Chicken feed problems

[cute bantams]

LOL I need to get that too

I'm rofl

 

[Chris King]

I used to feed purina but I stopped because I think it is gmo right ? They liked it relatively well though

As far as I'm aware, Purina and most of the other big feed companies have not made any efforts to avoid genetically modified crops in their feeds.

I avoid their feeds.

In fact, I avoided BackyardChickens.com for awhile when they announced that they'd partnered with Purina. We're just one big captive audience for Purina. (Noticed the big Purina ads all over the site now?) Not happy about that, but still this has been the best place to go for practical information on taking care of my girls. I suppose the alternative to the big advertisers is paid subscription. Wouldn't be happy with that, either. Devil, deep blue sea… hmm.

 

[Chris King]

I actually have standard hens but they are very small ... typically we buy two bags maybe we have to get only one at a time...

Sorry, forgot to say that I sometimes buy 2 bags of feed at a time because the place where I buy it is so far away. As long as the feed stays dry and doesn't get overheated (e.g., left out in the sun all summer long), it'll keep well for several months in an unopened bag. I store the second bag in the metal garbage bin alongside the bag I'm using.

The other thing I do is make sure I close the bag, squeezing the excess air out the best I can, every time after I've fed the chickens. These are heavy-duty paper bags, so their tops can be folded down pretty well to keep the bag closed in between feedings. It's certainly not airtight, but neither is the feed fully open to the air, which I think is the key. With the lid kept tightly on the can, it seems to be adequate to keep a 40-lb bag of feed in good shape from start to finish, which can take up to a month in the warmer months (when there are lots of better things to eat around the farm).

 

[cute bantams]

Another problem we might have is we keep the food in the garage and the temperature is always changing

 

[matt44644]

Another problem we might have is we keep the food in the garage and the temperature is always changing

That could be a problem.What state are you in?

 

[lovemy6hens]

What is the name of the feed they don't like? Our new hens arrived with an unopened bag of feed that smelled very different than what we have. Nothing was wrong with it; it was just very different.

The plastic trash bin and lid should be washed and dried before using. I always air my new plastic containers of any type for a day or two before using (until the plastic smell is gone).

 

[Chris King]

Another problem we might have is we keep the food in the garage and the temperature is always changing

Mine lives in the barn. In North Carolina. In the course of a year, ambient temps here range almost 100 F (some single-digit lows in the winter, several 100+ degree highs in the summer). As long as the feed stays dry and the container is out of direct sunlight, the garage should be fine. Most of the constituents of a commercial bagged feed are very tolerant of freezing and of freeze-thaw cycles - as long as they're kept dry. Heat is the bigger problem, but again, these feeds can withstand 100+ F temps and large temp fluctuations - as long as they're kept dry.

As for the oxidation of any fats in the ration (including in oily seeds such as sunflower seeds and flax), that's more a function of exposure to oxygen - i.e., air - but oxidation happens faster at warmer temps. (It's why we're advised to keep certain vegetable oils in the fridge after opening the bottle.)

 

[cute bantams]

Another thing I noticed is our feed doesn't resemble what I think chicken food should look like based on what food for other bird species looks like

 

[matt44644]

 

[cute bantams]

That looks more like chicken feed to me the only problem with pellets is that they typically don't like them