One of the men involved in the bizarre Florida pub shooting -- where a farmer allegedly opened fire over an argument about how many eggs chickens can lay -- says the gunman was super paranoid ... and took an honest question the wrong way.

Tyler McHargue joined us on "TMZ Live" Friday and explained how a harmless discussion about egg-laying hens turned into gunfire and multiple arrests early Tuesday morning. Play video content

Tyler says he was out with friends celebrating a birthday when they met Peter Riera at Harpers Pub in Port St. Lucie, Florida. Riera is the man cops say opened fire outside the pub following the argument.

The way Tyler tells it ... Peter, AKA "Farmer P," was asking them how he could make some extra money to support his family. Port St. Lucie Police Dep

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