Wood pellets for the coop?

[Debbie292d]

IMHO, not very comfortable to walk on especially if jumping down from a roost.

They don't seem to care and get around just fine. No splayed legs for sure!

As for the coop, we put down 3-4 inches of pellets, so it's got give.

 

[chickenmomma1108]

We've used horse bedding pellets (100% compressed pine) for 7 years and would never use anything else. We clean our coop floor every spring.

They dry out the poop on the floor, nest boxes, and brooder. They eliminate any odors and are virtually maintenance-free except the brooder I stir with a stick daily as those little feet don't move them around much.

If there's a water leak or spill, they will absorb it and then it turns to sawdust. After a year in our coop, it's pretty much sawdust and dehydrated poop. We spread that around trees, in flower beds, garden, and compost bins.

Our brooder is in our living room. There is zero smell. It keeps their brooder dry so less chance of diseases. We expect they pick at them and might find a morsel of wood, just like with most anything, so we provide grit.

View attachment 3724335

Adorable chicks!
How well do the pine pellets do in your coop if you have snow melting outside (adding to the humidity) and chickens coming & going? Do you have a chicken waterer in your coop? Asking because we need to redo the coop bedding & currently used fine pine shavings in our coop.
thanks,
chickenmomma1108 - Elizabeth

 

[Debbie292d]

Adorable chicks!
How well do the pine pellets do in your coop if you have snow melting outside (adding to the humidity) and chickens coming & going? Do you have a chicken waterer in your coop? Asking because we need to redo the coop bedding & currently used fine pine shavings in our coop.
thanks,
chickenmomma1108 - Elizabeth

@chickenmomma1108, Elizabeth, I am so sorry I missed your reply. I just got a notification someone else liked my reply so I came to see what this was as I didn't remember it, then saw your questions.

My apologies for the extremely late answer, which I'm guessing is too late.

We use a DIY 5-gallon nipple bucket in all of the coops that is heated to 40F and the heated electric 3-gallon store-bought ones for the outdoor pens with little chicken huts that don't have room for them.

The pellets will turn to sawdust when they get wet. Nothing wrong with that, as this kind of sawdust is dust-free, but it absorbs less than the pellets do. We make paths for the chickens so they aren't dragging much, if anything, in there. Even with the chicken door open right now and 66% humidity outside, it's 54% in the coop. Keeping open water out of the coop and using horse bedding pellets helps the humidity issues tremendously!

 

[chickenmomma1108]

@chickenmomma1108, Elizabeth, I am so sorry I missed your reply. I just got a notification someone else liked my reply so I came to see what this was as I didn't remember it, then saw your questions.

My apologies for the extremely late answer, which I'm guessing is too late.

We use a DIY 5-gallon nipple bucket in all of the coops that is heated to 40F and the heated electric 3-gallon store-bought ones for the outdoor pens with little chicken huts that don't have room for them.

The pellets will turn to sawdust when they get wet. Nothing wrong with that, as this kind of sawdust is dust-free, but it absorbs less than the pellets do. We make paths for the chickens so they aren't dragging much, if anything, in there. Even with the chicken door open right now and 66% humidity outside, it's 54% in the coop. Keeping open water out of the coop and using horse bedding pellets helps the humidity issues tremendously!

You're absolutely fine - I know life gets busy. I kind of forgot myself thanks for all the answers about waterers and pine pellets/sawdust in your chicken housing amd runs. I love the pellets for puddles & muddy spots in the run..and everyone has figured out they aren't food, haha.

Have a nice day
chickenmomma1108 - Elizabeth