Wanting to start a feed co-op in Tucson, Arizona

[sbagallinas]

I don't think there is an official feed co-op here. ZenHens, if you join them, is getting some feed in bulk from the Tohono O'odham farm. It is not certified organic, I think it might be certified natural, not sure. The Phoenix group, it is the Big Sky feed that they are getting, right? The problem I have with that feed is it is ground to a very fine mash, almost a powder, and my birds absolutely do not like the fine stuff. They always leave it in the bottom of the feeder.
Modesto's last price for corn-soy free (Not canola free, though) was $23.13 then it was another $2.62 per bag for shipping and that is a pellet. Shipping varies with gas price, of course. This month shipping was less than when I bought in October. Modesto's regular soy layer pellets or crumbles (they have both) is $25.76 plus shipping. And no tax. I just received an order, but I order every 2 months or so depending on if I'm hatching and growing chicks. Might even be more often if I have a lot of growing chicks. I look for a few people to go in on an order so I don't have to buy all 50 bags myself. If you are interested in going in on an order in the future, let me know and I'll contact you when the time comes.

Hi Marcia, sorry I haven't been on in awhile. Holiday and then we got hit by the flu season. In any case, I would be interested in going in on an order of the Modesto corn-soy free and I will talk to a couple of friends who may be interested as well if you would like me to ask. My email is [email protected]. Just bought two bags from OK Feed and the consistency is different - it's a finer mash. It seems they gave me the correct bags so I'm not sure what's going on.

 

[desertmarcy]

sbagallinas, are you in Tucson? Modesto makes both a pellet and a crumble for their layer, perhaps you got the crumble? Sometimes, depending on handling and how Modesto sets their machine, their "crumble" comes out more mash-like. I always complain to them when I get feed that fine. If they get complaints, then they adjust their machine. You would think that would be normal quality control. Oh well.

Yes, please ask if other people are interested. I'll email Modesto and get their new price list and forward it to you. I don't like having to buy a whole pallet at once, it is hard on the bank account, but then again, I don't like to have to order more often than every 2-3 months because it is a pain having that big freight truck come up my driveway, and some of the drivers don't even want to do it, so they drop it at the end of the driveway, which means I have to pick up each 50 pound bag TWICE--once to load in the back of my pickup and drive to the storage building in the back, and another time to haul it into the building. It is a lot of work. The last time, there was a driver who had never been here before (they always seem to send someone different), and he had a really hard time turning around and broke a few things in the process (nothing major, but still). So if other people chip in and buy some bags and still leave me with enough feed for 2-3 months, that works out perfect.

 

[heyteach6]

I'm in NW Tucson but I'm just getting started again. I hope to have about a dozen layers-we'll see. I have an incubator full and they hatch next week and I won't know for awhile what I have. I already have buyers for the chicks! I'm more of the back yard size for personal use. I would be interested in buying the organic though, but not sure if what I would buy would be making a dent in your purchase. I do have lots of friends that are raising chickens and they might be interested too. LMK

Email: [email protected]

I'm near Cortaro/Thornydale

June

 

[desertmarcy]

I sent you both the price list on your personal emails. If you don't get it, check your spam mail.

 

[sbagallinas]

Got the email - thanks! Question for you though, do we need to all order the same type or can the 50 bags be mixed?

 

[desertmarcy]

They can be mixed.

 

[tucsongardening]

DesertMarcy,

I'd like to buy some of those 50 bags on the Modesto pallet. Here's my email: [email protected]. I live in Midtown Tucson. Thanks!

 

[durhamb]

Thank-you. Yes, I joined Azure Standard and I plan to order from them, and maybe the COOP in Phoenix for the scratch. I talked to the Mill and he said they use organic Kamut...the stuff that gets broken for their scratch, but it is not ground at all. It has flax and BOSS in it too. They also sell whole grain wheat, oat, barley, flax and BOSS and some others too and the guy from the Phx COOP is going to see about adding that to their product list for everyone to buy. Problem for me is its so far to drive, but I may order several bags at a time and only go up once or twice a year. Thanks for the info...I think I'll stick with Azure for now.

 

[wondertwinpower]

I don't know how long it has been around, since I just stumbled across them a few weeks ago and received my first order yesterday, but there is a Tucson Organic Chicken Feed Wholesale Buyers Club now. Their website is http://www.tucsonorganicfeed.com/ - if you poke around in there enough, you can fine the pricing. I opened my feed this morning and I'm very very happy with the quality.

 

[desertmarcy]

I don't know how long it has been around, since I just stumbled across them a few weeks ago and received my first order yesterday, but there is a Tucson Organic Chicken Feed Wholesale Buyers Club now. Their website is http://www.tucsonorganicfeed.com/ - if you poke around in there enough, you can fine the pricing. I opened my feed this morning and I'm very very happy with the quality.

Yes I am aware of it. I have a lot of birds and buy mine by the pallet load, 50 bags at a time, from Modesto Milling, organic feed, in CA. I do not like the fine mash that the Big Sky feed comes in.
Modesto has crumbles or pellets. A lot of people ferment or wet the mash feed to get their birds to eat it and not waste it. I have too many birds to do that. I am paying about the same from Modesto including shipping and it is delivered right to my yard. The Tucson buying club just started here. It has been going on in Phoenix for a while. I'm going to stick with Modesto. Thanks for posting, though