I just found used 55 gallon steel drums from a local farm supply store for 19.99 each. They had coconut oil in them previously, so nothing nasty. I bought drum liners from Home Depot for them. You can order new lids online. So very affordable solution for storing grain. It took a little over 3 barrels for each 1,000 lbs of food.
I have seen metal trash cans get chewed through by rats. But if you keep the area clean, keep the can clean and maybe up on a metal rack to help reduce vermin from getting to it. Just to let you know that after 50 years of doing work with grain involved.
Those pigs have really grown! Won't be long before you can process them. Running a farm can get expensive! SO many things you have to prep for, including feed storage.
Galvanized cans aint what they use to be. The rust quick and are thin and cheap. I have cans 10 yrs old better than the new. They still work for feed storage and I use them. I have lots of food grade 55 blue barrels but no removable lids. I do have 35 gal with removable lids I store water in. I think I might switch them and use the 35 for storing feed. Thanks for the idea...…….God Bless
the best thing for curtailing the mice and rat issue is barn cats. when I raised feeder pigs I would buy grain by the ton and kept it in the bags it came in on pallets. the cats were underfed so they had to hunt for the difference in feed they needed. in the spring I would have 10-15 cats and kittens. by the time fall came around I would be down to 4 or 5.
I know a guy who is a field trial dog trainer who made a hardware cloth cage the size of a small shed in a corner of his barn to house his dog food, cat food, horse feed, and quail feed. It was about 6ft x 10ft x 8ft tall. It had a hardware cloth screen door on it. He said it worked very well. I thought it was brilliant. He also had 3-4 barn cats.
Can we have an update? I’d like to know how well the 50 gallon plastic drums have held up for you. Have you had issues with mice chewing through the plastic? Or have you had old issues?
You must have watched "Arms Family Homesteads" video on their feed trailer ? What's your thought about something like that ? How many different feeds do you need ? Old freezers/fridges sound like the most secure, cheapest thing with just a hasp for locking. 55 gallons are great also, but in steel. Thumbs up always !!
I think you need to see how long it would take to pay itself off. Arms family homestead bought a feed trailer. He is using it as a way to buy in bulk( lower feed cost) and using it to store the grain, and it saves time(less trips to buy feed). He also only seems to buy one type of feed in bulk, so it works for him. I looked in buying a used grain wagon for $200. But I was only saving one dollar per 50 pounds of feed, so it would take 10,000 pounds of feed to break even on buying the wagon. Plus it wasn't secure, so I would have still needed a way to store the feed. So I opted to buy bulk feed in bags, and store the feed in barrels($60)
Evan would you do a cost break down of feed cost per livestock (rabbits,ducks,chickens) Could you list the cost of 1k lbs load of pig feed ? Rough harvest weight 300 lbs each? Now going really off tangent, Is there a room you could cure hams in during the winter And then smoke them after curing. Prosciutto seems doable just needs that cure time in controlled secure environment. If you are willing fine, if not also good. Thanks for sharing
I have been tracking all my feed cost and will be able to break down all the cost. I will take the pigs to a processor. I will probably only make sausage, sausage links, and brats myself from the ground up pork. At least this year. My might try making bacon also.
Plastic barrels are NOT mouse proof. I use them as trash cans in my garage, and every single one of them has mouse holes chewed through the bottom edge.
I just found used 55 gallon steel drums from a local farm supply store for 19.99 each. They had coconut oil in them previously, so nothing nasty. I bought drum liners from Home Depot for them. You can order new lids online. So very affordable solution for storing grain. It took a little over 3 barrels for each 1,000 lbs of food.
Were the drum liners for trash? Example trash bags?
I have seen metal trash cans get chewed through by rats. But if you keep the area clean, keep the can clean and maybe up on a metal rack to help reduce vermin from getting to it. Just to let you know that after 50 years of doing work with grain involved.
Them is some serious RATS !!!!
