Feed prices went up

[MamaSheepdog]

kind of seems like a waste, wash, powder, wait a day, wash powder, repeat. Twice a week till the coat blows

The DE is not going to be an effective "quick kill" treatment. Washing the dogs between applications is just adding extra work.

Fleas like a fairly moist and shaded environment. To be most effective, you want to apply the DE to your dogs bedding, along baseboards, under shaded shrubbery, etc. Fleas are not going to lay eggs in the middle of your yard or lawn if it is exposed to sunlight.

We don't have cat or dog fleas at our elevation, but when we lived in the 'burbs, I used a flea comb two or more times daily on our cats and dogs and eliminated the problem without pesticides.

 

[Dreamerz]

Suddenly the 50lb bag at TSC seems like a good deal, will have to add them into my (previously organized) shopping trips. Do they have coupons too?

Rather than coupons the offer discounts like " 10% off your entire order " several times a year. Notice of these are usually mailled to your home so jump on their mailling list. Today they had them just sitting by the register ... I so enjoy suprises like that.


Whoever mentioned smaller bags of feed earlier, you can get them at TSC also, they carry many of the name brand feeds in 20 or 25# bags.

 

[SatinsRule]

And as quickly as TSC stores are popping up, it's possible that it's only been there a few years, but it is odd that a person can live in a town with one of them and not even know it's there. As for driving from Pensacola to Navarre, I say no thank you. I always hated having anything to do with driving that coastal highway. Most of the year, it was always packed with tourists, and it took forever to go from point A to point B. I'd always go out of my way to avoid that area at any and all cost if there was any way I could do so, and with I-10 running right thru the area, the times could be made so much quicker by using that.

I can understand not noticing / or even caring that there is a TSC. The average pet owner thinks that buying a 10 pound bag of feed is a lot to store. For a store to carry 25lbs or 50lbs, I would not have even fooled with them or considered that they were worthy of my notice. It was not till yesterday that I found out that the silo thingys a 1/2 mile from me, were grain storage. I may have 12 rabbits descend on me in a few weeks and I am 'all out' researching sprouting, where to keep more feed and more hay! I thought I was doing good with hay at Atwoods at around $8 two months ago, until someone said that she sees signs for hay at $3 a bale as she drives. Difference from being in a city / town or knowing your way around farm country.
-- TSC, Atwoods and grain elevators are no longer thought of as just for farmers, but to have to buy 200 or more pounds at times, is still something that I am having to wrap my mind around. You may take it as normal but for me, it was a bit of a sticker shock. It has been a bit easier, because of having built up to it, having the chickens have chicks (and the geese eating all the grass) and gradually having to keep more and more feed. BUT! Yesterday when I saw an ad about lower prices and that they would deliver when you bought a whole truck load of hay.!?!
Suddenly the 50lb bag at TSC seems like a good deal, will have to add them into my (previously organized) shopping trips. Do they have coupons too? :roll:
Careful, I know I am leaving my self out on a limb, from the experience people - be easy on me. I have done city shopping! During sales even!

Oh, to be sure that there was a time not too long ago when I was only buying 100 lbs of feed every 1-1.5 months, but as the numbers grew, so did the amount of feed they were consuming. It takes me about 1 month to go thru 250 lbs of feed right now, but during the fall and late fall (we don't really have a winter here :lol: ) it's significantly higher than that.

TSC's weren't at all common several years back in many areas of the country, but they're becoming very common today, and I cannot for the life of me understand having any kind of farm animal operation and not knowing that such a place exists, or even where a common feed store is, especially not for people who have internet connections and post on forums like this. The internet makes it so simple to find places now by simply doing a search on google, the yellow pages online, yahoo, aol.com, or any of a number of other sites, and there is really no excuse for not doing it. I will guarantee you that I am on the net looking up different brands and their dealer locations, as well as chains like Atwoods and TSC. I want to know what my options are and where they're located, mainly because I'm in an area which experiences rather severe flooding in the outlying areas, often shutting me off from much of the world. The words improvise, adapt, and overcome are only useful when you are aware of your options to begin with. Sure, back in the day they were all labelled as _____'s Feed Store or ______'s Feed and Seed, etc., but today the businesses had to diversify their product lines in order to stay afloat. The ones who've done so have survived, while the ones who didn't failed to survive.

