little bugs in scratch.

[TreyClark281]

i have these little bugs in my scratch! its so anoying!!!

what could i use around the house to get rid of them..
i cant buy de b/c i dont have enough money and dad wont pay for it b/c it "not his chicken"
i like to pay for stuff on my own so what could i get that is cheep (lol cheep

) and works good.

 

[devora]

Don't the chickens just eat the bugs? Extra protein!

 

[TreyClark281]

ya i guess.
it just bothers me..
and i store my food in the house b/c of the rat problem.

 

[Zenbirder]

Trey,
You do have to be careful or those little bugs, probably weavels, will get into all the pantry stuff like flour, pasta and rice. They have been serious pests through history, I encourage you to read about them. Won't hurt the chickens, but you need to take some steps not to get an infestation in your home.

 

[CtlisencedArborist]

cmon....d/e is like 25$ for a 50lb bag..ill send ya 2-3 lbs if ya cant get anf....freecycle for some!www.freecycle.org!

 

[leghorns_rule]

don't the bugs just act as extra food???

 

[katmae77]

Do you have extra space in a freezer? I only have a couple chickens and store my food in th efreezer so It doesn't get bugs. I had a problem with weevils and moths until I tried his.

 

[TreyClark281]

CtlisencedArborist
thanks for the offer!!!
but i think im going to try to freeze it.
do you have to thaw it?? lol.

my mom bakes wild bird seed so they wont grow.

 

[chickenwhisperer]

I noticed that the scratch I bought at feed store also had those bugs in it. So I bought two airtight dog food containers from petco, kinda squarish with a round screw-on lid that has an o-ring seal, and they come in a few sizes. I got a 20lb max one for scratch and the 45lb one for food( you can squeeze a 50lb bag of crumble in). After a week with no air, I didnt see any more live bugs and (knock on wood) havent noticed any in the cupboards either.
They werent exactly cheap, but not too expensive, I think the big one was around 40$ and the little around 25$. But the cost you save in bugs, spoilage, and peace of mind more than made up for the initial cost in dollars. Plus I only have 3 chickens so a 50lb bag lasts a long time, so it stays fresh.

 

[blossom hen]

Trey, if freezing isn't a good option for you, have you considered storing chicken feed in a trash can? You can get one with a tight fitting lid and that way you can store the feed outdoors near the chicken coop.