How to keep Feed for only a small flock Fresh

[khind]

Hello, my flock is very small - 6 chickens. I'm buying the monster bags of feed at the feed store (that's all they carry anyway), but from what I've been reading about how quickly the vitamins and other nutrients break down, should I be concerned that the feed and bag have air hitting them for a few weeks' time? (I've also had a couple problems with my chickens over the past couple years, and am trying to narrow down whether something could have been due to a vitamin deficiency or something else...) During our very hot summers, I started pulling the bag out of the garage and storing it in a room in the house, taking food out into the coop, enough for only a few days, for example, but sometimes I'm sure the feed stays in the feeder in the coop for longer than that til it's all eaten - over a week or so, for example. Thank you!

 

[ChickNanny13]

I have the same problem plus living here, we deal with shipping time so by the time we get our feed it's at least a month "old". Where are you located? You may want to update your profile with your location; helps to know time zones for tagging help in your area when needed, knowing gives us an idea as to your climate/weather conditions, predator possibilities and supplies.

It gets warm and very humid here and can only get feed in the 50lb bags. I was having problem with feed mites mainly during the Summer. So I started breaking down a bag of feed into freezer ziplock bags & freezing them. Luckily I have a chest freezer & there's only two of us so I cut back on bulk buying. I take a ziplock (2gal/7) bag out as I need it defrost it in the bag in my garage over night. I also ferment feed, so every dust particle gets used up.

Don't know if it prevents loss of nutrition but that's the best I can do. I also feed freeze dried mealworms (Amazon) and BOSS at close up. I have 4 Buffs, when they were chicks the feed lasted a long time, now a bag lasts me about 8wks. They are healthy, laying and no issues.

I feed Flock Raiser with Oyster Shells in a separate dish. Now that I think about it, you could give them supplements - Nutri Drench, Rooster Booster, poultry vitamins. I'm sure others will be peeping in with their advice.

Glad you joined us. You're going to find a great group of member with alot of experience and willing to share/help from all over the World.

 

[khind]

Glad you joined us. You're going to find a great group of member with alot of experience and willing to share/help from all over the World.[/QUOTE]

Thank you, and thank you for all your suggestions. I live in Oklahoma, USA. We've had summers with temps in the 100s for days on end, 90s for weeks on end... Winters the past couple years have seen temps drop into the teens and single digits for more prolonged periods (uncharacteristic for this region). And, as in many places, we get rain a LOT more often here for the past couple years especially, so humidity is getting to be more of a challenge. I'll see if I can update my profile quickly. If not, I'll have to come back to it after work.

 

[GC-Raptor]

When I was down to 3 hens, I had a 50 pound bag of feed go bad 5 months past mill date. The feed was stored in my house.
So I started to buy a Non-medicated Start and Grow feed in a 25 pound bag. I offered Oyster Shells separately.
If you can't get a smaller bag of feed. Then freezing it like CN13 could be an option. GC

 

[Cindy in PA]

6 hens should go through 50 lbs. of feed in about a month. As long as it is relatively fresh when purchased & kept in a cool dry place, it shouldn't go bad.

 

[chickens really]

It's fine..I buy feed and feed till finished..I raise baby chicks and Ducklings all summer on two bags of starter..

 

[khind]

When I was down to 3 hens, I had a 50 pound bag of feed go bad 5 months past mill date. The feed was stored in my house.
So I started to buy a Non-medicated Start and Grow feed in a 25 pound bag. I offered Oyster Shells separately.
If you can't get a smaller bag of feed. Then freezing it like CN13 could be an option. GC

Oh, no. Thankfully, we go through feed a lot quicker than that. I feed layer crumbles and offer oyster shells and their broken egg shells on the side.
How much oyster shell do your hens tend to eat? Mine last forever, but they gobble up the dry egg shells.

 

[GC-Raptor]

How much oyster shell do your hens tend to eat? Mine last forever, but they gobble up the dry egg shells.

My 7 Barred Rock Pullets consume a small Folgers coffee can in about 2 weeks.
I don't feed back their egg shells.
I don't feed a Layers feed. I am currently feeding a Non-medicated Starter Grower. GC