has anyone used wood pellets for litter?

[old fashioned]

Right now I have hay for deep litter method, but it has started raining and getting wet in the pen and I think the hay is getting moldy even though I try to keep it turned and fluffed. I did attached some tarps around the pen to keep out the rain but too late. I want to replace the hay with a different litter method but I'm not sure which way to go. Cost does play a major factor. I know wood pellets are sometimes used in horse stalls, I just wondered about with chickens??? and if they would try to eat the wood pellets and maybe get sick? I buy their feed as crumbles. I can I get anyones thoughts on this, please? Thanks to all.

 

[PineBurrowPeeps]

Sure you can use them, BUT you want to make sure that you only buy a kind that does not contain an accelarant. AND if you feed your chickens pellet food and not crumble, it's probably not the best idea as they will probably eat large amounts of it.

Also, it is very absorbent and fluffs up alot.

I like using it in the bottom of my rabbit trays.

 

[HBuehler]

I use the horse bedding pellets in the inside brooder it works real well..less gets in the water and it really keeps the odor out and being inside my house that is the #1 reason..we love our chickens but they can stink!

 

[honeydoll]

I wondered about wood pellets too. I thought it might hurt their feet. Is it cheaper than the pine shavings at TSC.?

 

[thedreamers]

I work at a chem/feed store here in hastings so its easy for me to get pallets that have no or very small space between boards. We have them in each pen to help keep the chickens up off the ground so when we do have bad rains they have a dry place to be. We tried using different types of litter in ours and this seems to work better for us, they still have plenty of room around the pallets to scatch and dig and have fun. They all seem ok with it to. Every couple a months or when the pallet rots away we go in and till everything up an put the pallets back.

 

[old fashioned]

Quote:
I have heard from horse owners that horse pellets and wood pellets are pretty much the same. I wonder if putting up a flower scented room deoderizer in the coop might help with those smelly chickens?

 

[old fashioned]

Quote:
Sorry, but we don't have a TSC in our area so I can't say if it's better or cheaper. The closest one is in California, I love my chickens but not THAT much. I sometimes wish we did have a TSC atleast for some of their prices in comparing the costs here in Western Washington to what I've seen posted here for TSC. You could always use shredded paper. Just a thought. Thanks

 

[lovemychicns]

Don't they mistake the pellets for food and wouldn't that be very bad for them?

 

[Whirlwind]

I switched my brooder to wood pellets and got a chick with a big swollen crop.

I watched the pellets when they get wet and they blow up like a ballon. I am almost positive that is what happened to her.

Still tring to resolve this crop problem. Still only one of 10 chicks. Other than that they were great less smell less mess.

 

[feathersnuggles]

Hi - I've been really enjoying using bags of fallen leaves in their run. The girls like to dig and shred up the leaves, and if they eat some, it won't get stuck in their crop. I tried straw, too, on top of the dirt in the run, but I like the leaves WAY better cuz they aren't getting so damp and moldy in this weather. And they're free -- if I take my rake and some bags around town!

Also, I covered 1/3 of the run (closest to the hen house) with heavy clear plastic - stapled it to the run. That gave them a really dry spot to take their dust baths and it keeps down the pop-door drafts, even during those high winds and rain.

I use shavings in the coop - but am going to try those horse pellets, if I can find some around here.

ETA - I'm selecting small-medium or dissected leaves, skipping stuff like big leaf maple because I'm afraid those platter-sized leaves will mat up and mold.