I go at least twice a week to the feed store that is closest to me (about a 15-minute drive), it also has the lowest prices. They are a long-established feed store with a good reputation, selling all sorts of feed & supplies, tack, clothing, boots, chicks, bunnies, caged birds, etc etc etc. They can offer the best prices because they order in such enormous quantity. They store much of their feed in a huge un-airconditioned warehouse. I don't often find the moth webs in the feed, perhaps once every 3-4 months? I haven't kept track of the rate.
When I do find it in a freshly-opened bag, I go back to the store with my receipt for an exchange or refund. I don't get angry or upset with the store staff, just politely ask for an exchange. I realize how difficult it is to keep ahead of the bugs here in South Florida. But I don't want to give the infested feed to my birds. It's usually in the crumbles I feed to the chicks, and I am even more cautious of what they are fed. I don't think I've ever found it in the layer pellets.
Last week I opened a bag of chick starter I had bought 4 days previously. It was SWARMING with bugs, I heard the shrieking violins from the Psycho shower scene in my head "Screee! Screee! Screee!" when I looked inside. I quickly put the sack in a plastic garbage bag & carried it to my front gate. The next day I took it to the feed store, leaving it out by my van in the parking lot so the bugs wouldn't infest the food in the store. I told the cashier I wanted an exchange and another staff member overhears, looks at me, and says to the cashier "You have to call the manager. This lady is ALWAYS returning feed."
So instead of hearing an apology from the manager for this infested bag of feed I got an earful from him about how I am the ONLY customer who ever returns bags of feed, that they've processed more returns from me than any other customer. He went to the warehouse & returned with another bag of the feed from the same pallet. It wasn't infested like the other bag, but it had clumps & threads dangling from the top of the bag. He said "it's only moths, that's okay" but I said that I don't like to give feed like that to my chicks. So he just said I could get my money back.
I told him I resented the implication of that other staff member, that I'm not "always" returning feed, that I'm a good steady customer, not trying to cause trouble. I asked if he thought I was being too particular about the quality of the feed I get there. I cannot answer for other folks, if they just go ahead & give their chicks moth-infested feed, or if they can afford to throw it out, but I certainly cannot afford to do that. I also cannot afford to drive further & pay more for my chickens' feed, so I'm going to have to try & keep at peace with these folks. I'm going to have to open the bags when they're loaded & inspect them before I leave.
So that's why I posted this question, to see what other people do about this issue. Thank you for your imput.
