# Bedding Attempt(s)



## ScrmnWoody (Oct 2, 2015)

Full Disclosure: I've had goats for a month.

This afternoon, I ripped out a 3/4" plywood floor after it became soaked with urine. I'm talking about a 6' x 8' area. I did a pretty good job of installing it. So, it wasn't easy to get out. I had it covered with plenty of straw and it didn't smell. Until... I started pitch-forking out the straw. The ammonia smell was almost intolerable. Hence, the floor coming out.

Now, I've placed cement blocks and stacked pallets to create a raised bed. I covered the top pallet in straw. I'm hoping this will work out better. My goal is two-fold. I want urine to be soaked up by straw and/or run into the ground. I also want the goats off the ground. A platform of wood is sure to soak up urine again. So, I chose pallets, hoping the urine will run through.

I'm worried the goats will step through the pallet slots. So, I'm still interested in a platform of some kind that will allow urine to run off. I can't imagine goats sleeping on top of that ammonia smell every night.

Suggestions welcome.


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## nicolemackenzie (Dec 27, 2014)

Use ag lime under the bedding to help with the ammonia smell. 

How often do you change the bedding?


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Straw won't soak anything up. You could use shavings underneath the straw and definitely get barn lime.


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## Darlaj (Dec 10, 2013)

The pallets will smell too!  My barn floor is dirt which I prefer. I have had wood and concrete yuck! If you sprinkle barn lime on the floor when U strip it is almost odor free. If you deep bed u can sprinkle lime down on the old bedding before you add fresh.. It works like a charmStraw and shaving absorb the same amount in my opinion .. I prefer straw at it is more insulating and my girls love rooting through the fresh straw for a few nibbles of seed in the late spring or early summer I kick the girls out of the barn for a few days and run a little sprinkler in the barn to clear away old urine and let it dry before I add bedding back.


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## top_goat (Sep 16, 2014)

Kudos on a very creative setup! You might keep a close eye on the structural integrity of the pallet slats...I'm a great fan of pallet construction, but sadly they are generally softer wood and will easily rot, creating an accident/injury hazard, plus, as you said, the danger of stepping thru the slats. But for a quick fix, I think you did great! I would expect the pallets will get you thru the winter at least...which means you bought yourself some time with a very workable structure. You might consider investing some time this winter researching more permanent arrangements and planning for a spring overhaul. I would expect there are numerous older threads on here about bedding, platforms, etc. Welcome to the wonderful world of goats and best of luck to you!!!


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## Bansil (Jul 23, 2015)

What scares me is the pallets, 3 deep could easily break a leg with a step

Off the ground is good ,but that looks scary from being hurt; to mold building up (bad for goats)
Then for cold weather let them know food and water are there...for them....I still haven't figured out goats, this may take years or decades

Food in ........ poop out...normal cycle...pee...who knows, stressed they pee...unstressed they pee...
Goats are goats......they are like a wife/mom/mil/sister and a cousin from WV and California all rolled into one....and WE have to figure out what causes least damage

Anyways, make home safe and encourage them to pee elsewhere.....on a side note, what do you feed them?
Our cats have more urine ammonia smell than me or the goats:angel2:


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## NyGoatMom (Jan 26, 2013)

I have a plywood floor...too bad you ripped it out! I clean it weekly...after pitching out the hay, I use a hoe to scrape it clean...then use a heavy cover of lime. You could use pine shavings underneath the hay(not straw IMO)...I have used this method successfully for 6 years so far and the floor is still intact.

I agree with fivemoremiles about ventilation...we have vents near the roof on two sides and the doors each have a hardware cloth large "window" that is covered in plastic when needed.


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## fivemoremiles (Jan 19, 2010)

Ammonia is always a problem having good ventilation in your barn is a must.
with good air flow and evaporation in your barn many of the problems with ammonia will take care of its self.


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## ShireRidgeFarm (Sep 24, 2015)

My does live in a horse stall, with rubber flooring. I also built them a platform out of some hard wood planks for them to jump up on. I've never had any trouble with urine build up or anything, and we've got chickens running around in there during the day, too. Sometimes the goat pee will kind of puddle on the rubber floor, but I either add more wood chips or clean out the stall. Once a year, in the spring, we totally clean out the whole stall and hose down everything, and it all stays pretty clean.


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## ScrmnWoody (Oct 2, 2015)

UPDATE: I added a stall mat to eliminate the legs falling through the slats. I'm told the stall mat will also be impenetrable. So, the urine should run off or be somewhat soaked up by the straw and residual hay. 

I also came up with a pallet feeder hung on the wall to replace a hay bag that kept getting torn down. As you can see, they've already figured out how to climb onto it. Goats! Next project is a hinged lid.


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