If you are buying chicken feed, you might purchase it in bulk if you have a lot of chickens. Maybe you have hundreds or even thousands. Perhaps you’re raising chickens that you will slaughter so you can sell the meat. Maybe you’re selling their eggs as well.
Whatever business model you have in place, you might need bulk chicken feed if you have many chickens. Before you buy it, though, you should ask certain questions, especially if you’ve never gone through this particular supply company before.
We’ll discuss the questions you should ask right now.
Can I Get a Discount?
First, you might ask the chicken feed company whether you can get any kind of discount if you buy in bulk. If you’re buying ten tons of chicken feed, you should get a better price than if you’re purchasing five pounds.
You might go on the company’s website and see whether they mention bulk order discounts there. If they don’t specifically mention any, you can still contact the company and see what they say.
You might reach out via email, or you can live chat with someone from the sales department. You can also call them. However you reach out, see whether they seem friendly and receptive. If you want a good relationship with this company going forward, you should know they appreciate and value your business.
What Goes into Your Chicken Feed?
You should also ask about what goes into the chicken feed that you’re buying. Presumably, you only want feed that always has the finest-quality nutrients.
Usually, chicken feed should have soybean oil, corn, and either wheat middlings or wheat. You may also sometimes find blends that include barley, sorghum, or rye.
As someone who raises chickens, you doubtless know what should go into chicken feed and what should not. If you feel that this company has some additives in the feed that you don’t like, you might go with an entity that makes a better-quality product.
How Soon Can I Get My Order?
You should next find out when you can get the feed. If the company does not have the amount you need right then, you may choose another supplier.
You probably need that chicken feed right away. You have hungry birds, and you can’t wait weeks or months.
The right supplier should have chicken feed that they can ship out the moment you order it. You should ask how they ship it. If they can get it on a truck and moving in your direction immediately, that’s fine. If they have a long backup or supply chain issues for any reason, perhaps you’ll use someone else instead.
Can I Set Up a Regular Order?
Maybe you get your first order, and you like what you see. You notice that the chicken feed has all the signs that indicate it is high quality. The birds have no issues gobbling it down.
If so, you might ask whether you can set up a regular shipment schedule at this point. Maybe you know that you’ll need a certain amount every week, every couple of weeks, or every month.
If the company can set that up for you, then you might put in that regular order. You can get the feed you need at the correct times. You can always go back and modify the order at some point if your needs change.
Do You Have Any Sort of Quality Guarantee?
You might ask about the chicken feed’s quality. The company can tell you the proprietary blend they use, but can they guarantee that same quality every time?
You might ask whether they always use the same suppliers when making chicken feed. Does the formula ever change, or do they stick with it for every new batch they create?
Do You Engage in Fair Trade Practices?
You can ask whether they use fair trade practices. Many of the better companies that make agri products do.
Fair trade means that the company only trades with entities in developing countries, and they only pay each commodity’s producer a fair price for their labor. If you hear that a chicken feed company uses those practices, you should like that. It shows that this company has a conscience and they’re not a profit-only business entity.
Do You Offer a Payment Method that Works for Me?
You can also ask whether the chicken feed company you select accepts payment methods that work for you. If you pay by credit card, they should take the one you use. Some companies don’t accept American Express or certain other cards.
You might also pay using Google Pay, Apple Pay, crypto, or some other payment form. Maybe you use PayPal, Venmo, or another payment method.
The company you use should accept your payment choice with no problems. If they do not take the latest payment forms, then you might feel you should find another company that’s more up-to-date with the newest tech.
If you find a company that creates high-quality chicken feed and that answers all of these questions the way you want, then you can move forward. You can set up the first delivery, see how it goes, and then have a standing order.
Remember that if you buy bulk chicken feed from a company regularly, they should stay on your good side. You owe them no allegiance. If you can find a competing entity that gives you the same high-quality chicken feed at a lower price or they offer you some other perk, you can always switch.
It’s just business, and the company you use should understand that. To retain you as a customer, they should keep you happy. If they miss a shipment, the feed quality seems inferior, or you have any other problem with them, you can make a change.
You should maintain the relationship as long as the company keeps delivering the product you want on time and for the right price.
