Freshness of unopened feed?

[medusine]

I purchased chick starter and grower feeds in advance to make sure I'd be ready when my birds arrive, and then read later that you need to be careful not to buy more feed than you'll go through promptly, as stale feed may be unhealthy or unpalatable.

Is there any issue with feed that has sat for a month or 2 in unopened bags? Or is it more a problem once you've opened it up & potentially exposed it to humidity etc?

 

[Folly's place]

Welcome!
There will be a mill date somewhere on each bag, and it's best to buy within one month of milling, and use it up within another month or so. Some manufacturers have the mill date in code, which is a pain, but then look up their code on their website or all.
Then it's about storage; obviously having it out in the sun, or getting it damp, won't help anything. Stored in the original bags in metal containers with lids (garbage cans, for example) are best.
Anything that looks or smells 'off', or has bugs, needs to be returned and not fed!
Mary

 

[Folly's place]

Some stores will tell you that the feed is good for six months to a year after milling, and I don't think that's what you want to feed your birds!
Mary

 

[SueT]

Well it's probably fine, but in the future, check the mill date on the bag. Different companies put it in different locations, some on a tag, some on the bag. Purina stamps it on the white tape strip across the bottom and they have a bit of a code. First # is the last digit of the year. Then the month and day. So 0 = 2020. This bag, I photographed a few months ago would be Jan 13th, 2020. Hopefully you will find yours more recent than this. I want to see feed less than 2 months old.

Sometimes stores don't rotate their stock, sometimes they do, so it's helpful to check everything on the shelf and maybe ask if there is fresher in the back.....

 

[Folly's place]

I've seen poultry feed that's one year old or older at feed stores! Do check every bag, every time.
Mary

 

[medusine]

Well I bought both bags in April/May... the chick starter looks like it claims to be good through December. Hmm.

 

[Brooks_]

There will be a mill date somewhere on each bag, and it's best to buy within one month of milling, and use it up within another month or so

Thanks for the info. Lately TSC has been sold out of all flock often. Last time I bought two bags (my birds eat about a bag a month). Going forward I will wait till half a bag before (trying to) buy more and I will check the date.