I will say that as much stuff as I buy at TSC in a month's period of time, my dog would probably not have made it without their Retriever brand Hi-Pro dog food. She is wierd about what feed actually works for her. With most golden retrievers, anything containing flour or glutens will cause allergies and rashes, but not with The Weej. With her, one of the cheapest feeds on their shelves per 50 lb. bag is what she absolutely does the best on. Her hair would absolutely fall out with any "superpremium" dog food costing 2-3X as much, and she's the exact opposite of the two goldens I owned previously.

 

[skysthelimit]

TSC's weren't at all common several years back in many areas of the country, but they're becoming very common today, and I cannot for the life of me understand having any kind of farm animal operation and not knowing that such a place exists, or even where a common feed store is, especially not for people who have internet connections and post on forums like this. The internet makes it so simple to find places now by simply doing a search on google, the yellow pages online, yahoo, aol.com, or any of a number of other sites, and there is really no excuse for not doing it. I will guarantee you that I am on the net looking up different brands and their dealer locations, as well as chains like Atwoods and TSC. I want to know what my options are and where they're located, mainly because I'm in an area which experiences rather severe flooding in the outlying areas, often shutting me off from much of the world.

I will say that as much stuff as I buy at TSC in a month's period of time, my dog would probably not have made it without their Retriever brand Hi-Pro dog food. She is wierd about what feed actually works for her. With most golden retrievers, anything containing flour or glutens will cause allergies and rashes, but not with The Weej. With her, one of the cheapest feeds on their shelves per 50 lb. bag is what she absolutely does the best on. Her hair would absolutely fall out with any "superpremium" dog food costing 2-3X as much, and she's the exact opposite of the two goldens I owned previously.

Most of us are just at the place where we have more than one pet bunny. We don't even have our twinkly stars yet.

I just went from three bunnies to 40 bunnies in the span of a year. Last August I didn't need tractor supply. Last August I had never heard of rabbit shows. Last August I had never heard of MannaPro--I bought pet rabbit food from Pet Supplies Plus, sometimes loose bulk I bagged in a plastic bag, no idea what brand it was. I knew Buckeye made rabbit feed because a pet store told me. For the first time I am a regular TSC customer, and still just now discovered that they should carry the wood pellets. I asked them and they showed me the horse stall pellets. Without this forum, I would have never known that there were wood stove burning pellets, and they are at least a $1 cheaper.

I still have no idea where to get anything besides pellets, so I'm gonna feed pellets.

 

[Piper]

Since I haven't fed dog food in 5 plus years, I hardly set foot in a pet store.

I went the other day for some herbal flea relief for Phoenix, since I can't exactly powder my show dog with DE, and no local stores carry essential oils.

-- You may have to order (your oils) from Mountain Rose Herbs http://www.mountainroseherbs.com/
-- I use a flea trap, too. If you have not used one before, check out the comments on Amazon.com or ask, I have 30+ years experience with them, and that is just me, other people here may have more tales to tell.
-- Whoa, flea traps have gone up in price, too!
AND staying on feed topic -> Thank You for this thread. Look what I found at Tractor Supply. TSC is suppose to have some in store specials on a "Pet Appreciation Week" Aug 15th - 19th, and they are having a Sweepstakes, where they give away a truck, too.
Hopefully they have a special on feed! The main event will be (in store) on Aug 18.
http://www.tractorsupply.com/content/kn ... ert_advice
[resized image - smaller]

 

[ohiogoatgirl]

*gasp* ohmygosh what poor poor poor fool hasnt heard of TSC? *jumps up on table with cape on* we must liberate these poor souls!

TSC is about the only store i like going to. and now i'm beginning to hesitate going there even with prices going up. i just looked online and it says my rabbit feed went up $1
need to work on my harvesting more for them.

