Wood Pellets Thread 2012

[oberon]

Starting a new bed with Liverpool Wood Pellets.

I choose not to wet them because I am lazy, the tap is round the other end of the yard and I live in the NW - where it is always damp anyway

I like to start with an opulent amount of bags. I use 13 usually, but I went mad and used 17 :eek:



This is what they look like close up initially.





Bed laid down



Horse ready to trash it



Day 2 - it takes a few minutes to muck out. The pellets don't stick to the poop, so there is minimal shaking of the fork and the wastage is negligible.



Day 3 - post muck out. Pellets are beginning to break down into a soft sand - this is how they go straight away, if you wet them. You can see how the bedding is spreading. It is 4 inches deep at this point.
Horse has Cushings and is very wet. My preference is to lift the whole bed, throw out the wet and clumpy bits from the bottom and swirl the bed evenly (dry sides with the stood on middle).
It's more recommended to just swirl the whole bed together and mix the wet with the dry....or just leave the wet alone to deep litter - but that isn't my preference.

[julz]

I think you're wasting money by taking out what is "wet" as if mixed it will dry, and be usable again... I cannot imagine why you used 17 bags.

[oberon]

Day 5 (actually, a month has elapsed, but he is only coming in occasionally and thus the bed has only been slept on 5 times )



After mucking out



Finger depth



Close ups

[maislow]

blimey 17 bags would last mine a few weeks lol

[KimT]

I have never used wood pellets before so this may be a numpty question.

If you leave the wet in, I know it absorbs and drys but is it hygenic?

[oberon]

Aug 20, 2012 9:44:16 GMT 1 KimT said:

I have never used wood pellets before so this may be a numpty question.

If you leave the wet in, I know it absorbs and drys but is it hygenic?

That's why I move it ;D

[oberon]

Aug 19, 2012 22:41:49 GMT 1 maislow said:

blimey 17 bags would last mine a few weeks lol

I just wanted to see what would happen ;D

[KimT]

I think I would do the same Oberon. I am putting Lady on shavings this year and I will be taking the wet out. She is a little prone to thrush without adding more bacteria. I am a little mental about my beds. They have to be clean. lol. Even when on pay per bale (as I am now) I would get all of the dirt out (well, as much as humanly possible) no matter the cost. lol. I got pretty good and sifting it all.

At least once a week they would be left up to air and some carbolic powder or a heavily diluted jeyes fluid mixture would be put down.

[sophielouise]

Do you think wood pellets would work as a 'base layer' to another bedding?

Pete is on straw, which is great - but in the winter, when I am not able to air his bed as much, it can get a little wet underneath.

I don't want to change bedding - as I don't have rubber matting - but am wondering if pellets might work soak up the excess?

[oberon]

Aug 20, 2012 21:08:44 GMT 1 @sophielouise said:

Do you think wood pellets would work as a 'base layer' to another bedding?

Pete is on straw, which is great - but in the winter, when I am not able to air his bed as much, it can get a little wet underneath.

I don't want to change bedding - as I don't have rubber matting - but am wondering if pellets might work soak up the excess?

Yup. People buy the odd bag and use as a base layer with other beddings. A livery mate uses it with straw to soak up the excess.

If you have a straw only policy at your yard - you can use straw pellets.

[oberon]

Aug 20, 2012 16:51:39 GMT 1 KimT said:

I think I would do the same Oberon. I am putting Lady on shavings this year and I will be taking the wet out. She is a little prone to thrush without adding more bacteria. I am a little mental about my beds. They have to be clean. lol. Even when on pay per bale (as I am now) I would get all of the dirt out (well, as much as humanly possible) no matter the cost. lol. I got pretty good and sifting it all.

At least once a week they would be left up to air and some carbolic powder or a heavily diluted jeyes fluid mixture would be put down.

I'm the same. I just CANNOT leave the bed alone. I have to turn it all over and take out the wet - even if I waste money doing so.

It's my money at the end of the day ;D

[KimT]

I was at a livery yard once where the straw was meant to be all in on the price. The lady said we could have as much as we liked. Little did I know that meant as long as we deep littered. Moved fairly quickly.