My Experience of changing to hemp bedding

[bedbug]

there have been lots of posts recently about alternative bedding to shavings so thought I would write about how I am getting on with Hemcore....

Was on shavings but is a very mucky boy, digs his poo into his bed and there was always a really wet patch in the midlle of the bed so I thought I would try hemcore as it seemed to be what I needed.

Started off by adding a couple of bales of hemcore to the banks and used the shavings on the main bed as part of the process to change. I did this over a couple of weeks and then on Wednesday took the hemcore from the banks and made into his main bed. There were shavings mixed into this as well. Took the shavings and made the base of some banks.

the Hemcore made quite a nice deep base but I was concerned about how much he would kick it up during the night and therefore wouldn't deep litter very well. I needn't have worried though Thursday morning he still had a good layer of bed and no damp on the surface. Took the droppings out which in the main had stayed very close to the surface and therefore quite easy to skip out.

Day 2... arrived this morning and the bed did look more like it had been moved around and did look darker wher he wees but it was still dry on the surface (so great). droppings skipped out again but I am finding that some of them are breaking down so bedding doens't look quite so pristine but his bed is definitely looking much nicer and drier than with shavings.

I am thinking I may need to add another bale of hemcore as the bed is obviously flattening down but so far very impressed does exactly as it was described.

I am hoping that this is at least my answer and that the need to only add about half a bale a week will help with saving some pennies plus he has a much drier comfier looking bed.

If anyone is intereested I will post again in about a week and let you know how we are getting on...success or disaster

 

[Meg2]

Thanks for posting, I for one would be interested to hear how you get on.

 

[BigRed]

I have used Hemcore for years, don't skimp on it when you put the initial bed down.

I think it is very good stuff.

 

[brightmount]

I use Aubiose which I think is pretty much the same thing, and I wouldn't use anything else, I love it for dryness, comfort and ease.

 

[lauraanddolly]

I'd love to hear how you are getting on with it, I'm considering a chance from shavings myself.

 

[PopStrop]

Same here, please keep updating, am considering changing myself and would be interested in how you get on.

 

[scrat]

I changed from shavings to aubiose as it creates a much firmer bed and only cost about 20p more than shavings. It does save time and money as I take less out and replace with a bale each week ( could probably use less ). At the weekend I do a thorough muck out, removing all the wet parts and throwing the bedding up against the wall of the stable to allow any stray poo bits to roll out. I find this also fluffs up the remaining bed and seems to freshen it up.

 

[Bert&Maud]

I've used hemp or flax for years and think it's brilliant. I currently use a flax product called Thorobed which is just like equisorb.

 

[CBFan]

I don't think you'll be disapointed! I've spent the last 10 months trying various different beddings and I keep going back to hemp.... The only other one I like is Nedz bed.

 

[LadyRascasse]

i've done it today we moved yards and i'm going to try it out with my dirty mare and if all goes well then i'll put my boy on it too.

 

[palomino698]

I like the smell of Hemcore but find it far less economical than Aubiose - every second week I'd top up with two bags of Hemcore, but only ever need one bag a week of Aubiose.