Sorghum equals less or no eggs

[Snakebiteholloway]

So year before last all 40 of my starter flock stopped laying within a week of each other. I changed coop arrangements, fenced, then free ranged, rooster then no roo, followed all the advice i found here. Nothing worked. In autumn i moved them into winter coops and still, maybe 5-7 eggs from 40 one year old hens. All my neighbors had the same issue. Roughly 12 local farmers and more than 20 online chicken pals. It seemed nationwide.
This wasn't a short term winter or molt disruption. This was two years almost.
Everyone was puzzled. The next spring, i had a huge crop of sorghum in their summer run!! Now, sharp eyed girls don't miss a single seed they want, ever! From my ensuing studies, i learned that removing tannin from sorghum also removes all the other organic components like protease and i know that it's too expensive for agricorps to replace those organic chemicals.
So i researched extensively and found tons of statements from Agricorps that sorghum increases egg production and weight gain. Don't believe it!
The companies growing and importing the sorghum financed every single study but two.
All our chickens stopped laying exactly when the corn in commercial feed was replaced completely with sorghum. Judging from the crop i burned, they don't eat it with any relish, but if it's the main component, the drive to eat will have them consuming it in quantity enough to influence their health.
And is it any coincidence that the avian flu bouts began at the same time?
At 60 years old, i do not recall ever hearing of this widespread avian flu. The sorghum all comes from one or two corps who grow and process it in various developing countries. Why would strictly American birds have any defense to soil and mycochemical disruptors or microbes from another continent?
Right. They wouldn't.
I found only TWO objective studies on sorghum. I've included one link from NHIS.
Here's the anecdotal evidence; i took my girls off the Dumor and purina brands containing sorghum. They all went back to cheerfully laying daily or as usual by breed within 2 weeks. Even the old ones! They are brighter and look better in their feathers, eyes, skin and feet and beaks, combs, etc. Hot spots went away. More energetic. I feed the All Flock from Nature Wise. Only corn. No sorghum. No more unwanted sorghum crops in my runs, either.
So what's yall's take on this? Don't take my word for it. There are multiple studies online - check the funder for the studies, please.
I believe what I've seen first have with mine and my pals girls. Removing sorghum worked. Everything is clucking normally again.
I also found a study where sorghum contributed to poorer health and earlier blowout. I'll try to find that again and bump this post.
Opinions?

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2533495/

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Sorghum is also called milo. A few years back, we got some scratch that contained a high percentage of milo seed. I noticed the chickens did not eat it. And soon we had this stuff sprouting and growing all over in the chicken run where we tossed their scratch. I'm a firm believer that chickens are pretty smart about what's good for them, so we didn't buy that brand of scratch any more.

 

[EddieSalita]

Some feeds where I am are available in two types. With and without sorghum. Australia produces a lot of sorghum. So it's a cheap additive. But I figure it's available in two flavours like this for a reason. But there is many different varieties of sorghum. It's a huge commercial crop worldwide.

There is a lot of variety 'improving' going on in sorghum the last few years by seed breeders. This just means not all sorghum is equal. Older varieties are very high in tannins.
Interestingly the most subjectively productive feed I've tried is made with sorghum. But it's cracked and not the typical red seed that I've seen in other feeds.

 

[Penpal]

I remember people complaining about the sudden egg drop in their chickens. I decided to go "natural" and start the chicks on my own recipe. Quinoa, flax, and corn meal. Worked fine. Now, The new ones have quinoa, chia, and corn meal. I'm just now soaking wheat for them also. When they age out of the baby food they will get whole oats, whole wheat, whole corn, sunflower seeds in the shell, and buckwheat groats. Also whatever they can forage.

I am also saving money.

Thank you for doing the research.