# What to use for bedding?



## laurenlewis24 (Jul 2, 2013)

I have planned on giving the goats a large portion of my barn this spring for a while now and now I need to decide what type of bedding. It's an all cement/cinder block building with cement floors. I was thinking truck load of sand on bottom for spring when water runs in and cushioning, truck load of saw dust on top of that, and possibly even straw on top of that. I may wait to put straw on for later like in fall and winter. Suggestions? 

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## sassykat6181 (Nov 28, 2012)

the sawdust will most likely get really messy on top of sand. straw can get expensive. my goats waste a lot of hay, and whatever they don't eat becomes bedding. We have dirt/stone dust floors in our barn, so I just strip them out and let the hay build up again. Its been really cold, so I have stripped it in a few weeks (keeps them warm)


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## laurenlewis24 (Jul 2, 2013)

I do the sawdust with sand in my chicken coop and have liked it. Just wanted opinions with goats 

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## MsScamp (Feb 1, 2010)

I think you're going to find that the sand on top of the concrete is going to trap urine and create a big ammonia problem unless you have very good ventilation. The sand will also most likely get hauled out with the bedding causing you to have to keep replacing it. I would just go with wood shavings and/or straw/old hay. Be advised that wet wood shavings are like concrete if they are not cleaned out regularly and they have literally be chipped off a concrete floor. Learned that lesson the first winter I used my shed that has a concrete floor.


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## janeen128 (Dec 31, 2012)

I use pine shaving on top of the pelleted kind... I use old hay too;-)


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## canyontrailgoats (Jan 4, 2014)

I use old hay and wood chips from a local saw mill. I hate sawdust because it's so dusty and clogs my goat's noses, and sand is a pain in the neck to clean because it's so heavy when wet.
Peat moss is supposed to be the best bedding ever, because it's light and absorbs up to seven times it's volume. But it's expensive, so it comes down to how big the house is and how many goats you have.


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## austin4459 (Dec 20, 2013)

Been terribly cold here this year..
I bought a few netwrapped round bales of chopped corn stalk..
Picked up the 3 bales for 120 and is working better than I expected.
Will be doing again next year..

I set one in the center of the 40x40 area and they had made a nice cozy place in less than 48 hours. Then on top of hay waste there is plenty..


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## kccjer (Jan 27, 2012)

Peat moss may be able to absorb water but have you ever worked with it? If you buy the 30 cu foot bags of peat for your garden, the water sits on top forever before absorbing. And the dust from it is horrible when you are putting it down. I don't know that I would ever consider it for bedding.


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## DonnaBelle66 (Mar 4, 2013)

Too bad you have concrete, dirt floor with straw is best. 


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## TDG-Farms (Jul 12, 2013)

Might try wood pallets (not pellets) on top of the concrete with straw on top of those. Would give a substantial amount of room for the pee to drop down. Easy enough to clean the straw off the pallets then pick em and move to spray the concrete.


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## janeen128 (Dec 31, 2012)

TDG-Farms said:


> Might try wood pallets (not pellets) on top of the concrete with straw on top of those. Would give a substantial amount of room for the pee to drop down. Easy enough to clean the straw off the pallets then pick em and move to spray the concrete.


Actually I have pallets in my barn as well, they do work great;-)


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## audrey (Jul 17, 2012)

Absolutely put mats down first, you will really regret it if you don't. With mats, if you keep them bedded with sawdust, you can clean it every few days, and you won't have to worry about the ammonia building up too much. Thats what I do. I actually use pelleted bedding, but I spray it down a little so it starts to break up some. Its far more absorbent when the pellets are not totally whole.


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