Eeeeek! So I went to fill up our feeder yesterday and found our entire bin of organic feed loaded with little bugs (I'm no entemologist and the best I can describe them as was itty-bitty brown beetles). Bin is not airtight and is kept in our shed, but when we opened the next bag it too was filled with bugs. Of course, bugs could have eaten their way into the bag, but still frustrating. With the amount of bugs in there it's obvious they've been in there a while ... and this is the feed given to our girls regularly. Several questions...
1) I know the girls love their bugs, but hunting for bugs around the yard seems different than ingesting them or being exposed to them in food. Should I be concerned that they've been ingesting/exposed to these bugs in the food?
2) Related to #1 - should I get rid of the buggy food? My instinct is yes (sucks to "waste" the money). Any reason I shouldn't add the food to our compost?
3) Is this a common problem - getting bugs in food? (aka Is this a "Wow, you should've known better, what kind of chicken raiser are you?!?!?" situation)
4) Is it more likely that the bugs were an external addition to the food or would they have "hatched" from inside the food?
5) Any other recommendations?
6) And while I'm at it ... we're in the east valley (near downtown Mesa) anyone know sources for organic feed out this way? We had gotten these bags of feed from The Feed Barn and it's sooooooo far away (hence why we bought 3 bags at once).
Thanks!
Replies
Drop points are usually at people's homes.
The feed is delivered by Azure Standard
Mesa Feed Barn carries Purina; Pet Food Club does as well.
Higley is probably a little closer to you. Aden's Hay Oasis usually carries it (call first), I would call Mesa Feed Barn to request organic feed, eventually they'll get the picture that it's something that people in Mesa want. Though I've found them to be mighty stubborn on the phone (the person I got on the phone over there was the guy that insisted that you COULDN'T raise chicks without medicated feed or they would all die... argh). You also might want to consider Azure standard (the mail order place that carries the Magill ranch organic feed). I bet there is a drop point near you.
Till I can get a fresh bag I won't worry about giving our girls the weevil supplemented feed :)
Yes, Mesa Feed Barn is close to us and I've had the same frustrations with them, Rachel. But everytime I do have to go in there for something I bring it up (and suffer through the same eye rolls, stubborn responses, etc.). I'll try Aden's - Higley is definitely closer than halfway to Flagstaff! Ha!
The store we purchased ours from also said that there is actually some kind of a powder that is made from grain weevils that gives extra protein?
My healthy, happy hens have eaten them all summer.
My food is not stored in air-tight containers either, just in garbage cans in the barn (with lids, or everyone would be snacking ALL the time!), and we don't have any trouble with bugs. Not sure whether they came with your feed, or just happened to find it and invited all their friends over for dinner :D