Pine pellets: The circle of life

[Eyeheartquail]

Can't you already hear Elton john in the background? LOL I just wanted to point out how convenient it is for me to use pressed pine pellets in my brooders. Once the brooders are dirty I use the icky pellets in my wood stove. Then I use the remaining ash from the wood stove for my adult quail dust baths. Now if I could just figure out how to make my adult quail produce pine pellets.

Not to mention, pine pellets just rock. They are the best way that I have found to keep the smell down and feet clean. Have you used a bedding that works better?

 

[kahlertm]

Have gone back and forth...But when the compost pile gets SO big...Pine pellets are the way to go for better composting, odor control..and just space...especially if you have small space to operate in. Right on Eyeheartquail! I'm sticking with them and good old fashioned FREE newspaper.

Tonya

 

[MobyQuail]

I just got 4 bags of pine pellets for $20. I go through about a bag a week.
weekly I change out 12- 2x2.5 pens, a big water trough I use as a brooder and several rubbermaid totes.

 

[Eyeheartquail]

I have noticed certain brands of pellet are better than others. Kinda weird. However, using the pellets totally outweighs using something else where they track poop all over the place, have a stinky living area, and have poop crusted all over their feet. In my opinion.

IF THEIR IS HARDLY ANY MOISTURE, THEY BECOME MUSHY.

 

[blueberrychickens]

Are you talking about the pellets used in a pellet stove??

 

[Eyeheartquail]

No. Pine pellet bedding from the feed store. They look identical though. They could be the same thing, I have no clue.

 

[blueberrychickens]

So if I go to the grain store I am asking for pine pellets? Or equine pine?

 

[chickbird]

I have noticed certain brands of pellet are better than others. Kinda weird. However, using the pellets totally outweighs using something else where they track poop all over the place, have a stinky living area, and have poop crusted all over their feet. In my opinion.

I LIKE THE PINE SHAVINGS BETTER, THEY SEEM TO ABSORB THE MOISTURE AND ALSO DON'T GET THE POOP STUCK TO THE FEET, THEY ALSO SEEM TO GO FURTHER THAN THE PINE PELLETS, BUT I WOULD SAY TRY THE PELLETS IN YOUR OWN APPLICATION AND IF THEY WORK FOR YOU THAT IS GOOD.

 

[pondviewfarm]

I am raising my first group of chickens on pine pellets right now. I love the pellets so far!
The only thing that I am having trouble with is cleaning - every morning I put on gloves and pick out the chick poop by hand. It seems wasteful to empty out all of the pellets (a good majority of which are still clean) daily. Plus, I'd be going through a whole bag every day if I did that.
I am cleaning out and sanitizing the brooder once/weekly.

 

[dc3085]

I am raising my first group of chickens on pine pellets right now. I love the pellets so far!
The only thing that I am having trouble with is cleaning - every morning I put on gloves and pick out the chick poop by hand. It seems wasteful to empty out all of the pellets (a good majority of which are still clean) daily. Plus, I'd be going through a whole bag every day if I did that.
I am cleaning out and sanitizing the brooder once/weekly.

Build a dirt sieve. Use 1/2" x 1" wire and staple it to a rectangle made from 2x4s. Then just shovel the pine shaving in and shake them unitl all the poop fall through. you may have to experiment with wire size until you get the poop falling through leaving you clean shavings.