Chick Starter: Still Good or Bad?

[FalseToast]

I bought a 50lbs bag of chick starter about 6 months ago for six little chicks—50lbs was the smallest option, next up was 2 TONS! I still have the bag as I occasionally toss a handful or two out for my two chickens and the birds, given I have no idea what to do with it!

That being said, it seems to still be in good condition. No mold, no dampness, and it looks as good as when I bought it. But, I’m still unsure if I can reuse this for chicks in the future? A quick google search says it should be replaced, but only if there’s mold or something visibly off about it. So, here I am, trying to find a definitive answer!

Tl;Dr : 6-month old bag of chick starter—no mold or anything visibly wrong; looks as good as when purchased—is it safe to use for future chicks, or should it be replaced?

 

[Tookie]

What I would do, is mix it with whatever you're currently feeding you chickens.

 

[rosemarythyme]

For future reference, finish feeding it entirely before moving to whatever the next feed is that you're using.

I'd probably feed it to my flock as long as it looks/smells fine. DO NOT save it for future chicks, it already needed to be used up as nutritional value degrades over time.

 

[chickenlover8969]

I would mix it in with my current feed. How many chickens do you have. I know you said six but there are predators and sicknesses. If you have any pictures id love to see any.

 

[FalseToast]

For future reference, finish feeding it entirely before moving to whatever the next feed is that you're using.

I'd probably feed it to my flock as long as it looks/smells fine. DO NOT save it for future chicks, it already needed to be used up as nutritional value degrades over time.

Unfortunately, a raccoon killed off 5 of the six chicks not even a week after I moved them outside. But, thank you! I’ll probably continue using it for the birds and stuff to get rid of it! Or other animals. Waste of a 50lbs bag otherwise.

 

[FalseToast]

I would mix it in with my current feed. How many chickens do you have. I know you said six but there are predators and sicknesses. If you have any pictures id love to see any.

Unfortunately a raccoon killed off 5 out of the 6 not even a week after they were moved outside! The last remaining is a hen who primarily lives feral—not that she’s feral, but her and my rooster pretty much roam the property and sleep on a specific branch in the tree. They been good. Rooster been outside for three years and has experience that he’s passed to her, and the two are inseparable.

She’s just starting to lay eggs though! If you mean you want pictures of her I have many!