Bulk feed from a feed mill?

[Bullitt]

I see a local feed mill is selling bulk feed at $18 for 100 pounds or $63 for a barrel of feed. They have whole corn and this feed at that price.

An all feed 1/4 inch pellet. It is corn gluten pellets and soy bean hull pellets 50/50 mix. it is 16% protein.

Is this a good price?

Does anyone buy bulk feed to feed their chickens and other animals?

 

[Bullitt]

Any thoughts on this?

 

[Den in Penn]

It is a good price, nobody gets bagged feed for less. I'd check the nutrient analysis to to be sure its what I want. Chances are they fall in line with what most other all flocks have. What in the end may decide it is transport, handling and how long it takes for your chickens to go through their minimum purchase.

 

[Bullitt]

Well, you know what you are getting with whole corn. The other feed is described as "1/4 inch pellet. It is corn gluten pellets and soy bean hull pellets 50/50 mix. it is 16% protein." So you at least know it is 16% protein, which is what most chicken feeds are.

You just drive to the feed mill and they fill up whatever container you want. It seems it would be easiest to put a barrel in the back of a pickup and just have them fill the barrel in the back of the truck. Then you have to try to figure out how to get the barrel out of the back of the truck. I suppose if you had a barrel with a locking lid the barrel could be rolled on some boards out of the back of the truck.

 

[Den in Penn]

If they are putting a nutrient pack in it then it is a little better then the straight ground corn and soy bean. Ask about that. They should also have an analysis of the feed. Never sure what resources someone has when you talk over the Internet. Having a pickup is a plus even doing small scale animal farming. A locking lid is a plus, it will keep the dust down and the rain off while driving home. A bag truck or appliance truck, strap it to the barrel and just cart it off. Then you'd want a more stable ramp with that though.

 

[Bullitt]

If they are putting a nutrient pack in it then it is a little better then the straight ground corn and soy bean. Ask about that. They should also have an analysis of the feed. Never sure what resources someone has when you talk over the Internet. Having a pickup is a plus even doing small scale animal farming. A locking lid is a plus, it will keep the dust down and the rain off while driving home. A bag truck or appliance truck, strap it to the barrel and just cart it off. Then you'd want a more stable ramp with that though.

Yeah, a hand truck is a good idea. I could easily build a ramp.

I am sure the chickens would get all the nutrients they need between the feed, scraps and free ranging.