How long can you store feed for?

[BDutch]

I remember reading somewhere that whole grains store for quite some time, but that the processed feed doesn’t.

The processed food I buy fresh from the factory has an expiration date of 4 months. Mainly bc vitamins disappear in due time. If you can keep it dry in a special container it wont go bad but the quality decreases.

The freshly bagged grain mix has an expiration date of only 2 months. This is because the factory cant guarantee there is no life form in it. There is a possibility tiny eggs of * meal moths and dust mites are inside the bag. If the eggs hatch and multiply, they spoil the feed.

Buying from this factory has the advantage it’s really fresh and way cheaper than buying feed in the pet and gardening shop. The disadvantage is we have to buy 5 bags at a time. Buying feed together with someone who lives in the neighbourhood is the best of both worlds.

*not sure if google translated it right.

 

[BDutch]

The added benefit to freezing is that it kills any bugs or bug eggs that sometimes get into feed during the the harvest and packaging of feeds and seeds.

Yes for bugs. No for bug eggs.

This is a fantastic idea. I don't know why I didn't think of that since I tend to freeze everything here, including bread.
Question - do you first thaw the feed in the fridge, from freezer to fridge to room temperature to gradually decrease the temperature or do you go straight from the freezer to room temperature? Thank you.

I would prefer the airlock containers over freezing like @gtaus uses. Freezing costs a lot of electricity.

@Bawkbok , Did you count the costs of freezing vs the benefits?

 

[igorsMistress]

The processed food I buy fresh from the factory has an expiration date of 4 months. Mainly bc vitamins disappear in due time. If you can keep it dry in a special container it wont go bad but the quality decreases.

The freshly bagged grain mix has an expiration date of only 2 months. This is because the factory cant guarantee there is no life form in it. There is a possibility tiny eggs of * meal moths and dust mites are inside the bag. If the eggs hatch and multiply, they spoil the feed.

Buying from this factory has the advantage it’s really fresh and way cheaper than buying feed in the pet and gardening shop. The disadvantage is we have to buy 5 bags at a time. Buying feed together with someone who lives in the neighbourhood is the best of both worlds.

*not sure if google translated it right.

I can store grains in airtight containers with O2 absorbers for far longer than the processed feed. No bugs, eggs don’t hatch. If stored properly the grains last longer than the processed feed.

 

[BDutch]

I can store grains in airtight containers with O2 absorbers for far longer than the processed feed. No bugs, eggs don’t hatch. If stored properly the grains last longer than the processed feed.

Yes. Storage conditions can make a huge difference. The 2 months guarantee the factory gives probably has to do with the delivery to (small scale) farmers who leave it bagged and don't use airtight containers and special oxygen absorbers.

I had bought mixed grains last summer. Enough for 5 months and simply stored it in sturdy airtight (ex-paint) buckets. No problems occurred. But maybe I was a bit lucky too.
I love my old paint buckets I got for free, they are mice proof too.

 

[MichaelDJ]

I mix a little diatomaceous earth in with my homemade stored grain mix. Anything that hatches will not survive. Been doing it for over a year now with no problems.

 

[BDutch]

I mix a little diatomaceous earth in with my homemade stored grain mix. Anything that hatches will not survive. Been doing it for over a year now with no problems.

Thanks!
This really is a great idea! I surely do this next time too, if I buy a new bag mixed grains.

 

[Bawkbok]

Yes for bugs. No for bug eggs.


I would prefer the airlock containers over freezing like @gtaus uses. Freezing costs a lot of electricity.

@Bawkbok , Did you count the costs of freezing vs the benefits?

I didn't evaluate any numbers. We have a freezer running all the time anyway - have to here. I'll just reserve a shelf for chicken feed. Not the entire bag of course but what I can fit. Worth a try to see how it goes.

 

[gtaus]

I didn't evaluate any numbers. We have a freezer running all the time anyway - have to here. I'll just reserve a shelf for chicken feed. Not the entire bag of course but what I can fit. Worth a try to see how it goes.

If you have excess capacity in your freezer, then I suppose it would make sense to bag up that chicken feed and fill up the freezer. A full freezer has an easier time staying cold, so filling up that empty space makes good sense.

I don't think it would sense, for me, to put an additional freezer online just to store chicken feed. My freezer(s) cost me about $4 per month in electricity usage. At that price, I would be better off just buying my feed one bag at a time and not storing any feed longer term.

But like I said, here in northern Minnesota where I live, we have nature's freezer outside for almost 6 months of the year. Today, for example, it was -16F (-27C) for the low. A good part of the year I have access to free cold storage!

 

[PhantomSlayer]

The main reason for the question is for winter. My mother really hates driving in the winter.


Warm months it's fine but it'd help alot to buy for two months or more in winter so we don't have to stress about her not wanting to drive. We try timing it to good weather but paychecks also factor in lol.

Buying extra on sale would be nice but honestly I can't imagine buying more than 1 month worth. That would be two bags of layer feed and a bag of goose food. Maybe 2 bags of cracked corn if its fall/winter.

 

[rosemarythyme]

The main reason for the question is for winter. My mother really hates driving in the winter.


Warm months it's fine but it'd help alot to buy for two months or more in winter so we don't have to stress about her not wanting to drive. We try timing it to good weather but paychecks also factor in lol.

Makes sense. We don't have a car that can handle snow and so we've made our last feed store run for the winter. It's the same as stocking up on people food (mmm beans) when snow is in the forecast.