How much food will I need to buy?

[Allie Grace Sanders]

I am getting 18 chicks in 7 wks. We get our feed from a place 2 hours away, so we can't go there often. I am going to pick up some food, but how much will I need? The feed comes in 50lb bags. Thanks,
Allie

Edit: 7 days

 

[Kiki]

I'd guess that 2 50 pound bags may last a month.
IF the rodents don't get to it/there isn't much waste.

The only thing about storing food is you don't want it to "go bad."

 

[Allie Grace Sanders]

So, how many bags of grower, and how many bags of starter? I'm going to put them on layer at 20 weeks.

 

[lazy gardener]

No matter how much they eat, the useful shelf life of chicken feed is 6 weeks. After that, oxidation depletes the nutrients.

A basic google search turned up this:

http://animalsciencey.ucdavis.edu/avian/feedingchickens.pdf

 

[pennyJo1960]

only buy one 50 at a time please then none get hot or loose nutrients
so x 2 with @lazy gardener

 

[Kiki]

One bag of starter/grower.

The feed I use is sold as starter/grower.
I am not familiar with serrate starter and grower feeds.

 

[lazy gardener]

According to that PDF, the OP might get away with 2 bags. I find that PDF hard to believe. Can the little piggies actually eat THAT MUCH????

 

[lazy gardener]

Here, grower is only 15%. I NEVER BUY IT. They stay on unmedicated starter till they switch to layer.

 

[Kiki]

You might want to look into ordering feed online and having it delivered to your house.

 

[K813ZRA]

I am getting 18 chicks in 7 wks. We get our feed from a place 2 hours away, so we can't go there often. I am going to pick up some food, but how much will I need? The feed comes in 50lb bags. Thanks,
Allie

Edit: 7 days

I agree with the above. I would say probably 2 bags, maybe a bit less in a month depending on a number of factors. I normally raise are 15-20 at a time and that is about how much I go through.

After that I would track how much feed you use in 2 weeks or a month and buy it like that. Which is exactly what I do. I buy my feed from the feed mill once a month.