Will 500 LB of feed go bad too fast?

[redoak]

We are thinking of ordering 500 pounds of organic chicken feed from a local feed mill to save some money by buying in bulk. What are the odds that some of the feed will spoil before 8 free range chickens can eat it, given normal rations. Thanks in advance for any thoughts/advice.

 

[mangled]

Wow. 500 pounds is a lot. My full grown girls and roos number 21, and 50 lbs. of layer's rations lasts me close to 2 weeks.
How would you store it? I would worry about moisture/mold issues and rodents.

Em

 

[jmhappycowboy]

redoak, Just my opinion but I think the odds would be very high that a good bit of it would spoil. Personally I don't buy more than my birds can eat in 2 weeks time. If you check with your local feed mill they just might let you pay for the 500lbs to get the cheaper price and then just pick the feed up as you need it. I do that quite often at my feed mill.

 

[Flufnstuffs~FluffySilkies]

That would take me 2 months to go threw.

I would be worried it would get bugs or Atract mice

I have enough garbage bins to have 250 pounds at a time

I have to be careful because if I have feed out in bags the chipmunks get into it and carry it all off.

 

[Lazy J Farms Feed & Hay]

Eight hens in confinement may eat 2 lb feed per day, the free range hens will consume less. At 2 lb per day the 500 lb of bulk feed would last you for 8 months, that is too long to store a ground feed without environmental controls. I would worry about the vitamin degradation in the feed.

Jim

 

[wynedot55]

odering 500lbs for 8 hens is enough feed for a year.an in that time the feed could mold an cost you more in lost feed than your saving.i can understand you wanting to save money.but for 8 hens id just buy feed as needed.

 

[Churkenduse]

I just bought a large amount of feed becuse I am tired of traveling so far so often.....The man told me feed will last 6 months if kept cool and dry...

Does that help?

Rosemarie

 

[redoak]

Thanks for all the info. The feed is a special mix they make in 500 lb lots so I can't just buy 50 lbs at a time. We a few plastic 55 gal drums with lids that pretty much seal so we have good storage for about 350 lbs of it. Holland our cat would take care of any rodents, but the mold in the spring/fall might be a problem and I'm very concerned about "vitamin degradation" as LazyJ posted. I guess I'll just need to tell the wife we'll need to get more chickens, problem solved

 

[Cheryl]

Eggcellant solution...more chickens!

 

[MissPrissy]

I buy 40 bags of feed at a time. I get a huge discount on the price. I store most of it in big metal cans so that it doesn't draw unwant rodents. It will not go bad that quickly. Think how long it takes for alot of the commercial feeds to be shipped, broken down for venders, shipped again and then stored in a feed store or pet store etc.

500lbs is 10 50lb bags. I'd say you'll use it up easily long before it can possibly go bad.