Or just put the can on ground and get cats
Great video. I've used a tote before and had squirrels and rats chew straight through the lid. These little guys are smart!
Great video. We use big metal trash cans and metal 55 gallon drums to hold all our homestead farm feed. I like the storage box made of plywood idea.
Those pigs have really grown! Won't be long before you can process them. Running a farm can get expensive! SO many things you have to prep for, including feed storage.
Thank you from New Zealand. Great ideas! Much appreciated!
Galvanized cans aint what they use to be. The rust quick and are thin and cheap. I have cans 10 yrs old better than the new. They still work for feed storage and I use them. I have lots of food grade 55 blue barrels but no removable lids. I do have 35 gal with removable lids I store water in. I think I might switch them and use the 35 for storing feed. Thanks for the idea...…….God Bless
Good ideas,
the best thing for curtailing the mice and rat issue is barn cats. when I raised feeder pigs I would buy grain by the ton and kept it in the bags it came in on pallets. the cats were underfed so they had to hunt for the difference in feed they needed. in the spring I would have 10-15 cats and kittens. by the time fall came around I would be down to 4 or 5.
Great video! Thank you for sharing! Take care!
Good ideas man. I like the deep freeze idea!
Yup, people are always throwing them out and they are solid !!
Good ideas to store feed.
I know a guy who is a field trial dog trainer who made a hardware cloth cage the size of a small shed in a corner of his barn to house his dog food, cat food, horse feed, and quail feed. It was about 6ft x 10ft x 8ft tall. It had a hardware cloth screen door on it. He said it worked very well. I thought it was brilliant. He also had 3-4 barn cats.
Very helpful video.
Can we have an update? I’d like to know how well the 50 gallon plastic drums have held up for you. Have you had issues with mice chewing through the plastic? Or have you had old issues?
You must have watched "Arms Family Homesteads" video on their feed trailer ? What's your thought about something like that ?
How many different feeds do you need ? Old freezers/fridges sound like the most secure, cheapest thing with just a hasp for locking. 55 gallons are great also, but in steel.
Thumbs up always !!
I think you need to see how long it would take to pay itself off. Arms family homestead bought a feed trailer. He is using it as a way to buy in bulk( lower feed cost) and using it to store the grain, and it saves time(less trips to buy feed). He also only seems to buy one type of feed in bulk, so it works for him.
I looked in buying a used grain wagon for $200. But I was only saving one dollar per 50 pounds of feed, so it would take 10,000 pounds of feed to break even on buying the wagon. Plus it wasn't secure, so I would have still needed a way to store the feed. So I opted to buy bulk feed in bags, and store the feed in barrels($60)
i've had squirrels chew through the plastic containers. i only use the metal cans now.
Evan would you do a cost break down of feed cost per livestock (rabbits,ducks,chickens)
Could you list the cost of 1k lbs load of pig feed ? Rough harvest weight 300 lbs each?
Now going really off tangent, Is there a room you could cure hams in during the winter And then smoke them after curing. Prosciutto seems doable just needs that cure time in controlled secure environment.
If you are willing fine, if not also good.
Thanks for sharing
I have been tracking all my feed cost and will be able to break down all the cost. I will take the pigs to a processor. I will probably only make sausage, sausage links, and brats myself from the ground up pork. At least this year. My might try making bacon also.
@@CountryViewAcres Thank you Sir.
Thx
Pickle barrels! Screw on lids, 60 gallon. 20 bucks each around here.
Awesome video 👍🤘💪
Morning Evan
Does the freezer have to be plugged in to keep feed storage? Or does the freezing keep it from condensation
Mice and squirrles can chew through the plastic containers. A metal trash can is the best.
Can a rat chew a hole in a plastic tub?
A rat can chew hole through anything. Part joking, but part not.....
Plastic barrels are NOT mouse proof. I use them as trash cans in my garage, and every single one of them has mouse holes chewed through the bottom edge.
Use green tea uncooked will kill mic fee and rats and pig
Hi