 

[skysthelimit]

-- Whoa, flea traps have gone up in price, too!
AND staying on feed topic -> Thank You for this thread. Look what I found at Tractor Supply. TSC is suppose to have some in store specials on a "Pet Appreciation Week" Aug 15th - 19th, and they are having a Sweepstakes, where they give away a truck, too.
Hopefully they have a special on feed! The main event will be (in store) on Aug 18.
http://www.tractorsupply.com/content/kn ... ert_advice
[resized image - smaller]

Wow, never saw that before. I'm going to put that on my list. Mannapro is on sale, so when I go to pick it up, I'm going to get a couple flea traps. DE is murder on a vacuum, and RLE leaves clay dust on the carpets. All of the carpet is cream colored, so I can't have that. The drawback of RLE vs pure DE.

Until a few months ago, TSC in this area did not carry barn lime or RLE (red lake earth).<br /><br />__________ Sat Aug 11, 2012 10:14 am __________<br /><br />

*gasp* ohmygosh what poor poor poor fool hasnt heard of TSC? *jumps up on table with cape on* we must liberate these poor souls!

most of the poeple i know don't know what TSC is. I remember the first time i asked someone what was TSC? I couldn't figure out why no one had ever told me before. I've been ordering from Revival Animal, and I could have just gone to TSC.

I really would like to patronize my local mom and pop stores, but I would prefer to stick with MannaPro.

 

[SatinsRule]

I still have no idea where to get anything besides pellets, so I'm gonna feed pellets.

That TSC store carries 50-lb bags of whole grains (oats, BOSS, you name it), but the kicker for me is that it often costs considerably more per bag than regular pellets. Seriously, $20 + for a 50-lb bag of oats, BEFORE the recent price increases of animal feeds? It's the reason that I no longer give any kind of daily diet supplements other than the pellets and hay they're already fed. Anything else they get is an occasional treat.

 

[MamaSheepdog]

Sky,

have you heard of the parasitic nematodes for flea control? We sold them at a Veterinary hospital I worked at. They may be available at pet or feed stores these days. You apply them in moist, shady areas. Neither the nematodes or flea larva will live in full sun.

http://www.arbico-organics.com/category ... -nematodes

 

[skysthelimit]

I still have no idea where to get anything besides pellets, so I'm gonna feed pellets.

That TSC store carries 50-lb bags of whole grains (oats, BOSS, you name it), but the kicker for me is that it often costs considerably more per bag than regular pellets. Seriously, $20 + for a 50-lb bag of oats, BEFORE the recent price increases of animal feeds? It's the reason that I no longer give any kind of daily diet supplements other than the pellets and hay they're already fed. Anything else they get is an occasional treat.

Yes that is it. Oats are the same or sometimes more, and I lose quite a bit going through the feeders, and I don't want to use extra crocks (= extra time). BOSS is $30 for a 50lb bag. Why bother? But they don't carry any other grains in either of the two stores. This is not a rural area, even this TSC is in the middle of an affluent suburb. People who can afford to feed horse pellets, and pay $14.99 for a bale of hay. No barley, no wheat, nothing besides corn that I can use to make a grain mix. Not even any rolled oats, just whole oat.

__________ Sat Aug 11, 2012 1:19 pm __________

Sky,

have you heard of the parasitic nematodes for flea control? We sold them at a Veterinary hospital I worked at. They may be available at pet or feed stores these days. You apply them in moist, shady areas. Neither the nematodes or flea larva will live in full sun.

http://www.arbico-organics.com/category ... -nematodes

I've seen them on line, but I've never seen them in a pet store before. For the cost of one order and 2nd day shipping, I'd rather go with the DE. Two more shows and I won't have to wash so much anymore. Petco had one bottle of "natural" repellent, and the usual poison.
It's just Phoenix that has the problem. Phoenix lives inside and sometimes in a crate in the barn. Nemotodes don't work inside or on concrete. Need poison for those surfaces. Neem oil seems to be a happy compromise. It kind of bothers me to use insects to get rid of insects.

