Straw or Shaving?

[SheepGirl]

I don't have goats, but for our sheep in the two run-in/side barns, their bedding is dirt. Inside the masonry barn, in the pens they have access to, it is bedded with straw (plus the hay they pull out of the feeders ). If they aren't out on pasture or eating hay, they prefer to spend their time in one of the run-in/side barns. That's the one with the dirt floor.

If you want to save money (by not purchasing bedding) and time (by not cleaning out the barn), then just use plain 'ole dirt. Won't hurt them...it's just dirt.

 

[SmallFarmGirl]

I don't have goats, but for our sheep in the two run-in/side barns, their bedding is dirt. Inside the masonry barn, in the pens they have access to, it is bedded with straw (plus the hay they pull out of the feeders ). If they aren't out on pasture or eating hay, they prefer to spend their time in one of the run-in/side barns. That's the one with the dirt floor.

If you want to save money (by not purchasing bedding) and time (by not cleaning out the barn), then just use plain 'ole dirt. Won't hurt them...it's just dirt.

Yah. My breeder had that. I just put a little "bed" down for them so it's nice and comfy. They're barn has a horse mat then little "beds" of hay in they're corner.

 

[crazyland]

At the moment we have dirt.
They tend to kick all the straw out of their shelters anyways. When the temps drop again I will put straw down for beds.
I don't like shavings as mine will eat it. The chickens are the only ones with shavings. Rabbits have straw and hay too.

 

[dreamriver]

I use both, typically use straw over shavings in the winter. Just shavings the rest of the time.

one thing to consider is that I have found shavings do not work well in kidding areas, no matter how fast and how well you dry the kids, lambs, etc they always seem to end up with shavings stuck all over them for the first day.