Nedz Bed Advance straw pellets

[suestowford]

I'm trying this out as it's currently cheaper than shavings, and have just put the first lot out in two stables. On the pack it says do not water this when you first put it down so I haven't done that. The pack also says the pellets soften up & swell within 2 days. I put this down yesterday lunchtime, and I thought I would go and check as it's been over 24 hours, just to see how it was getting on. It's all still in hard pellets, no softening at all. I can't use the stables until it has softened & fluffed up as it all looks like a lovely pony feast and they will just eat the lot.
How long does it really take to turn into bedding? Will there be a sudden change? How can I stop myself going to look on the hour, every hour, to see if I can catch it transforming?

 

[QuantockHills]

search for the other 'bedding' thread recently..... please keep an eye on your horse... i changed to straw pellets from wood pellets and I really liked them. More economical and really easy to muck out.... unfortunately, my horse also really liked them and has given himself aspirational pneumonia from sniffing through the bed looking for the whole pellets to eat... so also lucky not to have compaction colic as well..... he's been really ill and is still not out of the woods yet. vet bill over £1000 for the last 3 weeks....

 

[suestowford]

I have got the stable doors shut as the dogs were also interested in these, so they are out of bounds to all right now, but thank you for the warning.

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

Not a bedd8ng I would consider I have heard alot of horses eating them and being ill.

 

[Tiddlypom]

QuantockHills, I hope that your lad makes a full recovery.

I've not used any sort of straw pellet bedding, but I can be certain that my IDx (same breeder as yours but I think unrelated) would inhale it if I did. She's bad enough as it is ferreting around through her shavings bed trying to find the odd escaped strand of hay.

What advice is given if horses are inclined to eat it?

 

[FitzyFitz]

The pellets break down and fluff up within two days of use, (because they get damp anf stood on) not of sitting on the stable floor. I always found that one night made a pretty big difference.
Also never found the horses fussed about one night of crunchy floor.

If you're worried the pony will treat it like a snack bar, either put a thin layer of used bedding on top or if you don't have any, wet one bag of pellets like you would with wood pellets and top it with that and it usually puts them off. I've heard of people spraying with disenfectant or something to put them off if they have a real determined snacker but I've never had to do that.

When you top up the bed, put the new pellets underneath the older stuff and it's no problem.

 

[suestowford]

Thank you Fitzy

 

[Auslander]

They wont break down/fluff up without a horse standing on them. Another who wouldn't use them, as all mine think straw pellets are pony nuts!

 

[VRIN]

I have just started using them as wood pellet prices have gone through the roof. I Think they are great. Much better than wood pellets. They have something that discourages eating - mine had a sniff but didn't attempt to eat any. I put them down and put horse straight in - they soon go to a nice bedding.

 

[poiuytrewq]

I had no choice but to quickly water mine. They were being eaten like hard feed.
Also like walking on marbles.

 

[Fjord]

I used straw pellets last year and lightly watered them first, otherwise my mare would definitely have tried to eat them.

 

[suestowford]

I have been up with a watering can and walked about on them in my wet wellingtons. I will see if anything has changed in the morning. If not there are some old shavings still down in the field shelter so I'll cover the pellets with those and hope for the best.
The pellets are supposed to be unpalatable but these are ponies and they would eat Anything!

 

[MuddyMonster]

When starting a new pellet bad I've always watered it down so it's fluffy mixed with some unfluffed pellets.

From there on in, I put in dry.

Mine will eat anything but hasn't attempted pellets.

Hope your horse makes a full recovery @QuantockHills X

 

[QuantockHills]

QuantockHills, I hope that your lad makes a full recovery.

I've not used any sort of straw pellet bedding, but I can be certain that my IDx (same breeder as yours but I think unrelated) would inhale it if I did. She's bad enough as it is ferreting around through her shavings bed trying to find the odd escaped strand of hay.

What advice is given if horses are inclined to eat it?

I contacted the company who were very helpful, they said horses don't normally eat them for long as they are coated in a natural herb that makes them unpalatable.... (unless you have my horse!). Thankfully, Rocky seems to have turned a corner and is hopefully on the mend. He's still on the inhaler but is also having steroids as well....

 

[QuantockHills]

When starting a new pellet bad I've always watered it down so it's fluffy mixed with some unfluffed pellets.

From there on in, I put in dry.

Mine will eat anything but hasn't attempted pellets.

Hope your horse makes a full recovery @QuantockHills X

thank-you. hopefully starting to improve now at last. fingers crossed.

 

[Surbie]

I use the easypack straw pellets, but expanded a bit so they have broken down but are still absorbent. I used to store the whole expanded bag's-worth in my horse's stable (did this for years with wood pellets) as I just use a couple of forksfull under the miscanthus for his wee spot, but it obviously smells tasty and one night he ate an unspecified quantity. Is very thankfully fine, but it ruined my day off with the stress and driving back to the yard to check him.

I now keep them in a big trug in my hay store, which is a royal pain, but not as bad as being on colic-watch. I wouldn't ever have him on a pellet-only bed now, I wouldn't trust him not to eat it.

 

[spotty_pony]

If you’re doing a full bed of them I’d definitely water them to start with to fluff them up. Also might be worth spraying them with something nasty the first time to discourage eating. I use them under normal straw and don’t dampen them and I’ve never had a problem with any of mine eating them.