I really need to move to where you all are. I am serious when I say that a lot of the stuff people are talking about here is not available in this area. Ohio maybe a midwestern state, but Cleveland is not a midwestern city. Even what's sold at walmart's is regional. Someone said peat moss was $6 at their walmart, mines is $10 and it's rarely in stock except for the occasional ripped bag. I couldn't believe there are actually walmarts that sell Manna Pro and horse feed, so I looked it up, and there are none within 50 miles or more of me. I can get BOSS there, $3 more than what I would pay at TSC. And they've stopped carrying the rabbit feed. Not enough sold.

 

[SatinsRule]

Went into the NLR Tractor Supply store this afternoon, and wow!!! The cost of a 50 lb bag of Manna Pro Sho formula has soared to $21/bag before sales tax. After they hit it with sales tax, that would push that stuff to about $7 more per bag than what I'm feeding right now. Their own bargain basement feed is even priced above what I'm feeding now, too.

 

[dragonladyleanne]

Most of us are just at the place where we have more than one pet bunny. We don't even have our twinkly stars yet.

Some of us don't even know what "twinkly stars" are! Is that the thing that appears on the left in some folders here? What does it mean?

And yeah, I only have 7 adult rabbits (one acquired only yesterday) and we're just now finishing the hutches. I retired 2 months ago from teaching art, my mom taught elementary, HER mom taught elementary; my dad was an x-ray tech and his mom a nurse; short form, no one in my family was ever considered a farmer (though my mom said they did have a cow during WW2). I live between a Navy base and the city limits, and am sort of pushing the law even keeping rabbits in this neighborhood. Since I am starting so small, it never occurred to me to google feed stores, as the 25 pound bags last 2-3 weeks, and I go to that Walmart for groceries anyway. I asked my friends who DO live further out (though even they aren't considered "farmers", they're sort of at the border) where they got hay for their goats, and they mentioned T&C feed which is even farther away from me, plus I had no way to carry home their smallest bale. I will soon need that quantity though, so we're making arrangements for me to "kick in" when they buy theirs, and they'll break a bale to fit in my car. As for pellets, I am trying to get away from feeding those (what I *DID* google was all those lovely free books from 1850-1920), but my rabbit herd outpaced my garden!

Sorry if not knowing about a place called Tractor Supply seemed so dumb, but growing up being nearly the only kid NOT a "navy brat", and north of 9mile NOT being considered part of Pensacola in the 60's, I assumed saying I was "in Pensacola" explained it. BTW, calling it LA might be a joke NOW, but there was an actual attempt from Tallahassee 30 years or so to cut Escambia county off from state revenues, "because they're closer to Alabama", so yeah, I thought that was a "dig". But I am MUCH better now!

__________ Sun Aug 12, 2012 1:13 pm __________

I was trying to find out exactly WHEN that happened, as it occurs to me it's been more than 30 years since I graduated from High School(dang I feel old now), but I found this. http://www.city-data.com/forum/pensacol ... o-you.html Read SouthernNatureLover's answer, it pretty much explains my reaction, too.<br /><br />__________ Sun Aug 12, 2012 1:33 pm __________<br /><br />Oh and my husband just reminded me that Mobile and all of that coastal part of Alabama was actually originally part of FLORIDA! He's English, and so takes an even longer view of "history" - when first visiting our Historic District, he quipped "You do realize I have been in pubs older than this"?

 

[MaggieJ]

Some of us don't even know what "twinkly stars" are! Is that the thing that appears on the left in some folders here? What does it mean?

You get a twirly star beside your name for each full year you have been a member of RabbitTalk. Just a fun thing.

 

[dragonladyleanne]

I almost named my newest rabbit Star (because we have Spot and Patches already, but she only has a Stripe, but that seemed a crap name), but she seemed to respond better to Belle (church bells were ringing when I was naming her, LOL)! Besides, I didn't want her thinking she could be a Prima Donna - I already named a buck George, then found out he was a mini Rex, so now he thinks he is KING George

 

[SatinsRule]

Leanne, here's a suggestion. Read the classified ads from the NW FL Daily News to see if there is anyone selling bales of hay. Sometimes you'll catch a deal on a bale, and it will last quite a while, especially with few rabbits to feed it to. I have just over 40 right now, and a bale lasts me about 4 months.

