What's The Mystery Material In My Chicken's Feed Bag?

[cherrypick]

I just bought a bag of Producer's Pride corn/wheat mix from Tractor Supply. I empty the bags into a galvanized can. At the 'bottom' of this bag was something I'd NEVER seen. It looked like a HUGE glob of packed black sand! It was solid and heavy. Gasp!! Any ideas? I'll post the photo.

 

[MysteryChicken]

Looks like mashed minerals for sheep feed.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

That looks like mold. When feed stsdtd to mold, it packs together into large clumps

 

[MysteryChicken]

What does it smell like?

 

[nuthatched]

I'd send then a letter and ask them.

 

[ChocolateMouse]

It looks like minerals to me. It looks like you have a lose seed feed, not a pellet. They mix in minerals to the seeds to make it complete but the weight and size of the mineral mix allows it to naturally separate in the bagging process. Then when the machine is filling the last of the bags it drops in all the "bits" that unmixed from the natural machine vibration. Very normal, but also not what you paid for. I'd write and ask for a refund. If you buy enough mixed bagged products you'll run into this sometimes. It's happened to me on bags of potting soil too.

Having said that, if it smells moldy, it's mold.

 

[sourland]

I had the same thing in a bag of BOSS. It is not mold - I tend to agree with @ChocolateMouse

 

[sourland]

By the way that BOSS also came from Tractor Supply.

 

[aart]

What's the mill date on the bag?
What ever it is, I'd be taking it right back to the store.

Guessing it might be big blobs of mineral that was stuck in the mixer then broke loose.

 

[cherrypick]

Thanks everyone! I appreciate your help