Is scratch grain supposed to be dusty?

[jdaly91215]

I've only ever bought one bag of scratch, and from the day I opened it, it's always had a lot of very fine, white powder that's all over the grains. Is this normal? Or could it be mold? TIA

 

[barkinghills]

I've also seen some very dusty bags of Purina scratch. I think it is basically corn flour that comes along with the cracked corn, and hasn't been well screened out.

I had a bag of moldy Flock Raiser once, and it had blotchy green mold all over the inside of the bag as well as on the pellets. On close inspection it was obviously mold, and different that feed that is simply dusty.

You can always return it to the feed store if you are worried. They should know how it usually looks.

 

[Den in Penn]

If it has cracked corn it will always be dusty. There is no way to keep the pieces of cracked corn from being further milled by the other grains and pieces of cracked corn while the scratch is being handled.

 

[Naniboo60]

If it has cracked corn it will always be dusty. There is no way to keep the pieces of cracked corn from being further milled by the other grains and pieces of cracked corn while the scratch is being handled.

 

[Penpal]

If your chickens are adult you can just feed them whole kernel corn, it doesn't need to be cracked. They would really love it if you soaked it for three days.

I find the bottom of the bag usually has dust in it from the kernels rubbing together.

 

[MysteryChicken]

My scratch bags I buy list vitamins, & mineral powder in the ingredients.