Sheep barn/ enclosure flooring

jambi1214

Loving the herd life
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Hello. After battling months and.months of foot rot in sheep and still trying to get under control, rethinking our flooring and area. Was doing deep bedding method and with spring cleaned it alllll out. Not sure I want to do this method again! Let everything dry out and put lyme down and minimal straw. Concrete walkaway was bleached and heavily cleaned. Now mainly dirt area which I clean manure daily and rake to remove any debris, rocks, etc. We have has terrible problems with mud. I was advised to consider gravel which I have found and told turkey grit gravel would work best. Yesterday I got all 20 sheep feet trimmed some antibiotics and zinc solution. Placed in cleaned area. Now as I let them out with sensitive feet I was thinking about th gravel. Will this hurt their feet? And will it just make more of a mess with manure in the rocks. Given this will allow water and urine to go through, I worry this could be a mistake. Sand isn't going to be an option. So should I just stick with dirt? Apply poweder to dry out as needed and just keep clean or consider the gravel? Husband also suggested placing like a boat flooring with some grit for them to walk over to avoid area of mud. I had a wood plank/bridge in one area but instantly was a slip hazard for them. Any ideas are appreciated.
 

Britgoes2market

Ridin' The Range
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My barn has just dirt, and we muck out in the fall.Throw straw down in lambing season.... We had a guy come out and redo our septic and had tons of extra rocks-so we put it on the walkway from the pasture to the barn. Roughly 20 feet.....was not a fan at all. At first I thought it was brilliant as the rock naturally shaved down their feet. Though not gravel, it did hurt their feet in the beginning and some of them would limp around, I don't know if it's because the surface was uneven, or if the rocks were too sharp....now it's covered and packed down in manure and you can't see the rocks. We plan to just leave it.
 

SageHill

Herd Master
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My barn has interlocking rubber pavers down the aisle (SoftStep) and the stalls are all rubber with 2 in padding below (SoftStall). I love both. I bed down with shavings and pick out once a week. Looks good, is easily cleaned and if needed disinfected.
 
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