How long before unopened food goes bad?

[Adenium]

So, after discovering what we think is grain mites all over our feed bag this morning, dear husband made an emergency trip to Agway to get some starter so we can throw everything else out.

I asked him to check expiration dates, but evidently turnover is low as the best he could do was a 5 lb bag of Manna Pro starter made in January 2012. I'm sure they use some preservative, but does anyone know how long the food keeps its nutritional value? Should we return this and try someplace else? I'd originally bought at TSC, but they had only ONE bag of medicated starter and it's the one covered in mites right now.

I'm hoping the January manufacture is still usable. Hey, they're still getting SavAChick so perhaps we can make up some of the vitamins there?

I never knew grain mites were something to watch out for before. I knew people suggested storing food in a bin, but assumed that was to keep rats/mice/raccoons out. Sigh,

 

[Adenium]

OK, so I fed them the January batch of Manna Pro and they're still alive.

Just like the Purina though the crumbles seem a bit large for them. I know Blue Seal has a much finer crumble for their starter, but there's no source close to me. Oh well. They still love their mash from my hand. I buy my chickens' love.

 

[A.T. Hagan]

Six months is getting up there in age for a milled feed, but seeing as how you are in New England then most of the time since it was made your weather has been cold to coolish. So long as it wasn't damp. clumpy, discolored or moldy you should be OK. Feed it out and replace it with fresher feed as soon as possible.

Here in Florida spring came early and it's been hot for months and quite humid this last month or so. I would not have used a six month old bag of feed. Temperature and humidity play a large role in how well feed will keep. The cooler and drier the better.

 

[Adenium]

Thank you!

It looked and smelled OK, but yes I'll be replacing shortly. Good thing we were able to get a small bag.