stocking up?

[katatonic123]

How long can you keep layer crumbles? My store is having a sale and I thought about stocking up but not sure if it would be worth it since my chicks aren't ready for it yet.

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

3-4 months if stored optimally (not hot and not damp).

Over the summer you have to be very cautious.

In other words, in a hot shed, the feed may go bad soooo fast that I would only put one bag in there at a time.

But in a nice insulated garage over the winter you can easily keep it for 4 months I have read.

But the vitamins will degrade as the feed quality degrades, and vitamin deficiencies are not pretty in chickens. So be conservative if possible.

Never allow it to become damp as if it turns moldy it can kill chickens or make them extremely ill/paralyzed/gasping.

You can feed your layers unmedicated grower feed indefinitely as long as you have oyster shell on the side. So if that is on sale you can stock up on that...just a thought.

 

[katatonic123]

Thanks. They are only 1-2 weeks old right now so I have several months to even start layer crumbles. Guess I'll catch the next sale.

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

Thanks. They are only 1-2 weeks old right now so I have several months to even start layer crumbles. Guess I'll catch the next sale.

Another option is to freeze feed. You can defrost only what you will use in the next day or two (as it will form condensation on it as it defrosts which can turn it moldy).