Best Bedding Material for Goats?

[BetterHensandGardens]

What does everyone find works best for bedding - straw, pine shavings, or something else? How does everyone keep the bedding material clean? Anyone have a great system worked out?

We have the goats in a barn stall, the stall has a dirt floor, DH thought mats over the dirt would be a good idea - so we've been using pine shavings over the mats, but we end up cleaning the pine shavings out completely and replacing with new every several weeks. With winter coming, I'm wondering if we shouldn't just be letting the pine shavings build up, and put new on top (so the heat starts to build up)? :/

 

[Ariel301]

My goats just lay on the dirt now. I started off putting nice straw in their sheds...but they kick it all out the door and then eat it, and lay in the dirt. So, if that's what they want, I will save my money lol.

 

[freemotion]

I do the once-a-month or so full clean-out in the summer and warmer spring and fall months, but will start letting the bedding build up for winter soon. I put a thick layer of pine shavings on the bottom and then if the leaves fall during dry weather, I will put all my raked leaves into the barn and coop. I've filled it about three feet deep a couple of times, but usually we have rain so I don't get that depth. I will add a bale of straw if needed or if there are no leaves. Then I let the fallen hay build up, adding straw or redistributing the fallen hay if needed. I generally need to clean the area just in front of the stall door every few weeks during winter, as I leave that door open all the time, wedging a big block and using a rope to hold the door almost shut so the goats can come and go but the worst of the weather stays out. They track a lot of snow in and some blows in, so the area by the door gets wet on warmer days.

The very thick layer of bedding and manure is actually warmer for the goats. Just be sure to have a clean and dry top layer. You can add straw on occasion if your goats don't waste enough hay.

In the spring, I take load after load after load out and let the chickens finish making it into the loveliest compost you've ever added to your gardens and lawn.

Right now, I use shavings with straw on top. The straw keeps me from seeing the poo and pee and maintains my sanity after decades of horse-keeping, where stalls are cleaned AT LEAST twice a day. For me, anyways. I had to adjust my standards when I got goats, since it is impossible to clean up all those little nanny berries. They are everywhere. They are always inside my shoes, too, for some reason!

 

[jodief100]

I had to adjust my standards when I got goats, since it is impossible to clean up all those little nanny berries. They are everywhere. They are always inside my shoes, too, for some reason!

I seem to always have them in my shoes too.

I pile up straw inthe winter and make sure the top is clean. Waste hay takes care of most of it. Then when spring comes I clean it out and they lie on dirt and waste hay in the summer. They don't like to hang out in the barn in the summer anyways.

 

[warthog]

I use wood shavings, get them free from one of our local furniture makers.
Then let the fallen hay pile up on top.

But because of the temperatures and humidity here I do clean out completely ever 7/10 days, which then goes straight on my garden.

 

[henrymilker]

Dear Freemotion....you have made my day and have relieved me greatly knowing that I am providing a "warmer" place for my goats. My Alpine buck is a real hay waster and he pretty much lives on layers, the top always clean and dry. I'll continue to clean 4 times/year and for the rest of the year I won't worry. Thanks!

 

[freemotion]

Glad to be of service! Want an excuse not to clean your house, too??

 

[jodief100]

Glad to be of service! Want an excuse not to clean your house, too??

I need an excuse for that?

 

[Emmetts Dairy]

Glad to be of service! Want an excuse not to clean your house, too??

I need an excuse for that?

I do what freemotion does for the winter...and let it build up..and keep it clean and dry on top layer...

 

[BetterHensandGardens]

Well, consensus seems pretty good on Freemotions system so we'll go with that. Thanks for the input.

Also, we're going to start using straw or hay (they do seem to waste enough) on top of the shavings now, maybe it will keep me from going crazy over the nanny berries.

I come from a horse background too, and I want to get all those little berries out of there! Maybe if I can't see them (as well), I won't feel like I'm terribly neglecting the girls. I've been racking my brain trying to figure out how to pick up the berries, but not the shavings. No breakthru yet :/

And I swear they crawl into my shoes