Long-term feed storage?

[lazy gardener]

If and when the economy tanks, and it's going to: Scriptural prophecy is being fulfilled. I am not a prepper in the traditional sense. But I believe in keeping my financial house in order, and being as well prepared and as well educated as possible to be able to meet the needs of my family with minimal reliance on the grocery store. To that end, I have planted an orchard, have a sizeable garden, and am set up to breed future generations of chickens. I am learning to use a pressure canner. To provide for the flock's needs, I would rely on foraging as much as possible, and reduce flock size so that there would be less impact on my resources. I am not stockpiling anything b/c of my understanding of the prophecies.

But, for the reader who wants to stock pile: I suggest stocking whole grains for personal and flock use. I have also read that white rice has a fairly long shelf life if stored properly, while brown rice does not. Seal a meal is a good idea, as well as those gamma seals for the 5 gal buckets. You will also need to be able to grind those grains for personal use. It's also important that you consider where your water supply is going to come from. Have you figured out how to provide safe water if you don't have access to your well or city water supply?

 

[tigger19687]

I just want to make sure you know I am not looking to stock pile. More that this thead had good info on longer storage

 

[chickengeorgeto]

A few years ago multiple twisters hit on either side of me. Unfortunately the water pipes in my neighbors houses didn't fair so well. The result was that the water level dropped in the county water tank which resulted in like NO WATER in my kitchen. Fortunately I stopped my wife and kids from flushing the toilet in time that we were left with 3 water closets full of water. It was about two days before they got the water meters at damaged and destroyed homes shut off and then the water pressure slowly returned. So there are more than one way that you can lose your water without your well running dry.

 

[lazy gardener]

We lost our power for 13 days in an ice storm. No water for us, other than what we thawed from the snow, or that we carried in. Yes, many things can cause you to be without water... or electricity...

Back to the feeding of the flock: simply planting your yard with edible land scaping will decrease your feed bill in both the bountiful and the lean times. Comfrey, lots of berries, grains, many weeds are edible (and tasty) for both animals and people, Siberian Pea shrub. I've even considered collecting frog eggs in the spring and raising the tad poles to frogs to increase the population of them in my yard.

 

[tigger19687]

Lazy, Ok I wanna know now why you want Frongs in your pond (?) to feed to the chickens ?

 

[lazy gardener]

I don't have a pond. But, I do have some damp places that would keep frogs happy. I want them to eat the bugs. If the chickens eat the frogs... that's part of the life cycle.

 

[Folly's place]

I think that the issue would be in managing the vitamin/ mineral mix, which doesn't store, except maybe in the deep freeze. Whole grains properly stored are fine, but aren't enough for a balanced diet. More to the point, modern high producing breeds won't do well in an actual survival situation; it would be back to the Jungle Fowl, or game breeds, with smaller size and poor seasonal egg production. Maybe Icelandics, which are a landrace? Mary

 

[lazy gardener]

I think that the issue would be in managing the vitamin/ mineral mix, which doesn't store, except maybe in the deep freeze. Whole grains properly stored are fine, but aren't enough for a balanced diet. More to the point, modern high producing breeds won't do well in an actual survival situation; it would be back to the Jungle Fowl, or game breeds, with smaller size and poor seasonal egg production. Maybe Icelandics, which are a landrace? Mary

Good point.

 

[Chicks555]

You should not plan on storing any feed that has been ground or processed. Only whole grains will store and keep their nutritive value. Seeds are mother nature's self-contained long term storage devices. But once the grain is ground it looses this ability and is prone to oxidation. Whole wheat will store for 30+ years. If you want to be prepared I would buy a few steel 55 gallon barrels with tight fitting lids and fill them. Each barrel will hold approx 360 pounds of wheat. PM me for more information.

Hello!
Are you saying just to buy like wk

You should not plan on storing any feed that has been ground or processed. Only whole grains will store and keep their nutritive value. Seeds are mother nature's self-contained long term storage devices. But once the grain is ground it looses this ability and is prone to oxidation. Whole wheat will store for 30+ years. If you want to be prepared I would buy a few steel 55 gallon barrels with tight fitting lids and fill them. Each barrel will hold approx 360 pounds of wheat. PM me for more information.

hello,
Are you suggesting buying whole wheat grains or seeds? What kind of product are you suggesting be stored? Also when you say metal bins are you taking about the kind that have handle lids? Those aren’t the tightest fit? Is there a way to make the metal lids air tight? Would you suggest putting absorbers in, if so how many?