Storing food

[trudyg]

I know that you don't want to leave food where it's exposed to excessive heat or any moisture, etc, but how do most of you store your feed? I keep mine in the garage. When I open a bag, I pour it into a plastic container or metal trash can-type container, but sometimes my container won't hold it all and some stays in the bag. I then roll the bad down and use a large clip to hold it closed.

The garbage can type container I leave in the coop so I can easily fill the feeder. The plastic container stays in the garage. Both places get hot in the summer and cold in the winter, but the feed is protected from bugs, rodents and any chemicals that may be used in the area. Any feed still in the bag is where I draw from first.

Is this okay? I only buy one bag at a time, so it doesn't age out. I check the label when I buy it so it's within date, but different vendors use different codes and store staff doesn't often know hou to read the code.

Also, if I buy scratch or treats, how do you store it? That's not something we use a lot of and it can get an off smell no matter how well it's stored, so then I just pitch it but should I have done something different?

Can we get just a short and concise rule of thumb on feed purchase, storage and use? Thanks.

 

[GC-Raptor]

I keep feed in original bag tightly closed in my house at room temperature.
I only take out enough feed to refill feeder. Bag stays in the house.
I only have 3 chickens so I buy a 25# bag. GC

 

[staceyj]

It sounds as if you are doing everything right.

Do you have a cat by any chance?

I save and reuse the 15 lb kitty litter jugs and fill them with over flow. They are easy to label with a sharpie.
I have them filled with sweet pdz, grit, scratch, DE, oyster shell.

I use snap lid containers like this

for the large amounts -also stored in the garage that are marketed for keeping bbq charcoal dry.

The reason I like them is the lid is SO TIGHT.
I have several of them lined up in the garage. Dog-dog-chickens-chickens.

Optimally, I’d love to have a big mud room or laundry room (climate controlled and with an exterior door leading to the outside plus a sink...!)
with a whole wall lined up like the bulk foods section at Whole Foods- but THATS never going to happen!

 

[ChirpyChicks1]

Pff. You’re on top of it. My chicken feed is dumped into a tote with lid but my scratch is left in the bag and open I’ve never even thought about it.

 

[Folly's place]

When 'chicken math' strikes, and you all have much larger coops, it's more convenient to store the feed, in the bags it came in, in metal garbage cans right out there.
If there's ever a problem that might be linked to a bag of feed, you will have it, with all necessary information, for the manufacturer.
Ask me how I know this!
Mary

 

[trudyg]

Thanks. I have several of those containers for charcoal that I'm using so far, but I like the metal trash can one best--it's from TSC and has that bale on top to close securely. I was just worried about the heat/humidity. I'm in N Alabama and cold isn't really an issue.

No cats, just chickens. I like the thought of a large metal can to chunk the entire bag into, that's probably what I'll gravitate towards, since my flock is doubling when my 7 week old BO's go in with the bigs. They were in there with them until the hawk attack so are now in a tractor with better protection until they get more size.

 

[GC-Raptor]

Also, if I buy scratch or treats, how do you store it?

I use mixed bird seed instead of scratch. I dump half a bag into a 6 gallon galvanized container and keep in the storage area of the coop. The half bag is stored with the feed in my house near the back door.
The 25# bag of Granite Grit and 50# bag of Oyster Shells, are kept in a spare room in my house. GC

 

[SurferchickinSB]

I know that you don't want to leave food where it's exposed to excessive heat or any moisture, etc, but how do most of you store your feed? I keep mine in the garage. When I open a bag, I pour it into a plastic container or metal trash can-type container, but sometimes my container won't hold it all and some stays in the bag. I then roll the bad down and use a large clip to hold it closed.

The garbage can type container I leave in the coop so I can easily fill the feeder. The plastic container stays in the garage. Both places get hot in the summer and cold in the winter, but the feed is protected from bugs, rodents and any chemicals that may be used in the area. Any feed still in the bag is where I draw from first.

Is this okay? I only buy one bag at a time, so it doesn't age out. I check the label when I buy it so it's within date, but different vendors use different codes and store staff doesn't often know hou to read the code.

Also, if I buy scratch or treats, how do you store it? That's not something we use a lot of and it can get an off smell no matter how well it's stored, so then I just pitch it but should I have done something different?

Can we get just a short and concise rule of thumb on feed purchase, storage and use? Thanks.

I store my food in plastic containers that have gaskets on the lids to create airtight seals, that way no moisture! I also separate the food in 1 gallon plastic bags before placing in the containers

I know that you don't want to leave food where it's exposed to excessive heat or any moisture, etc, but how do most of you store your feed? I keep mine in the garage. When I open a bag, I pour it into a plastic container or metal trash can-type container, but sometimes my container won't hold it all and some stays in the bag. I then roll the bad down and use a large clip to hold it closed.

The garbage can type container I leave in the coop so I can easily fill the feeder. The plastic container stays in the garage. Both places get hot in the summer and cold in the winter, but the feed is protected from bugs, rodents and any chemicals that may be used in the area. Any feed still in the bag is where I draw from first.

Is this okay? I only buy one bag at a time, so it doesn't age out. I check the label when I buy it so it's within date, but different vendors use different codes and store staff doesn't often know hou to read the code.

Also, if I buy scratch or treats, how do you store it? That's not something we use a lot of and it can get an off smell no matter how well it's stored, so then I just pitch it but should I have done something different?

Can we get just a short and concise rule of thumb on feed purchase, storage and use? Thanks.

 

[SurferchickinSB]

I store my food in plastic containers that have gaskets on the lids to create airtight seals, that way no moisture! I also separate the food in 1 gallon plastic bags before placing in the containers

I bought my containers from OSH, but I am sure most hardware stores have them.

 

[woodenfarm]

We use the big plastics like horse feed containers that have the kids that are tightly closed. Ours is in the barn storage area. And when all the scratch or deed does not fit I have a regular tote like you get at Wal-Mart and close it tightly up in it in the bag.
We left ours in the garage at the start the bag closed well and we had a few mice come and chew the bag.