A transfer conveyor apparatus has a horizontally oriented receiving hopper defined by walls and a floor. A transition auger slopes upward and rearward from a bottom end thereof located in a rear portion of the receiving hopper. A plurality of hopper augers extend from the front wall to the rear portion of the receiving hopper. A right hopper auger is in proximity to and parallel to the right side wall and a left hopper auger is in proximity to and parallel to the left side wall. The hopper auger shafts are parallel and spaced apart by a spacing distance substantially equal to or less than the hopper auger diameter, and an auger drive is operative to rotate the hopper augers and the transition auger.