Pine pellets for coop bedding??? Does it work?? I'm curious....

[Labsandchickens8]

Fair point! My spending is out of control when it comes to my chickens. At this point, my first egg will be the most expensive dish I've ever eaten.

Me too! By FAR the most expensive hobby I've ever had but I am officially the crazy chicken lady of my family and acquaintances. I now tell family to buy me things for the chickens for my birthday and Christmas.

 

[Bawkbok]

Right there with ya! We are still waiting for our first 'golden' egg. At this point, my husband went from calling the chicken set up from the "taj ma chicken house" to the "million dollar chicken run".
Can't wait to taste that first egg.

 

[TheDandyLion]

That first egg is always fantastic, just don't be disappointed by how small it may be. The very first egg I got was 27 grams. That same chicken now lays 65 gram eggs. I weighed each one and charted them, just out of curiosity. It took her about 6 weeks of about daily increases to get to her normal size eggs.

Her first egg, she ran around the run cackling, looking stressed. I later found the egg in the coop dropped in the pine pellets.

 

[talkinboutchickens]

That first egg is always fantastic, just don't be disappointed by how small it may be. The very first egg I got was 27 grams. That same chicken now lays 65 gram eggs. I weighed each one and charted them, just out of curiosity. It took her about 6 weeks of about daily increases to get to her normal size eggs.

Her first egg, she ran around the run cackling, looking stressed. I later found the egg in the coop dropped in the pine pellets.

My first egg that I ever got from my chickens was from my maran, and it was shell-less.

 

[talkinboutchickens]

I switched to pellets and absolutely love it, not going back to shavings!

Good to know! After all of these great reviews on the pellets I might switch to them! I am still worried about using them in my coop though, because I get pelleted food for them and they might confuse the pellets with their food. I will probably start using them in the chick brooder starting next year, though

 

[Bawkbok]

We put two bags of the pellets in the run prior to hurricane Helene. Of course with all the rain, they turned to complete sawdust (expected). We still have sawdust, it seems to retain well. It is mixed in with dirt from the compost pile. I wonder why we're not getting bugs in there though...? Today we added two large bags of mower mulched bamboo leaves which I'm hoping helps attract bugs. It was fun watching the girls scratching in their new fluff. Super crispy fried dry here - could sure use some rain.
Talkinboutchickens, I don't think you have to worry about them eating it. I've read other comments here where they might taste it and spit it out. Our girls did the same when I first installed them. They are a bit slippery with that coating on them. A fine water spray might help with that. I know ours didn't like to walk on them it seemed until they got wet, nor did I. They are a little uncomfortable to walk on. Once they turn to sawdust or soften up, it's much better.

 

[talkinboutchickens]

Talkinboutchickens, I don't think you have to worry about them eating it. I've read other comments here where they might taste it and spit it out. Our girls did the same when I first installed them. They are a bit slippery with that coating on them. A fine water spray might help with that. I know ours didn't like to walk on them it seemed until they got wet, nor did I. They are a little uncomfortable to walk on. Once they turn to sawdust or soften up, it's much better.

Thanks for the reassuranceI really do hope that if they try it, they will spit it out and won't keep eating it...

 

[WingItRanch]

Thanks for the reassuranceI really do hope that if they try it, they will spit it out and won't keep eating it...

I was worried about the same thing. They'd just pick one up to test it and quickly drop it. I imagine the pine doesn't taste very good!

 

[talkinboutchickens]

@Debbie292d and everyone, I was wondering if chicks are comfortable enough to sleep in pine pellets because they are kind of hard? I'm getting chicks in March probably and I want to try using pine pellets in the brooder. Haven't gotten the chance to use them yet because for the past 2 years we have let the hens hatch chicks. Never doing that again, because the hen-raised chicks are NOT nice!

 

[PrettyBirdRocky]

@Debbie292d and everyone, I was wondering if chicks are comfortable enough to sleep in pine pellets because they are kind of hard? I'm getting chicks in March probably and I want to try using pine pellets in the brooder. Haven't gotten the chance to use them yet because for the past 2 years we have let the hens hatch chicks. Never doing that again, because the hen-raised chicks are NOT nice!

I'd be more worried of them falling on the rolled pellets, maybe that's just me. Although I've never used the pellets in chicks, who are clumsy anyway
Good luck! And yes, hen raised chicks are practically feral lol!