Hog fuel

[DaisyG2317]

Has anyone used hog fuel as a material to put in run? I wanted to do arborist chips but everyone local has a long wait. Only concern with the hog fuel is splinters?

 

[MarkJr]

I personally wouldn’t put hemlock in with animals for bedding.

 

[3KillerBs]

I personally wouldn’t put hemlock in with animals for bedding.

You are confusing two different plants.

https://www.mortonarb.org/trees-plants/tree-plant-descriptions/eastern-hemlock

Vs

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conium_maculatum

 

[DaisyG2317]

Bump

 

[MarkJr]

W

You are confusing two different plants.

https://www.mortonarb.org/trees-plants/tree-plant-descriptions/eastern-hemlock

Vs

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conium_maculatum

Not at all confusing them. Hemlock bark has an unimaginable amount of small splinters throughout it. Picture the fuzzy end of a maple seed.

 

[DaisyG2317]

What about pine bark nuggets

 

[aart]

Could mix the hog fuel with the pine bark nuggets.

I use large flake shavings in coop, and wood chippings in run, some of it is pretty darn sharp..
...but have had not serious injuries from it.

 

[DaisyG2317]

Could mix the hog fuel with the pine bark nuggets.

I use large flake shavings in coop, and wood chippings in run, some of it is pretty darn sharp..
...but have had not serious injuries from it.

Thank you, @aart! I was hoping you would find this forum

I got a lead from another place on some hardwood chips, mostly douglas fir. Hopefully that works out instead. But if not I will do the hog fuel mixed with the nuggets. I read that bark can mold easier than chip, is this always the case? In PNW so rain is constant. Run is covered but we get sideways rain.

 

[aart]

I read that bark can mold easier than chip, is this always the case?

Well, depends.
Bark is where most the resident organisms live, so yeah.
Whether there's enough mold growth to cause problems is highly subjective regarding the environment. Why aging the chips, and adding to run in thin layers, is recommended.

 

[DaisyG2317]

Well, depends.
Bark is where most the resident organisms live, so yeah.
Whether there's enough mold growth to cause problems is highly subjective regarding the environment. Why aging the chips, and adding to run in thin layers, is recommended.

Gotcha, thanks for the tip! I'll try to add a little at a time before the rain comes. Fortunately (I guess?) We are having a heat wave so I can dry some out in the sun.