I recently saw an ad on Kijiji for FreshBed horse bedding and thought I'd check it out encase it was good for my chickens and ducks etc. The guy selling it was offering free delivery and was selling it for $6 a bag. I was hesitant to buy a large amount of bags as I wasn't sure how it'd work, so the guy kindly dropped me off two free bags to try.
So, far I LOVE it!
It's compressed wood. You add water to it and it expands a LOT. It's made from about ten different types of wood and has almost no wood smell. It's made here in Nova Scotia.
I decided to try it as a cat litter. Cats loved it and have been using it perfectly. It took about 5% of a bag to fill two litter pans. It clumps up just like a normal clumping cat litter with cat urine and the poops are easy to remove. I was spending about $20 a month on cat litter. The FreshBed bedding cost $6 a bag and one bag will definitely last a month, maybe more.
Next I tried it in the guinea pig cage; she loved it too! It's soft on her feet, easy to make a warm bed in and doesn't have a huge overpowering smell of cedar and pine chips.
I haven't tried it yet for the chickens and ducks. Normally I use hay/straw for the featherbabies, but I think the freshbed will be better- more absorbent, warmer and better smell control. It normally retails for $7 a bag, so even buying it at full price from the feed store it wouldn't cost more that what I pay yearly for hay.
If you have critters and are looking for new bedding/litter options, I highly recommend it. I don't think you'll find it in a normal pet store, you'll need to go to a farmer's feed store.
wishing you all a great day! hugs and love!
