Pine pellets: The circle of life

[Chickety Charcoal]

These are some great ideas everyone! I have a bunch of pine shavings already that I use for my chickens, but will have to check if my feed store has pine pellets and see if I can give them a try. I will be starting my quail project soon.

 

[HEChicken]

I may have to give them a try. How much does a bag cost you? I recently bought a bag of corn cob pellet bedding on a clearance rack and used that as the bedding for my broody Mama last August. Currently my mealies are on it and seem to be doing great. I was going to try those next time I have a brooder of chicks, until the bag runs out. But I'd be willing to try pine pellets too, if the price is comparable.

 

[Eyeheartquail]

I bought a 50lb bag for 7 or 8 bucks. It may not be as beneficial if you had a ton of birds. But I have only been hatching 20 chicks at a time.

 

[MobyQuail]

I like the pine pellets for my brooders and my catch trays in my pens. good stuff.

 

[TheRealTimShady]

i've only ever used aspen wood shavings, and old paper. The pine pellets work very good eh, might have to check it out.

 

[bfrancis]

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.

X2 Pellets are $5.00 a bag here too. My pens are different, but with brooders and the few project pens I do have...pellets are the bomb!

 

[HEChicken]

How do pellets do when they get wet? I have a bag of corn cob pellet bedding that I used in my brooder but I found that the slightest bit of damp and they just kind of dissolve. Not necessarily a bad thing, since I suppose it will help them break down in the compost that much faster, but just wondering if pine pellets dissolve like that too?

 

[bfrancis]

Yea, pretty much. That is draw back and you learn very quickly what is too much to start and too little. Nothing more aggravating than cleaning a brooder to find nice fresh pellets under the used ones...hate to waste here.

 

[Eyeheartquail]

Yes, the pine shavings do get wet and crumble. It SUCKS. But they still burn fine. LOL. Bfrancis is absolutely correct. You learn very fast how much to put at the bottom. Waste not want not.

 

[chickbird]

IF THERE IS HARDLY ANY MOISTURE, THEY BECOME MUSHY.