Not a fire but certainly related.
A friend that has about 30 chickens, many of which are egg producers noticed a marked drop in egg production recently.....and then he found this:
https://dainikbidyaloy.com/2023/01/26/tractor-supply-chicken-feed-scandal-rocks-poultry-industry/
What is the new feed formulation, indeed. And did any of it come from China? I remember the poison pet food years ago.
A recent alteration to the popular “Producer’s Pride” chicken feed sold by Tractor Supply has caused chickens to stop laying eggs, according to multiple farmer sources. The reduction in egg production has been reported to be much greater than the normal decrease seen during the winter months, with some farmers reporting that their hens are laying zero eggs.
The cause of the reduction in egg production is still unknown, but some suggest that the feed’s new formulation may have a lower protein content. This news comes at a time when chicken and egg prices have reached historic highs, driven in part by Avian Flu and inflation under the Brandon Administration.
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When I grew up during the mid-1900s my dad had a small egg
producing project. 400 or so layers and it was a daily act as they
needed food, water, eggs gathered, cleaned/stored,etc. But we
grew great gardens with all the fertilizer.