Pelleted Bedding?

[tellynpeep]

After doing some reading, I decided to try the pelleted (horse) bedding in my coops. I first used it in the brooders, and the reduction in smell and dust was amazing. The spoiled girls out in the coops however have gotten a bit.... finicky! First night I changed the bedding, I went to shut up the coop and found one girl roosting outside in a tree; she refused to go inside! The next morning, they were all up on the perches and nest boxes, refusing to touch foot to the floor even to eat or drink! Well, I find if you wet it slightly it turns to sawdust, and is less annoying to them (actually makes a nice soft surface.) But what do you do when they eat it????

Is anyone else using this?

 

[Bev in Nevada]

I was thinking about using it, will be interesting to see what others say. I'm told by a horse person who uses it, that it causes no harm to horses if eaten

 

[CountryPantry]

I have used pelleted bedding for several years now. We love it. I don't wet mine, it turns to sawdust soon enough in the coops. When we first started, I had a little shavings left so I just added the shavings to the pellets, just a little of each, not the normal amount for bedding, then each day I added more of the pellets, until it was finally what i wanted. It is easier to clean and I found I don't have to clean it out as often with the pellets.

 

[tellynpeep]

Well, it's working out pretty well for the most part. My cochin still doesn't like it, and one of my chicks (1 month old) has been eating eat (stuffing his crop full actually) and I had to take him off it and put him in a separate brooder box since he was starving himself as a result. I do like the so-far lower maintenance aspect.

 

[Bleenie]

I use it in my brooders and duck house. It really does reduce the smell, flies and dust! I feed crumble so the babies never tried to eat it, the ducks 'mouthed' it but spit it out. I always make sure to turn it around at least every other day to keep it absorbing everything and bringing the dry stuff up from the bottom. I usually only pay about $3/bag and it lasts so much longer than shaving/straw/hay or anything else. Plus it composts super fast and grass grows well on it

I LOVE the stuff.

ETA: the chicken hens like to go in the duck house when it's hot and dust bathe in it after it's broken down into dust.

 

[laseterlass]

What is it? Is it like the pine pellet cat litter? That stuff is so strong my cats laughed at me when I tried it. Then promptly peed in the dirty laundry basket.

 

[whitehousechix]

This is what I use in the coop and stalls for the horses, for the coop I did a light top dressing of straw for warmth, and just to get it used up, and just add about a cottage cheese carton of new pellets every other day, so i used 1 bag to start, and keep adding another little bit as I clean some out of the coop and haven't noticed the chickens eating it. it seems pretty economical