How to store feed without mold?

[allameraucana]

Hi guys

Every summer is gets really humid where I live. How can I store pellet feed without it molding and without critters being able to get into it?

 

[Lacy Duckwing]

Put it in totes or (clean) garbage cans with lids and store in a cool, shaded building (a building with cement flooring can be a good place too).

How often do you purchase your grain? If it helps, don't purchase as much and buy it more often so it stays fresh at the store instead. (I buy my grain once a month and has rarely had any issues with mold.)

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Reduce temperature changes, so you aren't as prone to moisture formation via condensation. Reduce time - you don't want a lot in storage for long, because it increase the opportunity for things to go badly. If you do get mold, BLEACH throughly before putting fresh feed in - otherwise, you are merely introducing fresh feed to a lomd positive environment.

(FWIW, I'm in sunny FL. Highs routinely in the low 90s, we are in excess of 10" of rain in the last 30 days, and mid 60s% humidity is our daily low)

For small quantities of feed you can use a plastic bucket with a lid. Larger quantities, many find success with a dead chest freezer - relatively inexpensive, rat proof, and if the seal is any good, it will protect it from significant changes in temp and humidity. Igloo plastic coolers also work, but expensive.

I keep anywhere from 150-600# of feed on hand at a time, right now I try and keep it under 350# - which is less than three weeks worth. I had to build a metal closet to rat and mouse proof, can't keep the roaches out - but when I do m every three-4 week clean out, inventory, and reload (FIFO), I let my chickens in to eat up any spilled feed and every crawly thing they can find. Win/WIn.

Good luck in your efforts!

 

[sybonbon]

Hi guys

Every summer is gets really humid where I live. How can I store pellet feed without it molding and without critters being able to get into it?

I was buying feed from TSC which already had mold. Be careful where you buy from and how they store it. They have no problem with me returning it but it's not easy hauling 50 pound bags to the store.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

I was buying feed from TSC which already had mold. Be careful where you buy from and how they store it. They have no problem with me returning it but it's not easy hauling 50 pound bags to the store.

that's result of how they (and others) store it. Placing feed directly on a concrete floor is a great way to ensure mold - sadly, plenty of warehouses don't consider that when storing feed. Similarly, most places don't use air conditioned storage for bulk goods - and most of TSC's inventory doesn't need it, so you can get those big thermal changes that help attract moisture as condensation.

 

[Kiki]

Move it inside your house.
I've always kept my feed inside and I've never had an issue with moisture or mold.
I usually only have 1 or 2 50lb bags at a given time so it doesn't take up much room at all. I keep the bag inside a dog food container thing like this:
Buddeez Airtight Pet Food Storage Container - 50 QT/50 LB Capacity Dog Food Storage Container, Cat Food Container, Bird Seed Storage Container, Rolling Storage Bin, Air Tight with Handle & Scoop https://a.co/d/ilXIA6Y

 

[theoldchick]

I store my feed in a metal garbage can with a lid sitting on top of a wood pallet. I keep the feed in the original bag which seems to really help with keeping mold to a minimum.

 

[jreardon1918]

We have a local feed store. They produce the feed. Do it is always fresh. I go every 3 weeks to buy a 50 pound bag. They fit nicely in two of these buckets. The white buckets are chicken feed. The red buckets are dog food. This works for me. And my dog loves visiting the feed store and they enjoy him.

 

[Brooks_]

I use a pet food container (https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/iris-usa-airtight-pet-food-container-50-lb-69-qt?). It is plastic so stored in another box to stop rodents, but it keeps the feed well. I've not had any mold.

 

[allameraucana]

Hi everyone thanks for your responses. I only have this issue in the summer since that's when our humidity picks up. I only buy 50lb bags at a time and for now I just keep it in the original bag. It is stored in our shed which has a concrete floor.

Usually I just leave the bag open so it gets air flow but obviously this attracts critters. I have been just rolling the top of the bag closed and putting something heavy on it. That actually keeps critters out but that's when I have issues with mold.