Moths in scratch - Throw it out or use it???

[teach1rusl]

I use scratch as a treat, so I dole it out sparingly...a handful in the morning and another at night when I'm calling them back to the run. Sometimes they get a little more, especially in the winter time. But I only have a few chickens, and either wasn't thinking when I bought a BIG bag (probably 40 or 50 lbs?) last year or that's all they had - can't remember. Anyhow, I keep it in my garage in a plastic kitchen garbage can w/a lid. This summer I noticed (when I went to fill my scratch/treat jar) a bunch of little moth-like bugs flying up when I opened the lid. The scratch is also now tending to clump together. I have examined it closely, and see no mold or anything...just those danged moth things flying up.
Since scratch really has no nutritional value, I'm not worried about it losing that (like in the case of feed). I guess I'm wondering whether you would consider the scratch okay to continue feeding as a treat, or whether I need to throw it away...???

 

[dawnchick]

You'll get varying opinions on this. I have done both. Like you, I worry a lot more about mold than bugs. Probably most feed has the young of some sort of bug in it.

I found that in the cat/dog food aisle of the regular grocery store I could get small (10 lbs.) bags of scratch and starter. Obviously costs a little more but it takes me a long time to use even a small bag.

 

[GwenDellAnno]

Get a bit of diatomaceous earth (you want the food grade from the feed store) and mix it into whatever's left of your scratch. That will kill the bugs (so you don't have even more reproducing and growing). Also, it is good for the chickens to eat, so you can still feed the scratch to them. The extra protein won't hurt them a bit either.

 

[JP33]

Place the entire container in the freezer for two days. It will kill the wax larvae and prevent them from ruining the rest of the scratch. Feed all contents to your chickens with no worries.

You can also do this with milk bones or other dog treats as well. Indian meal moths are extremely common but harmless to pets.


...JP

 

[dawg53]

JP33 is correct, the freezer is the way to go. I've had those tiny moths before and they lay eggs in the feed. DE is useless against them, freezing them for several days will kill them.

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

Uhhh don't anybody get mad at me please- but I would be too afraid to even carry the bag thru the house... Carry the freezer to the bag or just feed it as is, is my vote!!

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

I would be too afraid to even carry the bag thru the house.

Just put the whole thing in a garbage bag first.​

 

[cutechick2010]

Wouldn't it be kind of hard to put a garbage can full of feed into the freezer? I think personally, so long as it is just moths and not mold, I would jsut feed it the way it is. The birds will most likely love it, after all when chickens free-range they get all kinds of bugs, larvae, maggots, etc. and they do great with it.

 

[drumstick diva]

I'd be afraid they'd get loose in the freezer and pretend to be dead till I opened the door, then fly out en masse like a moth tornadoes. Really have to stop watching scary movies.

 

[dawg53]

Quote:
Hahaha. IF they make it out of the bag in a freezer, they wont last long. (no more scary movies for you!) lol.