Horse bedding pellets

[Love Donkeys]

We have a 7'x22' walk in coop, 23 hens, 16 pullets and 2 romantic roosters. For our coop, pellets would be too expensive. We use TSC flake pine shavings, one bale a month. We buy the bales when they are on sale and store them on a pallet in the barn. Last sale TSC had was BOGO.

 

[RoyalChick]

I use horse stall pellets under the roosts and just let them break down (I don’t scoop).
Haven’t had any issues.
The one thing I’d you use wood stove pellets is to check they don’t have any additives to make them burn better. Some, not all brands add stuff.
Horse stall pellets are safely just the compressed wood.

 

[Bawkbok]

The pellets rolled under my feet, making it kind of slippery. I also found the pellets didn't control the odor like flakes. Flakes are also more economical.

Agreed. I occasionally use pine horse pellets in the deep litter run but they are slippery and hurt my feet to walk on. I spread the bag thin vs. using them inches deep. This helps with absorption and mixes in well with the other litter and I don't have to worry about kissing the ground unexpectedly.

 

[Suzz]

How often should I clean the coop? I know a couple people here that use them only do it once a year. I’m a big neat freak and couldn’t do that. I’m thinking once every 1-2 months? Or is that overkill?

I pick up poop every day nothing is overkill if you want to do it personal preference have a good day

 

[Squawkers]

I pick up poop every day nothing is overkill if you want to do it personal preference have a good day

I do that too! I just didn’t know when to replace the bedding on top of daily cleaning.

 

[Ms Rose]

I have a droppings board (poop deck) underneath the roost in my coop. I use the Straw Boss compressed straw pellets and really like them. I have 8 hens and clean it with a little litter scoop sometimes daily sometimes every few days. It depends on how dirty it is. Sometimes the hens will scratch in it looking for goodies but they don’t eat the pellets themselves. Also, I also feed them pellets and they know the difference.

The rest of my coop is wood shavings. I use the deep litter method and clean it out/exchange for fresh in the spring and fall.

 

[Squawkers]

I have a droppings board (poop deck) underneath the roost in my coop. I use the Straw Boss compressed straw pellets and really like them. I have 8 hens and clean it with a little litter scoop sometimes daily sometimes every few days. It depends on how dirty it is. Sometimes the hens will scratch in it looking for goodies but they don’t eat the pellets themselves. Also, I also feed them pellets and they know the difference.

Thanks!!

 

[StinkyAcres]

@Squawkers I'm curious - have you tried the pellet bedding yet?

I just got some pellet bedding for the first time and am planning to test them out this week. I'll be using the pellets on the chickens side of the coop and large flake shavings on the duck side. I'll let you know what I think of them and how they compare!

 

[Squawkers]

@Squawkers I'm curious - have you tried the pellet bedding yet?

I just got some pellet bedding for the first time and am planning to test them out this week. I'll be using the pellets on the chickens side of the coop and large flake shavings on the duck side. I'll let you know what I think of them and how they compare!

I haven't yet, but I was planning to later this week. I am about to run out of chicken food and I was going to get the pellets when I went to tsc to get chicken food. Thank you! that is exciting!

 

[StinkyAcres]

Pellets are in the coop! I was surprised by the chickens' reactions to them - they were scared of them! I think it's because of how noisy they are underfoot and the new texture. It took some time before they tried stepping on them. I'm sure they'll get use to it. I saw one hen taste a pellet then quickly spit it out, so they definitely know it isn't food.