Spoiled Feed

ross · Post by **ross** » Wed Jun 08, 2016 7:38 pm

Nothing wrong with it Jaye I do it all the time . I drop the unopened bag in the bin then slit the top that way when gets low just lift up bag , drop in new full bag & sit near empty bag on top till done than slit open new bag . Find it saves a lot of dust movement also . Luck

Post by **poultry_admin** » Wed Jun 08, 2016 9:34 pm

Jaye wrote:QR_BBPOST Having read in several places just recently that people don't leave their feed in bags, I'm curious: Is this to minimize the chance of feed going moldy? I have always put my feed, sack and all, into aluminum garbage cans. Is this not a good thing to do?

We use plastic bins on casters to roll around on the flat floor in front of the pens and the plastic bins are to keep the mice out. Extras get stored on the first floor (chickens are in loft) and we never have more than a week before they go in the plastic bins and then out of the plastic bins within the next week. And eaten within the next. We had a bad batch that almost wiped out the flock. Had rat poison in it....So we now have a ~2wk stash so we hear from the distributor hopefully before it's too late.
Biggest issue we found are with feed bags that get dripped on by rain. The wet spots grow moldy very quickly.

By the way, the feed mill was good about the issue with the feed...

windwalkingwolf · Post by **windwalkingwolf** » Thu Jun 09, 2016 1:19 am

The first and last time I ordered a custom blend from a feed mill near arnprior, I asked for mixed grains, 16 %protein, suitable for multiple species of livestock. What I GOT was wheat, cracked corn, and a half-handful of soy. And rocks. Not even grit, but sharp pebbles like 1/2 laneway gravel. I phoned them and asked them why did I pay for ROCKS? He said that it was for my poultry. I said, they're OUTSIDE, if they want to eat rocks, there's a smorgasborg in my own laneway. They eat off the ground, they don't need added grit, never mind ROCKS. OK, rant over, sorry to hijack!

Post by **Killerbunny** » Thu Jun 09, 2016 7:21 am

I put a piece of Styrofoam in the bottom of the plastic bin to avoid cold at the bottom and promote air circulation.

Maximus · Post by **Maximus** » Thu Jun 09, 2016 9:19 am

I have the same thing KB. It's like a huge pizza tray that fits in the bottom and I punch small holes in it. Some feed falls through but easily sourced when feed reaches the bottom of the can. I have plastic and metal cans I use.

Personally with my type of feed I like to be able to mix it up. The smaller pieces will settle so I have a witches spoon to mix it up.

This is the WRONG feed. It's just not even close to what they're used too, and look at the size of that grit! (Stones)

This is their regular feed. Big difference.

ross · Post by **ross** » Thu Jun 09, 2016 11:46 am

Hmm not sure bout mix but that's the size grit / oyster shell all my birds get . Each one picks what size it wants none left over even pigeons. . Guess just what they are used to .luck

Maximus · Post by **Maximus** » Sat Jun 25, 2016 8:16 am

Returned the feed that was not poultry feed and sent to me in error (despite label showing layer ration). He thinks it's goat feed. Interesting. No wonder no one would eat it.

kenya · Post by **kenya** » Sat Jun 25, 2016 5:19 pm

I had feed the one time with sweet tarts ,you know those candies, I thought what the heck. I tasted them and sure enough sweet tarts. This was chicken feed, why do they put sweet tarts in the feed, I thought sugar wasn't good for them?

Maximus · Post by **Maximus** » Sun Jun 26, 2016 8:00 am

Actually Jaye when I was sourcing feed before I got chickens there was a lot of feeds that had sugar, of course hidden under 'scientific' names, natural flavours, natural colours (nothing natural about it) or the ingredients aren't even listed and you have to fight to get the list. There's a lot of sugar in the extras we give them, Like watermelon, corn, etc etc., (sugar carbs) I think it is salt that is more detrimental to their health. But I could be wrong.

windwalkingwolf · Post by **windwalkingwolf** » Sun Jun 26, 2016 9:52 am

Feed companies sometimes buy and use human food factory throw-outs...stuff that'swrong colour, shape, stuff swept off the floor, leftovers etc....so if they buy cereal from, say, General Mills (just an example) , and General Mills switched lines that day to do a run of gummy bears, you will have gummy bears in your chicken feed whether you can see them or not. What do you think makes your chickens so magically delicious lol!