Hemp bedding

[thecatumbrella]

I’m in NE Ohio and our winters can be a bit harsh. Not recently, but pretty unpredictable. This upcoming one is supposed to be a doozy, but who knows?

The dirt might be kind of rough then, but either pellets or sand should stay pliable so long as the run is dry. Pellets are a lot easier to test out and remove if they're not working..

 

[M_Struna]

The dirt might be kind of rough then, but either pellets or sand should stay pliable so long as the run is dry. Pellets are a lot easier to test out and remove if they're not working..

So true. The hemp for the coop is coming tomorrow and I’m already dreading the chore of removing the sand. Yay, Aleve!!! Do the pellets cause any foot issues that you’re aware of? Seems they might make for a hard landing before they’ve had a chance to break down?

 

[SkyAJK]

I used hemp before, some of my chickens eat it, and I found it to be dusty, might be just the brand I got. It is expensive and because it is dusty and some of my chickens eat it, I am glad not to use it again.

I did put hemp as nest box material and my scratches it everywhere, so it was not working out at all.

 

[M_Struna]

I used hemp before, some of my chickens eat it, and I found it to be dusty, might be just the brand I got. It is expensive and because it is dusty and some of my chickens eat it, I am glad not to use it again.

I did put hemp as nest box material and my scratches it everywhere, so it was not working out at all.

I’ve read that some chickens like to eat it. I hope that doesn’t happen here. I’ve also read that some of the American hemp brands are dusty. That’s why I went with the French hemp. They’ve been in the hemp business a lot longer and I’m hoping for a quality product.

 

[thecatumbrella]

So true. The hemp for the coop is coming tomorrow and I’m already dreading the chore of removing the sand. Yay, Aleve!!! Do the pellets cause any foot issues that you’re aware of? Seems they might make for a hard landing before they’ve had a chance to break down?

The one person I know (in real life) that uses pellets lightly mists them whenever she freshens the run. That should get them broken down a bit. Plus, you probably don't want to be slipping around on them like banana peels!

 

[thecatumbrella]

I’ve read that some chickens like to eat it. I hope that doesn’t happen here.

Oh, they'll eat it. Get your grit cups ready!

 

[littlecoopnextdoor]

I’ve been using hemp and it’s been great. I suggest looking around if you can find a local supplier that brings it in wholesale. I live in eastern Ontario, and a lot of the hemp comes from either Quebec of out west in Alberta, so I have a local contact who brings a van of bales from Quebec to sell locally at a very good price. $25 bale of hemp has lasted me 7 months. My coop is small but still, even four times that is pretty reasonable for almost a year, I believe. Once it’s out of the coop it goes into the run for another long time