Setting up straw pellet bed

[HelenBack]

So I've decided to give the straw pellets a go and was just wondering how people go about setting the bed up in the first place?

The company say not to wet the pellets at all but I'm just a bit worried that my horse will think they're a tasty treat and try to eat them. So I'm wondering whether to give the initial few bags a bit of water and then go from there.

Can others tell me what you have done please?

 

[Wizpop]

I damped mine slightly , but not a lot. They break down quite quickly, much more quickly than wood pellets. They make a really good bed. More absorbent and less dusty than wood pellets. If you’re worried about horse eating them, maybe add some Jeys fluid to water. Greedy cob didn’t try and eat them but I know some horses will try them!
If you have some old bedding, try putting the straw pellets underneath and they will be less attractive, potential food and soon break down. Hope that helps.

 

[HelenBack]

Thanks. I'm setting up a new bed in a new stable so don't have old bedding. I could put a bale of shavings over the top to cover them initially until they break down though. I'll see about adding a bit of water but will bear in mind what you say and not add too much.

 

[poiuytrewq]

I had to wet them. Horse started eating and it felt a bit like walking on marbles anyway.

 

[sport horse]

Sorry but I have been around a long time and had a lot of horses and other than shredded paper, straw pellets are the worst bedding I have ever had. We have two bags left on the pallett and not another bag will cross the threshhold of my yard! Straw is cheaper and much, much better.

 

[poiuytrewq]

Sorry but I have been around a long time and had a lot of horses and other than shredded paper, straw pellets are the worst bedding I have ever had. We have two bags left on the pallett and not another bag will cross the threshhold of my yard! Straw is cheaper and much, much better.

I do agree with this ? I didn’t last long on it

 

[Nicnac]

When I switched to straw pellets a couple of years ago, I put a bale of shavings over the top and now when I add new pellets I put them on the bottom straight onto the rubber mats and put the older broken down pellets on top. I love them and would never go back to shavings.

 

[HelenBack]

Well I've only bought a few bags so I'll have to see how I get on. I'm already prepared not to like them but I'm not sure I'll like any bedding for my horse as he's just not very pleasant in his stable!

I've decided I'm going to add a little bit of water with a bit of disinfectant in to help break them up and discourage eating. Then I'll put a thin layer of shavings over the top to start it off and go from there.

 

[Cragrat]

I have one on 100% straw pellets and love them. Baled straw does not work for him at all
I put the pellets down dry - about 15/20 bales to start. Being stingey at the start doesn't work. They take a couple of days max to breakdown/swell. I remove droppings only, and top up occaisionally. It usually lasts about 2 months before I dig out the really soggy stuff, put the used to the bottom and top up with 1/2 dozen fresh. He is in at night, out during the day.

 

[Wizpop]

Well I've only bought a few bags so I'll have to see how I get on. I'm already prepared not to like them but I'm not sure I'll like any bedding for my horse as he's just not very pleasant in his stable!

Well, the horse I tried them with first was the messiest horse I’d ever had in the stable! The straw pellets were by far, the best bedding for him. Much less wasted bedding, and poos easier to get out- even though he walked them all in! They do mix well with shavings- I sometimes put in a bale of small flake when using them up. If you do like them, the cheapest way to buy is by pallet if you can do this.

 

[FitzyFitz]

I really like them as a bedding, don't give you a smart white bed but they are dead quick to muck out.
When I'm adding to an existing bed I just chuck a bag of unsoaked pellets on the floor and but the old bedding on top. Starting up a completely fresh bed I do some unsoaked and some a bit dampened so they crumble or it's a bit unsteady to walk on. It's always fine by the morning though. It does seem to depend on brand a bit. PelletBeds and NedsBed crumble underfoot and are fluffy by the first morning but Strawmax are a bit harder, if I was doing a whole new bed of those I might be inclined to partly soak all the bags as if I was doing wood pellets.

I have a herd of greedy guts native ponies, I was very worried they'd start chowing down but the only one who tried spat them out again and the poor thing was pretty desperate as I'd discovered her being bullied away from hay/water by another pony and popped her in a newly bedded stable to get away from him and she just went CHOMP on the straw pellets as soon as she got in. I think they must have some kind of bittering agent in, but if you were really worried you could always damp them down with diluted stable disenfectant when it's all fresh at first, that'd probably stop them!

I haven't tried deep littering mine, I take out poo and any saturated patches every day and put in a new bag about once a week as it starts getting dingy by then.

 

[Squeak]

I've always just put in the pellets as is and left them to break down over the next few days. I've had a few horses think they were food, grab a mouthful but then spit it out straight out.

Funny that some people love them and some hate them. I personally love them and couldn't go back to anything else. I hope they work out well for you OP.

 

[willowblack]

I have all mine on 100% straw pellets from Concord and have done for about 4 years. One out of 3 tried to eat them to start with and I panicked (ALOT) but he quickly stopped and has been fine ever since.

Super quick and easy to muck out and after only a couple of days you end up with twice the amount of bed when you first start.