Straw pellets

[Sandstone1]

Im thinking of changing from wood pellets to straw pellets. Any one use straw pellets? Can you recommend a brand? Do you find them economical? Are they as good as wood pellets? Thanks

 

[HeyMich]

I use Concord and they're great. The trouble is that my idiot mare eats them so she's still on shavings... The other 3 are on straw pellets and they're fine - the pellets are easy to use, economical and rot down on the muck heap to nothing.

 

[Sandstone1]

Thats my worry that mine will eat.

 

[Labaire]

I used them for about a year a few years ago-they get quite dusty and I didn’t much care for the colour of the beds. They do rot down very quickly. I preferred chopped straw but gannet pony eats its it so we are back to shavings in the stables and long straw in the run in shed.

 

[Roasted Chestnuts]

They look good and sound good by my pony who doesn’t eat actual straw devoured them like I’d poured pony nuts into his bed ??‍ So I couldn’t ever just have dry ones poured into the bed I always had to soak them so I dont think that they worked as well as they should have done.

 

[Regandal]

I use them, my gelding had a go at eating them but only managed a few. Mucking out is a breeze compared to shavings, one small wet patch and the dung sits on top of them. Love them.

 

[poiuytrewq]

Mine ate them if they had any full pellets, as long as they were broken down it was fine.
They are a horrible colour and I thought quite dusty even though I followed instructions perfectly.
One company I asked about the dustiness said it wasn’t dust at all, it was very small particles ?
However, incredibly easy to muck out, economical and as above a small environmentally friendly muck heap.
I stopped using over summer as it’s too dusty but will probably go back to it over winter. I’m not allowed wood pellets sadly I think they are infinitely better.
I tried Concorde, sun-e-bed and the Bedmax ones.

 

[Sandstone1]

Thanks, I do like wood pellets a lot but was trying to find something thats a bit more muck heap friendly plus White horse delivery is a joke. Maybe I will stick with wood pellets but try another brand. Though straw pellets might be more environmentally friendly.

 

[Nicnac]

Moved from Hunters to Concord straw pellets last year. Yes the colour is off putting once broken down but so so easy and works out far cheaper than Hunters. One of mine is very sensitive to dust and is far better on the straw pellets than shavings. He's a greedy goose and hasn't ever eaten them neither has the shitland who is also a gannet.

 

[poiuytrewq]

Thanks, I do like wood pellets a lot but was trying to find something thats a bit more muck heap friendly plus White horse delivery is a joke. Maybe I will stick with wood pellets but try another brand. Though straw pellets might be more environmentally friendly.

They are. Wood based products remove nitrogen from the ground as it rots, straw based adds it. This is why I’m not allowed to use shavings or wood pellets.

 

[05jackd]

I use strawmax pellets as a base and then straw on top. As I have deep litter beds these have been a game changer. Hardly any wet straw and once the pellets are soaked I just remove the bed and start again. I do a full muck out maybe twice per winter. We have a very large open barn so I haven’t noticed if they are dusty. Also found that there is hardly any smell.

I was so impressed I put our poultry onto them. We buy a pallet at a time and fine them very economical.

 

[Squeak]

I've used straw pellets for years. I've not had a problem with horses eating them so fare. Usually the first time they see the pellets they try a mouthful and then don't try again.

They do get a bit dusty in the summer but I just damp the bed down and then don't find it an issue. I find they aren't as hard and compacted as wood pellets and I prefer not damping the pellets before they go in the bed. The muckheap is pretty much non existent with them and they break down so fast.

 

[holeymoley]

I changed from wood pellets to straw pellets and find them much more absorbent. That is Strawmax though. We tried unbranded and they were pants. Mine likes a nibble of them too but I use them as a base under straw so it worked okay to bury them underneath.

 

[willowblack]

We use Concord Pellets and they are great. Have had 4 horses on them and only one particularly greedy Connie tried to eat them at first. He soon stopped and they’ve been on them about 3 years now. So much quicker and easier to muck out than straw and shavings and all of ours love them!