Small Dark bugs in a new bag of food. Is it safe to use

[pattir612]

Just bought a 50 lb back of Nutrena Chicken starter grower that I store it in a metal garbage can in my garage. When I opened the bag there were small dark colored bugs moving inside the bag. I took it back to store and exchanged it for a new one but was wondering if it is ok to use. We are new to backyard chickens.

Thanks. I've learned so much from this group.

 

[Folly's place]

I would never use it! Something went wrong somewhere, and it's probably really old too. Do you always check the mill date on each bag of feed? It needs to be no more than one month old, and then fed within a couple of weeks. Buggy feed? Yuck! Mary

 

[lazy gardener]

Yep, return it, and I'd follow up with a call to the corporate office. If consumers accept crap, they will continue to receive crap.

 

[Sunshine Flock]

I found some teeny insects on a new bag of organic feed and returned it right away. The bag was less than a month old.

They're sawtooth beetles and harmless for the chickens. If anything they add protein. I spoke to the company and learned a lot about these insects. It's not ideal but it's also not a serious concern.

 

[Folly's place]

I think they were justifying their problems, and respectfully disagree. You did return that bag of feed, good for you! Any repeat episode would have me avoiding that feed, at least. Mary

 

[Chickassan]

I'd return it,if you wanted a bag of bugs you'd have bought a bag of bugs right? That feed is too expensive to accept infestation of any sort, don't let them be lazy about their product .

 

[lazy gardener]

I found some teeny insects on a new bag of organic feed and returned it right away. The bag was less than a month old.

They're sawtooth beetles and harmless for the chickens. If anything they add protein. I spoke to the company and learned a lot about these insects. It's not ideal but it's also not a serious concern.

Having a bag of feed infested with insects is a serious issue as far as I'm concerned. For the company rep to tell you that the beetles add protein to the feed is absolute hogwash. Yes, the beetles themselves contain protein. But in order to grow and reproduce, they consume protein from your feed. They also leave behind a fair amount of frass (poop). Infested feed has been stored improperly, and is most likely old. If you store your feed in your home, there is the very real threat of these insects infesting your pantry. They can easily chew through most storage bags and boxes, and will take up residence in your kitchen.

I would follow up with a phone call or email to the company corporate office detailing the discussion you had with store employee/manager. Corporate offices are more apt to see to it that their stores provide good service and product to their customers.

 

[Sunshine Flock]

Having a bag of feed infested with insects is a serious issue as far as I'm concerned. For the company rep to tell you that the beetles add protein to the feed is absolute hogwash. Yes, the beetles themselves contain protein. But in order to grow and reproduce, they consume protein from your feed. They also leave behind a fair amount of frass (poop). Infested feed has been stored improperly, and is most likely old. If you store your feed in your home, there is the very real threat of these insects infesting your pantry. They can easily chew through most storage bags and boxes, and will take up residence in your kitchen.

I would follow up with a phone call or email to the company corporate office detailing the discussion you had with store employee/manager. Corporate offices are more apt to see to it that their stores provide good service and product to their customers.

The formulator for the company (and I believe he's one of the founders) is the one I spoke with about this. There were only a handful on the exterior of the bag where the seams are on the bottom. Presumably down at the bottom there are beetles inside the bag, too.

I talked to the feed store owner, too, and was told the same thing. I'm not thrilled about the beetles, but I'm also not feeling terribly concerned. Their explanations made sense to me.

 

[lazy gardener]

If I were you and had an other place to be buying feed, that's what I'd be doing.

 

[Sunshine Flock]

If I were you and had an other place to be buying feed, that's what I'd be doing.

The beetles are coming from the company that makes the feed, although the feed store has battled these insects for decades.