I just switched to pellets bedding after using straw for the last 24 years and it’s quite liberating! What is everyone’s favorite brand and why? Thanks!
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I used the Softwood Bedding pellets for years because they worked well and were the least expensive. Now they are pretty dang spendy, so I’m going to try Dry Den when the horses start coming back in stalls at night. For a pallet purchase, it’s $6.30/bag vs. $5. Quite a savings, if I like them.
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Brand will depend on your location, but here in the Portland/Vancouver area I like Blue Mountain or Nature’s. And yes, done right, pelleted bedding is wonderful!
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StruFex was my favorite - pelleted straw. The particles were heavy enough that airborne wasn’t as high, and didn’t last as long. They were soft enough to not need to be watered to break up. Then they went out of business. I don’t know if anyone has done another straw pellet
My next favorite is what Southern States carries - less dusty than what TSC has. But being wood, it’s still on the dustier side. If stalls were used a lot, so more change of material, it wouldn’t be bad. But with as few hours a week as mine get, it just breaks down and gets dustier and dustier.
I use the tiny shavings now from Southern States and it’s the best of both worlds. Not a lot of bedding taken out with manure, soaks up pee spots very well
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@JB this is exactly the result I always get with bedding pellets. Since my horses are not locked in their stalls the bedding doesn’t have a big daily changeover, and my barn ended up being one big dust bowl. I am also using tiny shavings for my stalls and they work great - very absorbent, easy to pick, no soaking/watering needed, and much, much cleaner.
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I love pellets in the winter when mine are in more. TSC brand seems less dusty then Horse Fresh from Agway which are my two local options. In the summer I switch over to small flake shavings. Less dusty when they are out more.
For those who have used both pellets and the tiny flakes, which one do you think does better in windy situations?
I recently put in dutch doors in my stalls, which provides for great ventilation (especially during this heat wave), but what I did not anticipate is that the wind blows the medium flake shavings I was using in one of the stalls around like crazy. I switched to pellets, which is better, but then they break down into dust and then that flies around.
the bigger the particle, the less they will blow around. So by default, even the “tiny flakes” will stay put better than broken down pellets. But the tiny flakes are still pretty lightweight compared to “mini” flakes and for sure the traditional flakes. Tractor Supply’s mini-flakes are a bit bigger than the SS mini-flakes, while still substantially smaller than traditional flakes.
when I first set up home horsekeeping for this mini farmette I really loved the idea of the pelleted bedding. and a TSC not even 2 miles away was great. (and still is) but my issue is the water for activating…in summer left everything moist/kinda moldy. In winter I just couldn’t do it with the freezing temps. So! I moved on to a mini flake. I have loved them!!! but I will say its spoiled me for regular shavings. I can no longer easily sift out a manure fork of those! hahaha…So, I order from ACE hardware this https://www.acehardware.com/departments/home-and-decor/pet-supplies/pet-kennels-and-houses/7409220
america’s choice premium mini flakes. SO superior to TSC or any other brand. I actually have full bags of a product I paid well for, supposed mini flakes and wasn’t even close. I went all the way to corporate level just to get my money back and get it to local dealer I bought it from and no dice. so, it sits for a 4H group or a horse rescue, whoever can come get it and use it for now. In re: pelleted, I have a gradual grade that heavy rains (ground water) will flood my little barn. I’ve learned to stock some bags of the pelleted just to ‘soak up’ and make clean up easier, (and I will use a scoop in a big pee spot) so I still keep them on hand. I wish someone would devise the long bags (think barrier for thresholds for rising floods) with these in them!!! when rains came I could keep barn from flooding AND slice em open for bedding afterwards! hahahahaha.
So, how economical are the mini flakes compared to pelleted? Thanks for the input.
Maude: I must admit I won’t be the poster child for the best middle of the road answer on that. I’m approaching my mid 60s. I have ONE retired gelding and one mini companion. So my usage / etc I cannot compare to someone with more horses, more stalls, some help, etc. I use these mini flakes because I can easily pick a stall, easily find a pee spot and don’t waste time with big flakes, and lots of work. its a lot about ‘waste’ for me. waste of product, waste of time, etc. the mini flakes I’m sure are costly for a larger need than I have.
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At TSC the stove pellets (from pine) absorb more than their horse bedding pellets and are cheaper.
I just add pellets to the stall.
My horse does the “watering” of the pellets when she pees.
: )
Really? Aren’t there additives in the stove pellets?
Some. Not all. You have to make sure they are softwood (not hardwood) and confirm they have no added chemicals. Otherwise a pellet is a pellet.
You know what I really liked? The ground corncob bedding. Super light to carry but did a really nice job and not very dusty.
Is this not crazy expensive where you live?
I honestly don’t know anymore since I haven’t bought it in a year or so, but when I boarded the barn actually got it in bulk. I am smack in the middle of corn country, that probably makes a big difference. I used it last year or the year before in the chicken coop and I feel like it was about $3 per bag, it was usually the same or a little cheaper than wood shavings.
Wow. $3/bag is crazy cheap for any bedding in my part of the world.
Last time I looked at various beddings, pine was still the cheapest.
Edit to add, I looked on the Tractor supply website to do a comparison. For my part of the world here are some screen shots:
I guess the twice the price part is why I have not tried it yet.
Ahhhh, I just looked on the local store’s site and it’s $5.99 for a 30lb bag of it here. Surprising it’s so much more elsewhere, it shouldn’t cost that much to ship you’d think.
Close friend tried the corn cob bedding from TSC. Didn’t work out, as her horses ate it!
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