Has anyone used Rice Hulls as bedding?

[Dontworrybeappy]

Have you tried them? How to they compare to other bedding materials?

 

[~Stacie~]

I have tried them a few years back when shavings was in short supply in our area. I didn’t like them at all. They were non absorbent and a pain in the rear to strip the stall if you have sandy dirt floors. They also had a tendency of starting to mold in the corners of the stall if you weren’t meticulous in keeping the wet areas exposed to dry and for foaling they are easily blown around and I was always worried about them sticking to and suffocating a new born foal that was still wet. They are much less expensive than standard shavings and easier to pick up the poo piles because the stuff just runs right through the stall forks. Some one else may have a different experience with them but I will only ever use them as an absolutely last resort.

 

[Charlotte]

I love them,but unfortunately, they aren't available around here. They aren't quite as absorbant as some shavings and will blow around in the wind if it's very windy. But they are soooo easy to clean! Stall cleaning goes much faster and the rice hulls go so much farther because they sift so well....in other words, save money.

The first time I put them in a horse's stall they will usually grab a big bite.......then spit it out!

Charlotte

 

[love_casper]

I used to board at a place that the stall next to us used rice hulls. The stall/walk out was shared by two minis. And with two minis' peeing in there and the stuff not being absorbent at all, it got gross looking pretty quickly. It was easy to clean, and I think I remember it being cheaper than shavings, but it looked like brown slush in some areas of that stall, and always got stuck in the fuzzy coats and manes.