Storage options

[Ridgetop]

Oops! That last paragraph should read ". . . if they don't finish it off quickly the rats will eat it. Rats then pee and poop on whatever they leave making it inedible for anything else to eat it." If you have rat droppings in feeders, you need to wash them out occasionally to avoid contamination."

 

[Ridgetop]

I wish I had an old freezer. We got rid of our old chest freezer when we bought a new one several years ago. Did not think to use it for grain bags. Will remember that next time. We are not using as much grain with the sheep as we did with our dairy goats. Feeding lb. for lb. grain for milk uses a lot of grain! These Dorpers are easier keepers! Only a cup or 2 of grain each while they are milking for their lambs.

 

[Hideaway Pines]

wow that is crazy, you have some serious issues - and glad you found the metal cans will protect their food. We live in the deep woods, but I guess our rodents are not as skilled as what you have - we have one of the VV containers on our back porch for our roosters that we are growing out to eat - and nothing has messed with it at all - we are lucky I guess. Sorry you have to deal with all that!!

 

[Ridgetop]

You learn to deal with everything!

 

[Hideaway Pines]

life in the country's never dull huh... !

 

[HomeOnTheRange]

but another way to store lots of feed and not have pests get into it is to use an old chest freezer,

Great idea! Then I could put labels on the lid to state what each bag is.

 

[Margali]

You can still get open top metal drums with flip latch lids from food service. I find them on facebook market place used for bags of liquid spices, cream, juice concentrate, etc. Make sure it still has original contents lot label so you know what was in it.

 

[ElenaDeborah11]

I’m thinking along the lines of storing feed in a large trash can but not sure how to keep bugs and rodents out. Any suggestions for how to keep the pests out or something else more appropriate To store feed in? Im not sure if 5 gallon buckets would be appropriate. I feel I would have to have a bunch and it doesn’t seem practical.

What repellent or any other stuff do you use against pests if they appear? Can rat repellent like this one work and be safe and non-toxic for people?

 

[Ridgetop]

Using rat repellent is dangerous for raptors. The hawks catch the sick rodents, eat them and the poison, and are themselves poisoned. Not to mention your dogs will get poisoned if they eat the poisoned rodents. Use a Ratinator rat trap. It comes with a plastic box that you put the trap in with the rats and fill with water. Safely drowns them.

Also get lots of cats. Don't neuter them because the kittens will themselves become coyote and owl food. Sounds mean, but it is nature's way.

We use the large metal 50 gallon drums for feed, and 30 gallon trash cans. Rodents will chew thrugh the bottom of the plastic trash cans. DH bought some of the heavy duty plastic dog feed containers (expensive) and the rats chewed right thrugh the bottoms and sides! If yu get the 50 gaon barrels, make lids with large circles of plywood. Screw handles on the to and then attach pieces of wood under the bottom of the plywood to fit inside the barrels. Those pieces of wood will keep the lids in place. Whie you may get some bugs in the barrels the rodents are the most dangerous since rats will pee and poop on a food source after they have eaten their fill. Other animals will not touch rat peed and pooped on food, so your entire barrel then has to be dumped. Rat feces also carries disease that you can catch when handling the food. Make sure that the barrels are stored in a dry place under cover so the feed doesn't get damp and mold.