And nobody was saying you were "dumb", just that it seemed odd not to use a computer to find feed stores when you're already posting on a website which you have to have an internet connection of some kind to post upon.

And yes, nobody in FL thought anything of NW Florida being a part of the state of FL until FSU and UF started recruiting Niceville, Ft. Walton, Panama City, and Pensacola/Escambia for football talent. I found it completely odd when I lived there and talked to all the Johnny-come-lately UF fans who readily admitted they were "lifelong FSU fans until Danny Wuerffell signed with UF." That would be like an Alabama native switching from Bama to Auburn or vice versa. It's just not normal, but that is how fickle people in the NW portion of FL are. They have no real identity with the state to begin with.

 

[Piper]

seemed odd not to use a computer to find feed stores

- For newbies (like me) I look for a pet department - not 50lb bags of feed, by the cattle and horse feed.
- You mean that TSC has a pet dept, I thought they were just for farm items, I do not have an farm. Feed
what is feed? Cattle feed (grain), horse feed (grain) - I need rabbit pellets - you know pet stuff.
Oh, you say rabbits count as livestock, too!
-- It took me a while to make the connection. In actual fact dogs and cats are livestock, it is just that some people want to make them strictly pets. They are part of the worth of the farm, or were. LSD are still are a working part of some farms. Woop, so are (some) sheepdogs.

 

[SatinsRule]

You mean that TSC has a pet dept, I thought they were just for farm items, I do not have an farm. Feed? what is feed? Cattle feed (grain), horse feed (grain) - I need rabbit pellets - you know pet stuff.
Oh, you say rabbits count as livestock, too!
-- It took me a while to make the connection. In actual fact dogs and cats are livestock, it is just that some people want to make them strictly pets. They are part of the worth of the farm, or were. LSD are still are a working part of some farms. Woop, so are (some) sheepdogs.

Not really sure where you're going with this, but...

Yes, TSC does have a rather large "pet" department. Cats, dogs, birds, you name it. In fact, their selections of dog food rivals that of Wally World any day, and their own branded items (like Retriever brand dog foods) are very good feeds. They also stock buckets, feeders, hardware, farm tools, salt blocks, and just about everything you'd use in an operation, be it pets or livestock.

The one thing I hate about most of their stuff is that it's mostly made in China. That really chaps my arse, but try to find "Made in the USA" items in Wal Mart, K-Mart or Target sometime.

 

[skysthelimit]

You mean that TSC has a pet dept, I thought they were just for farm items, I do not have an farm. Feed? what is feed? Cattle feed (grain), horse feed (grain) - I need rabbit pellets - you know pet stuff.
Oh, you say rabbits count as livestock, too!
-- It took me a while to make the connection. In actual fact dogs and cats are livestock, it is just that some people want to make them strictly pets. They are part of the worth of the farm, or were. LSD are still are a working part of some farms. Woop, so are (some) sheepdogs.

Not really sure where you're going with this, but...

Yes, TSC does have a rather large "pet" department. Cats, dogs, birds, you name it. In fact, their selections of dog food rivals that of Wally World any day, and their own branded items (like Retriever brand dog foods) are very good feeds. They also stock buckets, feeders, hardware, farm tools, salt blocks, and just about everything you'd use in an operation, be it pets or livestock.

The one thing I hate about most of their stuff is that it's mostly made in China. That really chaps my arse, but try to find "Made in the USA" items in Wal Mart, K-Mart or Target sometime.

I think the point is that many of us just joining are just getting out of the pet mentality and learning to think of rabbits as "livestock." I would never think of my dogs as livestock, they are pets to me, although they work stock, but since it is not a farm that I own that they work, it's more like a recreational sport. And since I don't eat my buns, they aren't really livestock in that since, it's more like a hobby, so I have a hobby mentality instead of a mostly more practical farming mentality.

