Old feed

[Chicken Tender 2]

Long story, but can I use layer feed that is around 10 months old and hasn't been out of the bag?

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Feed loses nutritional value as it ages and oxidizes. Fats in it can also go rancid, causing your birds not to eat it. Finally, it can be colonized by all sorts of stuff you don't want your birds exposed to.

BUT - nutritional loses is slow, and varies with a lot of factors. The fats may not have gone rancid. Its possible, if it was stored properly, that it hasn't become home to unwanted mildew, bacterial or other undesired colonies of "stuff".

Open it up, insect for evidence its gone bad. If you don't see any, offer a small amount to your chickens - if they refuse to eat it, possibility they are detecting something that escapes your notice.

Try to watch your mill dates when purchasing, and ensure you are following a FIFIO (first in/first out) rotation of your feed to keep it from going bad while waiting to be used, and buy in quantities apporpriate to your rate of use (same reason).

Plenty of BYCers and other were forced to use old, and very old feed during the Pandemic. In general, the birds tolerated it.

 

[Chicken Tender 2]

Feed loses nutritional value as it ages and oxidizes. Fats in it can also go rancid, causing your birds not to eat it. Finally, it can be colonized by all sorts of stuff you don't want your birds exposed to.

BUT - nutritional loses is slow, and varies with a lot of factors. The fats may not have gone rancid. Its possible, if it was stored properly, that it hasn't become home to unwanted mildew, bacterial or other undesired colonies of "stuff".

Open it up, insect for evidence its gone bad. If you don't see any, offer a small amount to your chickens - if they refuse to eat it, possibility they are detecting something that escapes your notice.

Try to watch your mill dates when purchasing, and ensure you are following a FIFIO (first in/first out) rotation of your feed to keep it from going bad while waiting to be used, and buy in quantities apporpriate to your rate of use (same reason).

Plenty of BYCers and other were forced to use old, and very old feed during the Pandemic. In general, the birds tolerated it.

Thank you for the information.