Out of duck food!

[furbabymum]

Furbaby, we don't buy a month at a time, that would be far too much feed to store while using from the bins that hold opened bags. Plus with all the animals we feed too many types to keep sorted and easy to pull bags from. However, our feed is delivered every two weeks like clock work. Thursday morning I get a call from the feed store, give our order and that afternoon it's stacked and ready for us to use here. I have gotten to where we have about 2 days of feed left when the new arrives, so we use up and dump all the new bags and start over.

I could see that. I mainly use flock raiser with a bag or 2 of layer feed now that my hens are laying age. Otherwise it's flock raiser for all! Well what the feed store considers their version of flock raiser. I'm like this with our dogs too. We buy all the food for the month at once and keep it in trash bins. Mainly because I'm suprememly lazy so this is the easiest way to get it done. The other reason is that I wait until they have a sale and then buy a ton, literally.

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

With our humidity we store all ay and feed inside a building with a/c even though we go through it every two weeks.

 

[kuntrygirl]

Were you able to get get to the feed store to buy feed?

I have a lot of animals (300+), so I have to buy a lot of feed at one time. I buy about 2,000 lbs a feed at a time and it lasts me about 3 weeks. I have a feed storage building (well ventilated) and I store the feed in 45 gallon trash cans. I never have any problems with feed molding or going bad because it doesn't stay in the trash cans too long. I know when it's time to buy more feed, so I always buy feed at least 3 days in advance. In the event of holidays and bad weather, I plan in advance and buy feed even earlier than the scheduled date.

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

Yep, always over plan feed for the animals. Never really any reason to run out if you are paying attention to the level in the bag left.

 

[EggLuver]

No but I also find that if I buy the whole grains (except I get cracked corn) no rolled or crimped and mix it all myself then I save about $30 over the same amount of processed feed and the ducks seem to love it. and even with 28 ducks I have enough with one purchase to last 2 months. Approximately 200 lbs of feed and they get all kinds of veggies. I gave mine a head of cabbage all chopped up yesterday and today they will get a water melon rind. For calcium, I crush up the old shells and give them back to the ducks. I am surprised that no one has mentioned that at all from any of the threads I have seen.

There is no excuse for running out of feed. You should know several days before this happens as you know how much you are feeding and plan accordingly. If it is a matter of cost and you are just looking for cheaper feed because you can't afford it then you need to give up the duck. There are many stores including pet stores that would have enough feed to get you through a weekend. You will spend more for it but it will be worth it.

 

[Cedar714]

For my small flock I use a metal trash can also and it works great to keep the vermin out, once it gets below half or so I get another bag of feed and top it off, haven't used much lately since they free range half the day so I am going to pick up another can before winter so I can have more on hand.

 

[furbabymum]

For my small flock I use a metal trash can also and it works great to keep the vermin out, once it gets below half or so I get another bag of feed and top it off, haven't used much lately since they free range half the day so I am going to pick up another can before winter so I can have more on hand.

Only problem I see with this is you want to make sure you are using the oldest feed first. I'd wait until your trash can was fully empty before adding more feed. For me, I keep the bags of feed in a trash bin. I have a plastic container that holds exactly one bag of feed. When it's gone I grab a bag of feed from the trash bin and pour it into the plastic container. That way I'm always using the oldest feed completely before adding new.

 

[zooweemama]

Am I the only one who buys enough feed for an entire month at a time? Keep it in a metal trash bin and voila. I never, ever run out. Free choice feed with a compost bin full of fruits and veggies from the store. Makes some good, healthy, happy poultry.

I don't buy a month at a time. I buy fresh feed every 2 weeks. I don't run out. The bag usually has about 2 days worth left by the time it's time to buy more more.

 

[zooweemama]

I could see that. I mainly use flock raiser with a bag or 2 of layer feed now that my hens are laying age. Otherwise it's flock raiser for all! Well what the feed store considers their version of flock raiser. I'm like this with our dogs too. We buy all the food for the month at once and keep it in trash bins. Mainly because I'm suprememly lazy so this is the easiest way to get it done. The other reason is that I wait until they have a sale and then buy a ton, literally.

Our 100+ heat would destroy it. We don'd have space inside the house for 3 bags of feed let alone 6 bags to go a month. Once Fall hits then it's rain for the next 6 months- so then we contend with high moisture. LOL We are lucky that worse case- I have 3 feed store within a 10 mile radius and 1 of them is a Tractor Supply. I think how much one buys at a time depends on climate, storage space and money. I don't have $120-200 at once time to spend on feed. So breaking it up works best for us all the way around. For some- I know they have the space and can also keep it stored properly for months at a time. Maybe one day. So I wouldn't say you are the only one but I would say you are one of the lucky few who can.

 

[furbabymum]

Our 100+ heat would destroy it. We don'd have space inside the house for 3 bags of feed let alone 6 bags to go a month. Once Fall hits then it's rain for the next 6 months- so then we contend with high moisture. LOL We are lucky that worse case- I have 3 feed store within a 10 mile radius and 1 of them is a Tractor Supply. I think how much one buys at a time depends on climate, storage space and money. I don't have $120-200 at once time to spend on feed. So breaking it up works best for us all the way around. For some- I know they have the space and can also keep it stored properly for months at a time. Maybe one day. So I wouldn't say you are the only one but I would say you are one of the lucky few who can.

You're right. I do live in a very dry, temperate area. I'm sure humidity would kill stored feed.