SpruceRI
Well-Known Member
Does anyone use shredded office paper for bedding and if so, can you tell me how long it takes to rot down on the muck heap?
Shredded office paper bedding?
- Thread starter SpruceRI
- Start date
Roasted Chestnuts
Well-Known Member
Ive been using it a number of weeks and im finding everytime we get rain its getting soggier and soggier and disintigrating. Im finding it easier to flatter than the straw and also easier to move about to keep midden tidy 
Mine looks like gray mush with strands on top
Mine looks like gray mush with strands on top
SpruceRI
Well-Known Member
Thanks Black Beastie - that sounds good! I've just acquired some from a local company that I pass on my way to the yard and agreement from them to take any bags they leave out for the rubbish.
I have 2 very wet messy ponies. The Shetland started the winter on chopped hemp, that floated out the door so now he's back on straw. Although I have to take most of his bedding out, at least the top bit remains clean looking apart from the droppings. He's in a very small stable.
The bigger pony can't have straw as it makes her cough, so she's been on the hemp which I don't really like. Just bought a bale of Ecobed (chopped cardboard) which I like but boy does it stick to the poo and wee and after a few days its' nearly all gone. Expensive!
Free paper on the other hand looks like a good bet!!
I have 2 very wet messy ponies. The Shetland started the winter on chopped hemp, that floated out the door so now he's back on straw. Although I have to take most of his bedding out, at least the top bit remains clean looking apart from the droppings. He's in a very small stable.
The bigger pony can't have straw as it makes her cough, so she's been on the hemp which I don't really like. Just bought a bale of Ecobed (chopped cardboard) which I like but boy does it stick to the poo and wee and after a few days its' nearly all gone. Expensive!
Free paper on the other hand looks like a good bet!!
Roasted Chestnuts
Well-Known Member
I get it for nothing from local office and my best mates mum gets me some from her office as well, he hates having to transport it to me in his car though lol
I find it better than the chopped square stuff, I flick it up and leave it up then flick it about when putting the bed back down and it loosens out, im popping in two bin bag sized bags a day and taking out anything from half to max of a barrow a day I flatten it as well, helps keep the midden small as we only get one uplift per year and not much space for it. It got out of hand on the straw and we are weekly flicking it back and flattening (read stomping around on it
) and the paper has definately flattened down quicker than the straw Milkmaid
Well-Known Member
I used to get paper free (we have an industrial shredder) but it made my NF cough (as not dust extracted) and took forever to rot. It was heavy to work with, got tangled if you used the long stuff & the cross cut got stick to everything & blew everywhere!
Swapped onto wood pellets when we moved house as new stables have near neighbours & wanted to minimise smell & heap size.
Even tho I have to pay for pellets over paper I would never go back as pellets are so much quicker & easier to deal with.
Swapped onto wood pellets when we moved house as new stables have near neighbours & wanted to minimise smell & heap size.
Even tho I have to pay for pellets over paper I would never go back as pellets are so much quicker & easier to deal with.
webble
Well-Known Member
I mix it with my sahvings and find it rots slightly faster. I dont use it for the full bed as I find it goes too mushy when wet
SpruceRI
Well-Known Member
Thanks all
So maybe mixing it with current bedding would be best. I will see if it causes coughing too as that will be bad news
So maybe mixing it with current bedding would be best. I will see if it causes coughing too as that will be bad news
catherine22
Well-Known Member
I used to use free paper from work, but don't any more as my horses live out. I found it ok to deal with but it does blow everywhere and is really hard to sweep especially when wet.
The other thing to watch is that no one has shredded paper with staples in - to small to see but could end up in horse when they lie down
The other thing to watch is that no one has shredded paper with staples in - to small to see but could end up in horse when they lie down
wellsat
Well-Known Member
I use shredded paper and love it. It doesn't smell like straw and mine isnt at all dusty, maybe it depends on the type of shredder?
The crosscut is much easier to muck out but being small it does blow about on the yard if you aren't careful and it does stick to the mats a bit. My trick is to put quite alot down and then when its wet it clumps like cat litter
The crosscut is much easier to muck out but being small it does blow about on the yard if you aren't careful and it does stick to the mats a bit. My trick is to put quite alot down and then when its wet it clumps like cat litter