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02/10/14, 07:52 PM
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Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Central Illinois
Posts: 1,271
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Keeping mice out of feed
We bought up some chicken and goat feed that we got a good deal on today. Any tips for keeping the critters out of it?
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02/10/14, 07:54 PM
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Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Indiana
Posts: 2,961
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I've had very good results with metal trash cans.
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The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not. -Thomas Jefferson
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02/10/14, 08:12 PM
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My name is not Alice
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Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: On a dirt road in Missouri
Posts: 4,185
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non-working chest style freezer
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Honesty and integrity are homesteading virtues.
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02/10/14, 08:18 PM
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Registered User
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Join Date: Feb 2014
Posts: 22
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Anything that has a good seal on it should work, plastic container, trash can with a tight fitting lid...
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02/10/14, 08:21 PM
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Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Northwest Indiana
Posts: 124
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Plastic barrels with lids, food barrels preferred.
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02/10/14, 08:22 PM
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Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Oklahoma
Posts: 3,116
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Quote:
Originally Posted by gmos719
Anything that has a good seal on it should work, plastic container, trash can with a tight fitting lid...
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They will chew right through plastic.
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02/10/14, 08:23 PM
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Registered User
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Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 13
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I used to use metal trash cans then I bought a 1800 lb bag of "clean out" from the grainery for my steers and then had the dilemma of where to put it sooooo I went on craigslist and found a chest freezer so thats what I use now..... so it just all depends on how much grain you have and whats easiest for you...... old 55 gallon drums work well too hope this helps
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02/10/14, 08:23 PM
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Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Central Illinois
Posts: 1,271
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How much feed will fit in a 55 gallon metal can?
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02/10/14, 08:27 PM
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Registered User
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Join Date: Feb 2014
Posts: 22
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Quote:
Originally Posted by am1too
They will chew right through plastic.
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Never had that problem with field mice, but I guess it's possible.
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02/10/14, 08:31 PM
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Registered User
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Join Date: Feb 2014
Posts: 22
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bubbas Boys
How much feed will fit in a 55 gallon metal can?
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Depends on the volume of the feed.
I would say somewhere around 300 pounds...maybe.
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02/10/14, 09:10 PM
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Join Date: May 2002
Posts: 7,883
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Had a hole chewed in the bottom of a large name brand trash can with a 50 lb bag of sunflower seeds in it.
I shall not type my words when I opened the can and found nothing but shells . . . .
Now it is galvanized trash cans . .
And 55 gallon steel drums for my wheat.
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02/11/14, 07:28 AM
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Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: South Carolina
Posts: 3,850
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I got several of these. I wrapped them with 1/2" hardware cloth--the hardware cloth touches the floor and goes to the top edge, I cut the top out of them and put a piece of weighted plywood on top. One sits on a wood porch under a top. Never a rodent problem. They holds 2000lb of shelled corn when full.
If you do not need that much storage, you can cut the height down, which would make it easier to get the grain out the bottom. For shelled corn I use a shop vac to get the last few inches out the bottom of the standard height ones.
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02/11/14, 07:30 AM
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Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Maryland
Posts: 3,596
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I've got metal trash cans, heavy duty plastic trash cans (like Rubbermaid ones), and those plastic storage containers you can get at any home store. All of them have worked very well for keeping mice out. We've got a ton of mice in our barn and they have not chewed through even those cheap plastic storage containers. When we lived in the house surrounded by woods, we had a ton of squirrels and they'd manage to chew through the plastic trash cans, but we have not had that happen here, because we just don't have as many squirrels.
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02/11/14, 07:53 AM
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Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Central Illinois
Posts: 1,271
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Love that idea Fire- Man. I have 2 of those right now.
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02/11/14, 08:27 AM
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Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: southern hills of indiana
Posts: 2,539
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You know some of us were really tempted to answer your question!
How much feed will fit in a 55 gallon metal can? LOL!
Wade
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02/11/14, 08:41 AM
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Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: South Central Missouri
Posts: 797
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bubbas Boys
How much feed will fit in a 55 gallon metal can?
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So I'll answer:
That's all we use. I got a good deal on some with good lids and we've used them ever since. Each one will hold about 250# of allstock.
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02/11/14, 09:12 AM
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Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: southern hills of indiana
Posts: 2,539
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The answer I was considering was "55 Gal" LOL
Wade
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02/11/14, 10:17 AM
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Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: northcentral MN
Posts: 14,378
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I would guess 200-250 lbs in a 30 gallon trash can. Be sure to keep the can off the ground on blocks or some kind of metal.
Also, look carefully at the handle on the lid. Some of mine allow rainwater to drip into the can.
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"Do you believe in the devil? You know, a supreme evil being dedicated to the temptation, corruption, and destruction of man?" Hobbs
"I'm not sure that man needs the help." Calvin
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02/11/14, 11:06 AM
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Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: South Central Pa
Posts: 87
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We have found that an old chest freezer works best for us. You can get a lot of feed in one depending on the size. Caution though!!! If there is the possibility of kids playing around one you have to do something with the gasket that seals the top or the kids could get inside and suffocate. I cut three inch pieces of the gasket out at three different places around the top. I rolled up pieces of aluminum window screen wire into tubes and put them where I cut the gasket out. I held them in place with short self tapping screws. We have been using the same freezer for ten years and other than some rust on the sides it's still doing well.
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02/11/14, 11:34 AM
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Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Berks Co. Pa.
Posts: 171
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 1shotwade
The answer I was considering was "55 Gal" LOL
Wade
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I was thinking the same thing!
We have mice, squirrels, raccoons, and other critters that can get into feed. The only sure thing we've found that keeps animals out is metal containers (I like the old freezer idea!). Mice and squirrels will chew though plastic in our neck of the woods. We use metal trash cans for bird feed, deer blocks, etc, then run a bungee cord from one handle in the can, through the handle in the lid, to the other handle. This keeps the raccoons and squirrels from knocking the lid off. Curt
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