Wood Pellets! How do you muck yours out?

[Undecided]

Evening all!
Our only local shavings supplier had stopped ordering them so we are stuck between woodchip bedding or a large flake shavings. I have always been interested in wood pellets so have taken the plunge and ordered a pallet from Blue Ribbon Horse Bedding which will hopefully arrive next week. So now I'm wondering how you all muck yours out? I know you're supposed to deep litter it during the week and take all the wet out at the weekends, but was just wondering what works best for you guys? Hot chocolate and banana bread on offer!

 

[Megibo]

I take the muck out and then turn the bed over a few times so all the bedding is 'broken up' and mixed together No clumpy wet patches and though the bed darkens it keeps it drier IMO.

 

[dominobrown]

I take the muck out and then turn the bed over a few times so all the bedding is 'broken up' and mixed together No clumpy wet patches and though the bed darkens it keeps it drier IMO.

I do this as well. I take out the pee too.
I found that you need quite a lot to start to with to get a decent bed.

 

[poiuytrewq]

Roughly the same as above. I take out the droppings (really easy as they sit on top of the bed instead of being buried) then the worst of the wet and mix all the rest back in. I was removing all wet daily but tbh it soon became dusty and the pellets I added didn't break down too well.
I also use shavings to make big banks but am lucky my horse wont touch them so they last forever, I turn them about once a week just to stop it going fusty.
Works very well and has saved me serious money whilst my horse always has a good deep bed.

 

[muddygreymare]

I take out all the poo and the worst of the wet then kind of rake over the top of the wet bits then sweep it all back. I put a bag down a week and it works fine. I use Liverpool ones though

 

[Undecided]

So a weekly deep litter isn't really feasible then? He wees and poos in the same place every day so was planning to set the bed up normally by soaking it then putting a bag of dry pellets in the spot where he wees, pick the poo out daily then do a full muck out at weekends and add extra to the pee spot. I suppose its a case of trial and error to see what works for us

 

[starry94]

I use a layer of pellets under my shavings, and them dry and then take the wet out once a week. Sometimes add a bit of shavings halfway through the week to the top of the bed to fluff it up a bit

 

[Paint Me Proud]

i am on straw pellets so similar. I take out poop each day and sweep the bed back into place. Then once, occasionally twice, a week I dig a patch of wee out and fill the hole back in with other bits of the bed.

I always put new pellets on the back of the bed and bring it forward to replace what is taken out.

 

[trendybraincell]

Theres different ways to approach pellet beds, so you might have to try various ways before you find what suits you.

I take out the poo and turnover the wet daily mixing it in. Theres a change in colour and it forms clumps when its past the point of mixing so just take it out when that happens.

I've just started from scratch after being flooded, but previously I was putting in a bag every 2-3 weeks roughly

 

[9tails]

I don't take out any wet, unless there's a soggy patch on the top where I skim off a couple of inches and rake dry stuff over the top. I don't turn the bed, it's solid and the surface is dry. Pellets are always soaked as dry ones don't break down quickly enough and I end up picking them off the poos. I've used pellets for at least four years.

 

[goatbabies]

Take out the droppings, chuck the bedding up against the wall to give it a really good sift through then put bed back down again. I don't take any wet out unless it is literally orange, as it's the wet which helps the pellets break down into the powder that the bed will eventually become.

When you first put the bedding in, pour out as many bags (maybe 7 or 8) as you want to use and give it a spray with a hose or watering can. After about 20 mins sift through the bed to help it fluff up then repeat, then it should be broken down enough to use, as you don't want the horse to go straight into a bed of just pellets!

 

[Cinnamontoast]

I skim poo off the top, take out the worst of the wet, turn it all over to mix it all in. Takes ten minutes, it's madly quick! I add a bag in every week or so. Really must get a big delivery.

 

[Milkmaid]

Depends on the horse. One of mine has wet out daily as he is vile & churns it up when in at night (fine in summer when in days so once a week then) The other has wet out once a week, sometimes two. Both ways dead easy.

 

[mcnaughty]

I don't take out any wet unless it is absolutely sodden. I use an Aubiose fork, take out poo, sift out stray hay, remove the worst of the wet if it is near the top and then rake back over to cover base. I do not mix in or dig too deep. Stable is rubber matted too.

Welcome to the dark side!! I love wood pellets!

Oh and when I put a new bag in, I cut a large x in the bag, fold in the corners of the x and add just under half a bucket of water - leave to expand and then empty.

 

[6103claire]

I use Liverpool pellets, i tend to take the worst of the wet out every day but mix the rest in, and just take out the poos. I seem to be putting a bag in every 4 days or so but the bed is gradually getting smaller so will have to put a few in again in one go soon. As it gets older it seems to get less absorbent and i end up taking more out. I don't pre-soak the bag when adding to the bed - don't know if i should be?!

I really like it but still have to use quite a bit of bedding, but then filthy mare and quite small stable which doesn't help!

 

[HLOEquestrian]

I take the wet out everyday, and turn the bed all over, the banks can get very solid but as long as you turn them often enough it's fine

 

[Lego]

I skim the poo off the top daily, and dig out the wee patch about once a week or so - or when it rises to the top and turns dark/orange. Once or twice a month, I lift most of the bed and chuck it against the walls to let floor air etc.

During the week I just skip out, then sweep and square the front of the bed. This takes about 15 mins including water and hay.

When I add new, I cut an x in the bag and pour in half a bucket of water with a slosh of 'green gloop', then either add to the top of the bed and rake in, or if the bed has been lifted, I pull the old bedding down, walk all over it to firm it up again, then add new as above. This only takes about 45 mins once/twice a month and my bed smells nice and stays fairly light in colour

I really must get a big order in now that I'm fully converted...

 

[Clippy]

Welcome to the wonderful world of wood pellets! I love using them.

I start a stable with 8-10 bags on rubber mats, every day I lift out the poos and any really sodden patches then give it a rake over to level the bed. I don't turn it over or mess around with it. Once a week I put a fresh bag in which I empty onto the wettest part and the rest I throw round the edges.

I'm not exaggerating, it takes 3 or 4 mins each day

 

[kezimac]

I wish mine only took 3-4 mins - mine box walks and makes a right mess - should I go deeper or put less bedding in?

 

[Wagtail]

I have five of the seven horses on pellets, the other two are on megazorb. All of them are different and my method differs for all of them. The tidiest has only one, occasionally two bags in a week, the dirtiest two get through four and could still do with more! Basically I take out all the poos and the wettest patches every day. The easiest one takes two minutes max to muck out, the messiest is more like ten. One of the dirty ones has everything taken out and two new bags put in twice a week, the other has half a sack daily sprinkled in. The tidiest has one or two bags put into her cleanest bit (which is the middle) once a week.

I find that if they are dirty then putting in too much bedding just wastes more as it all gets churned up, The clean horse has the nicest, deepest bed. All are on rubber mats.