INCUBATING w/FRIENDS! w/Sally Sunshine Shipped Eggs No problem!

[LittleLakePhil]

What's up local?

 

[LocalYokel]

What's up local?

Workin workin
Holdin a FIRM meditation

 

[ChickenCanoe]

It seems like hay stayed about 2-2.50 a bale for 30 years or more and then started shooting up about 15 years ago.. Alfalfa was more like $3.50 - $4.
Straw was always aroud $1 or so during that time.

It hurts me to pay $6.50 for straw.

A nursery and garden center just up the street went out of business and sold everything. The feed store bought all their straw. I wish I had known about it.
I just use it for covering the snow and bare areas of chicken yards.
I have nothing to feed hay to at the time so that doesn't hurt so much.

 

[Pensmaster]

Probably because of the drought?

The closest feed store to me can't get straw right now because of last year's wet spring but it is normally about $6.50.

Hay is higher. All they have right now is prairie grass hay at $8.50 a bale.

In my mind those are both high. I can't find anyone close with other kinds of hay like orchard grass, timothy or alfalfa.

The drought and the states water protection act. We are required to put in what they call waddles. Basically straw hay in a 9" netting tube around every square inch of perimeter of our building sites. Literally miles of the stuff a year at $1.39 a foot installed much more involved than that but that's where the straw goes.

 

[fire370]

And straw hay is $12 a bale. Don't get that very often

My lord!!!! I could make a killing!!!!!

 

[kwhites634]

And chick starter is $18 for 50#. Tractor supply has a deal 20 50# bags for 12.99 but I don't want that much in barn at a time. Argh. The 15$ per 50 is the best I can find.

You might consider doing what I did. I have one of those large green garbage cans, with the wheels & hinged lid that snaps shut. They'll hold 150 lb easily; maybe 200 lb. You could get enough of those cans to hold 20 bags ( probably 6) with no concern about coons or rodents. Before I moved the coop, I stored mine in the barn, with a rubber cargo strap securing the lid as added security against coons, and never had a problem. Obviously, you'd have a decent cash outlay for the cans, but you'd make it back with the reduced price of the feed. Just my 1.5 cents worth (inflation, you know).

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I use big plastic stackable bins that rodents haven't figured out how to get into. But I try not to feed anything older than 3 months from manufactures.

 

[Pensmaster]

You might consider doing what I did. I have one of those large green garbage cans, with the wheels & hinged lid that snaps shut. They'll hold 150 lb easily; maybe 200 lb. You could get enough of those cans to hold 20 bags ( probably 6) with no concern about coons or rodents. Before I moved the coop, I stored mine in the barn, with a rubber cargo strap securing the lid as added security against coons, and never had a problem.  Obviously, you'd have a decent cash outlay for the cans, but you'd make it back with the reduced price of the feed.  Just my 1.5 cents worth (inflation, you know).

Definitely going to look into it. Get a cooperative going here some how. Got to start asking neighbors if they want to do something with me. I usually sell eggs to eat but during the winter they get scarce. That's why I'm hoping to get good eggs layers for the winter. Can sell any extra I have quick.

 

[fire370]

When I get my feed ticket from this load here in a bit, I'll let you know what a ton of my 17% bulk mix is.

Guaranteed it'll put tears in your eyes.

 

[kwhites634]

It seems like hay stayed about 2-2.50 a bale for 30 years or more and then started shooting up about 15 years ago.. Alfalfa was more like $3.50 - $4.
Straw was always aroud $1 or so during that time.

It hurts me to pay $6.50 for straw.

A nursery and garden center just up the street went out of business and sold everything. The feed store bought all their straw. I wish I had known about it.
I just use it for covering the snow and bare areas of chicken yards.
I have nothing to feed hay to at the time so that doesn't hurt so much.

Whenever I need hay or straw, which isn't often anymore, I just go to a nearby farm during baling season & buy it out of the barn or right off the wagon. Seems like every grain farm around has a sign along the road advertising hay/straw for sale.