Biochar for animal bedding???

In the quest to make life cheaper and simpler Started to think about using charcoal as direct bedding after seeing a few videos of people using bio char for all kinds of stuff.

Looked into it and one article even said that you should be direct bedding in the barn so the char captures all the nitrogen.

Has anyone else used this method? It’s not a new idea but it’s definitely not main stream.
If you have used this method what animals did you use it with?

Did it work for you? If so what little changes did you see, were there less flies in your barn or barn yard? Less smells? I know there should be no smells and you should have a good carbon diaper, but that’s a lot of mulch, it would be awesome to have a thinner diaper, with less work inputs.

Number one question, how dirty did your animals get? It’s not a big deal but I still am curious. Seen people put hay/straw on top of the char to help mitigate that.
If used in confined spaces you are supposed make a mix but if anyone has used this method in a open pasture where the animals mitigate to eat or drink and make a dirt patch how did that work out? Did you still throw hay, or some kind of carbon on it? Or did you just throw the char right out there?

Saw someone already posted this question but for chickens. Got some great info from that.thank you but want to see if anyone used for other animals. And in different applications.

Even using this method as I understand it, you will need to still put this poop concoction into the compost pile to let it sit.

Really want to put char around a wetter environment as well.
I would like to put some around my little duck pool, it would most likely create an inky mess, but I bet that’ll be really good for growing a good microbio.

I know The link I’m about to post answers a lot of questions I have in this post. But I would really would like to see what people say how this method has worked out for all of you guys and gals.
Whether it works for your climate or doesn’t. And any side effects, cons and positives that y’all have seen. Thank you 👍

https://www.kansasforests.org/forest_products/forest_product_docs/biochar_info/How%20to%20Use%20Biochar%20in%20Barns_Print.pdf

Put some in the pig pen.  Didn’t notice the pig turning black, but the sheep certainly did when they bedded down in some freshly spread char on the field.  Surprising how much of the 2000 gallons+ I have spread has just “disappeared” as the critters have incorporated it into the soil.

I put charcoal in my chicken coop, but I mix it in well and make sure it is a little damp when I do it.  It works really well to keep odors down, and I can't believe it wouldn't do the same for other animals.  I think it's going to depend on a lot of factors, but the most important would be the amount of charcoal you are talking about.  I would be hesitant to use a very high ratio of charcoal to other bedding.  Charcoal is extremely dusty and when you crush it, the dust becomes airborne immediately.  You don't realize how dusty until you spend a half hour working with it and then blow your nose.  I would be concerned that my animals would get black lung disease or something if I used higher amounts without it being mixed in with something to keep the dust down.  In a damp situation, I think it would work great.

Gray Henon wrote:Put some in the pig pen.  Didn’t notice the pig turning black, but the sheep certainly did when they bedded down in some freshly spread char on the field.  Surprising how much of the 2000 gallons+ I have spread has just “disappeared” as the critters have incorporated it into the soil.

Will definitely be using char in with the pigs.
And that’s good to know how fast it will disappear in the field, which is not a bad thing.

And That’s a LOT of char you used!! I bet that made the soil super rich holy moly.
I don’t think I can make that much char but it’s good to know how far what will get you in an open pasture. Thank you 👍

Trace Oswald wrote:I put charcoal in my chicken coop, but I mix it in well and make sure it is a little damp when I do it.  It works really well to keep odors down, and I can't believe it wouldn't do the same for other animals.  I think it's going to depend on a lot of factors, but the most important would be the amount of charcoal you are talking about.  I would be hesitant to use a very high ratio of charcoal to other bedding.  Charcoal is extremely dusty and when you crush it, the dust becomes airborne immediately.  You don't realize how dusty until you spend a half hour working with it and then blow your nose.  I would be concerned that my animals would get black lung disease or something if I used higher amounts without it being mixed in with something to keep the dust down.  In a damp situation, I think it would work great.

Yeah that’s what I’ve been seeing, is if you use it in the barn, in a confined space it’s like 5% of what ever shaving/ wood chips/ carbon mix.

And that’s a definite thought of black lung. I will be using the tip to damp it a bit.
I am lazy and would leave char as chunks, but if Any body’s walking over it, it will crush up. Did not think about that until you said. And no matter what chickens are ground scratchers so they would really tear that stuff up.
Thank you for the the info 👍👍