Watch Your Mill Dates!

[BantyChooks]

Good reminder! I checked mill dates for the first time ever on my feed just last week because of all the posts by you guys about it. I think it was 2wks old at most.

 

[21hens-incharge]

I am a date checker.
Before I started checking dates I bought a bag and no one would eat it. The date was 6 months out. I took a smell and it was weakly rancid smelling.

The worst I saw was 8 months old. I didn't bother with talking to staff. I spoke to the local rep for that manufacturer. I was lucky enough to bump into them at another store. The feed was removed within 2 hours.
How do I know? I went back to check.

I do give props to Purina for that fix.

 

[lazy gardener]

For the record, I will no longer shop at TSC for feed, and I would never in a million years buy a chick from them. Old rancid feed, and pasty butt chicks are par for the course. You can often see the PB goobers hanging off the chicks from 15' away! And ducks in bins that are sopping wet.

I agree, don't waste your time talking to a manager. If store conditions are that deplorable, simply contact the manufacturer or corporate office.

 

[Folly's place]

I visit two different TSC stores, and management does differ...
Mary

 

[Trish1974]

Wow, I am embarrassed to admit I have never checked dates. Never even thought about it...

 

[nminusyplusm]

Check those lot dates on Nature's Best feed at Tractor Supply! Btw, it's a Julian date so it will be the last 5 digits of the lot number: 102-17 means April 11 2017.

My TSC is selling feed that's almost 11 months old(!) (Nature's Best organic chick crumbles). I asked if they could order some fresh feed for me but my local TSC refused and said they won't order more until they sell what they have.
Then I called Nature's Best and they said they had no control over it at all.

I only have one other feed store in my town but at least they will place an order with a local mill for me. It won't be organic but hopefully at least it will be fresh.

 

[ChickNanny13]

I've purchased feed from Dels/TSC for years, all the feed/supplies come shipped (Mainland to Hawaii), in fact everything here is "shipped". All the feed & other big stuff are in the back, we have no access to see before purchasing ... Pay for your feed, show the receipt to the guy, they retrieve it & carry it out. I purchased a bag of Flock Raiser yesterday, when I got home I checked the date, 7DEC15RIV3 I need to make a phone call tomorrow

 

[Brahma Chicken5000]

Wow, I am embarrassed to admit I have never checked dates. Never even thought about it...

X2
I will be checking dates from now on and only buying 2 bags of feed at a time so that my chickens will get the freshest feed.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Check those lot dates on Nature's Best feed at Tractor Supply! Btw, it's a Julian date so it will be the last 5 digits of the lot number: 102-17 means April 11 2017.

My TSC is selling feed that's almost 11 months old(!) (Nature's Best organic chick crumbles). I asked if they could order some fresh feed for me but my local TSC refused and said they won't order more until they sell what they have.
Then I called Nature's Best and they said they had no control over it at all.

I only have one other feed store in my town but at least they will place an order with a local mill for me. It won't be organic but hopefully at least it will be fresh.

That's very frustrating! I did notice that organic seems to have been on the shelves the longest in my TSC. I went back that following week after my first post (2/17/2018) and they had fresh Flock Raiser with a mill date of Feb 14, 2018, so as fresh as you can get, imho - I was happy about that.

We also have a mill of sorts, I do shop there occasionally for other things, they carry Blue Seal, but I haven't researched that enough. Nice enough folks that are trying to restore a family business. The pricing seems comparable to the Purina, but would hate to buy a bag of something my flock won't eat - I tried that one time with layer pellets. No one ate at all for over 3days, I didn't even give them any veggies or scratch all they had was the pellets - they refused - LOL So, Flock Raiser or chick starter it is.

 

[blackdog043]

If they were used to crumble, that's probably why they didn't like the pellets.