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.

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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