Up North

I'm on the road for a few days. I purchased a grain mill to grind feed for my chickens. The mill was in northern South Dakota. Being that close to barley country, I pushed a little further North and picked up a ton of feed grade grain.
When it comes to feeding chickens you can buy bags at Tractor Supply. At $8 a bag That works out to$400 a ton.  Barley sells for$2.95 a bushel, or about$185 a ton. Corn is a bit cheaper. Buying bulk has benefits
There are drawbacks to bulk though. One is storage. You need a place protected from weather and rodents. I use 55 gallon barrels with screw on lids, and keep them in a shed.
The other is that chickens fare a bit better on ground feed over whole grain. While the elevator can grind the corn for you, ground feed has some disadvantages. Mainly it attracts moisture and rots. That is why I was looking for a grinder.
The barley is another matter. What someone suggested was to take barley and soak it. Then put it on a damp cloth and let it germinate. It provides fresh greens for the birds in winter. I'm still learning.