feed, so… but yes, I think environmental changes had a bigger impact on the egg production than probably the feed. If anyone's had sick birds or birds dying, I would reconsider, but just that they stopped laying in a cold and dark time of year… no
What few realize is that TSC uses many different grain mills around the country. Like you I don’t use TSC feed either and mine stopped late October early November and a couple of girls started laying 2 weeks ago and a 3rd hen started a few days ago. Days are getting longer!
They will stop laying if the nutrition isn't right, I don't like TSC feed any way. You are right winter will cause a slow down also. The cheap eggs in Ohio last week were $3.64 a dozen. I was paying $4.99 for pasture raised organic before the price hike, now they are around $8 a dozen
I LOVED this topic. You are amazing! Way to stand in the middle of a storm and stand up for the truth.
As a rule… chickens don't lay eggs for us to eat. They lay eggs to reproduce… Mother nature doesn't want them to lay eggs that the chicken can't hatch… That's how I look at it.. enjoy your channel..
A lot of people don’t even buy TSC feed because it is off the charts expensive. Unfortunately we don’t have a local feed mill and now have to buy from big box stores. Sadly prices dictate that. We buy quality and trusted brands and no issues. Molting and aging are factors that impact laying in winter. I don’t buy it. This year has been no different than past years. I think it is more an uptick in owners not familiar with chickens. $10 for eggs here locally. Cheaper an hour away in the big city. Our pig feed went from $14 to $20 since 2020 to 2023