I used to feed that Kaytee stuff with all of the treats in it when I had pet rabbits.

 

[ZRabbits]

You mean that TSC has a pet dept, I thought they were just for farm items, I do not have an farm. Feed? what is feed? Cattle feed (grain), horse feed (grain) - I need rabbit pellets - you know pet stuff.
Oh, you say rabbits count as livestock, too!
-- It took me a while to make the connection. In actual fact dogs and cats are livestock, it is just that some people want to make them strictly pets. They are part of the worth of the farm, or were. LSD are still are a working part of some farms. Woop, so are (some) sheepdogs.

Not really sure where you're going with this, but...

Yes, TSC does have a rather large "pet" department. Cats, dogs, birds, you name it. In fact, their selections of dog food rivals that of Wally World any day, and their own branded items (like Retriever brand dog foods) are very good feeds. They also stock buckets, feeders, hardware, farm tools, salt blocks, and just about everything you'd use in an operation, be it pets or livestock.

The one thing I hate about most of their stuff is that it's mostly made in China. That really chaps my arse, but try to find "Made in the USA" items in Wal Mart, K-Mart or Target sometime.

I think the point is that many of us just joining are just getting out of the pet mentality and learning to think of rabbits as "livestock." I would never think of my dogs as livestock, they are pets to me, although they work stock, but since it is not a farm that I own that they work, it's more like a recreational sport. And since I don't eat my buns, they aren't really livestock in that since, it's more like a hobby, so I have a hobby mentality instead of a mostly more practical farming mentality.

I used to feed that Kaytee stuff with all of the treats in it when I had pet rabbits.

Though mine are pets, I see rabbits as livestock and I can understand why. Though I go to a pet store for my supplies, I know in the future as my tribe grows, which plans show it will, I will be seeking out feed stores for my supplies. My dog, though considered a pet, I know can be a working dog, which he does work here. As protection for my rabbits and myself. I know this dog would take a bullet for me.

If the government ever approaches me, I have a little ole coffee can with each name of my tribe and if asked, are they livestock, I state no, they are employees. I pay them 5 cents a week and provide a roof, comforts, food, fresh water and love. Try that one on for size.

I already read and know what the UN Rural Council is all about. Another group like the "Peed on" people.

Karen

 

[grumpy]

Went into the NLR Tractor Supply store this afternoon, and wow!!! The cost of a 50 lb bag of Manna Pro Sho formula has soared to $21/bag before sales tax. After they hit it with sales tax, that would push that stuff to about $7 more per bag than what I'm feeding right now. Their own bargain basement feed is even priced above what I'm feeding now, too.

Hey Satin:

I went to the Tractor Supply website. They've got 50#'s of Manna Pro on sale for $13.99. I called them about it and was "told" that the sale price will be good until the 28th day of October....."barring some major catastrophe". All they needed was a two-week lag time from placing an order of 15 bags until it would be there ready for pick-up.

I'm still waiting on my regular feed guy to get back with me on him "coming-close" to that price. He's a Manna Pro dealer also. If he can come within a dollar of the price, I'll stay with him. I'll just change feeds from Kent to Manna Pro. It's tough switching 250+ head over to a different feed.

Had my reptile fella show up last night and pick up 20 head of feeders. I explained my situation to him and "why" I would have to increase my prices over his next two visits. He was very agreable to my dilemna and didn't argue in the least. When the Guiness Book of World Records for 2013 comes out, He'll have the largest snake in the world in captivity.
It's a 25 foot female reticulated python that weighs well over 400 pounds. He raised her from a little thing. She's about 8 years old now. When she gets hungry.....he gets a little nervous!! LOL.

BTW: I've been getting 3rd cutting bales of alfalfa for $6.00 a piece. I've gotten the farmer to hold about 50 bales for me. That should come close to lasting me until next growing season. He refuses to sell to anyone else due to the shortages this year.
Grumpy.