Producer's Pride layer feed from Tractor Supply

[21hens-incharge]

I really doubt they leave bags of feed in a warehouse for months, the feed will go bad. Yes it is possible that bag might have gone bad.
I have had chicken feed here bit longer than I wanted you can smell the difference opening the bag.

I have seen feed in stores 8 months past mill date. It definitely happens.
Since they changed how the date appears it is far harder for the average shopper to decipher.

I find this useful since it has a converter.

https://www.juliandate.org/

 

[TOR]

I have seen feed in stores 8 months past mill date. It definitely happens.
Since they changed how the date appears it is far harder for the average shopper to decipher.

I find this useful since it has a converter.

https://www.juliandate.org/

If that be the case that old should be able to smell it, it will smell old.
Alot of feed is made from corn and soybeans. Cracked corn from what I have read is 6 to 9 months, moisture content of corn , temp of storage etc,
Bag of chicken feed in summer 90 days, maybe
Kalmback says in dry storage temp controlled 6 months.
Stores may do it, shouldn't.

 

[Huntmaster]

I really doubt they leave bags of feed in a warehouse for months, the feed will go bad. Yes it is possible that bag might have gone bad.
I have had chicken feed here bit longer than I wanted you can smell the difference opening the bag.

Big chain stores buy feed in huge allotments and is stored in warehouses and sent out as needed so can sit there for long time. Then local store orders their order, and it sits on their shelf until all bags are sold. Not all are good at first in first out and stockers just throw newer bags on top of older on shelf and know it sits there even longer. As others have stated I have seen bags on shelves over 8 months old. Some feeds sit longer depends on how popular feed is in that particular store or area. Is up to us to know how to read the labels and yes, they don't usually make it easy for us. I always check mill dates on feed and for that matter I always check sell by dates shelf-life dates expiration dates on everything I buy. You would be surprised how much old, expired stuff is on shelves.

 

[StinkyAcres]

I stopped getting Producer's Pride layer pellets too because it seemed my chickens suddenly didn't like it anymore. The pellets would go bad so quickly, even during the winter, and I threw out several partially-full bags. They never smelled fresh, even newly-opened bags. I've had enough of the moldy, clumpy, smelly feed and am switching back to Dumor.

A Nutrena representative told me their feed "expires" 4 months after the mill date on the bag, but Tractor Supply's policy is to take feed off the shelves 6 months after the mill date.

 

[Some Old Guy]

I stopped getting Producer's Pride layer pellets too because it seemed my chickens suddenly didn't like it anymore. The pellets would go bad so quickly, even during the winter, and I threw out several partially-full bags. They never smelled fresh, even newly-opened bags. I've had enough of the moldy, clumpy, smelly feed and am switching back to Dumor.

A Nutrena representative told me their feed "expires" 4 months after the mill date on the bag, but Tractor Supply's policy is to take feed off the shelves 6 months after the mill date.

Ahhhh - 4 months expiration, and six months rotation. That can explain an awful lot. Very useful information, thank you! I definitely need to start examining those tags before I purchase feed.

24158tfpg is the code on the questionable bag of feed

If 24 is the year, and 158 is the julian date, then this bag is very fresh, being milled on June 7th.

The feed in the bag has a sweetish smell, almost like the sweet feed I give the goats. That is very different from the layer pellets I purchased today, which has no hint of sweet to it. That is good earthy grain smell.

 

[Some Old Guy]

OK, it's about dark:15 now. I fed the ducks about an hour and a half ago, just now went out to chase the last stragglers into the chicken pen. (Black Aussie hen thought sleeping on top of the coop was a good idea tonight.) Checked the duck's feed, and they're eating. Their daily ration isn't gone yet, but I can't be sure that the setting hens have come out. But, they have definitely eaten more of the new feed in an hour and a half, than they have eaten the other feed in three days. I expect that their feed bowl will be empty in the morning.

 

[Gavinthechickenman]

I get producers pride crumble and my chickens love it they hate pellets but crumble is easer to eat for them

 

[StinkyAcres]

The feed in the bag has a sweetish smell, almost like the sweet feed I give the goats. That is very different from the layer pellets I purchased today, which has no hint of sweet to it. That is good earthy grain smell.

Yes! The Producer's Pride stuff does give off a sweet smell after it's been open for a while and it seems that's when I notice my chickens don't want it anymore.

 

[Some Old Guy]

It's getting close to dark, time to feed and put critters in their proper places. Yesterday's duck feeding has almost disappeared. They aren't eating quite as much as they have in the past, but it's around 80 to 90 percent of what I expect. I can attribute that easily enough to good foraging, and/or heat. Heck, most of us eat a few less Twinkies when it's hot, right?

Chickens, on the other hand, have consumed the Producer's pride pellets that I sprinkled on top of their regular ration, with the Guineas taking the lion's share.

I'm going to keep that "bad" feed, and slowly portion it out, but I won't buy PP feed again. Dumor and the Farmer's Co-op brand for me!

 

[Chessiecat]

I really doubt they leave bags of feed in a warehouse for months, the feed will go bad. Yes it is possible that bag might have gone bad.
I have had chicken feed here bit longer than I wanted you can smell the difference opening the bag.

I picked up a bag of feed (starter) for my "kids". I found the start of feed with mold at bottom of bag. Purchased at TS.
I'm going to Purchase from my local feed store from now on. Yup... I do believe these bags can and do sit in warehouses for months.