# What to use for cleaning the goat pen?



## Cali2013 (Jun 2, 2013)

I clean out my chicken pen with a pitch fork, easy! When I go to try that in the goat stall, the little goat pellets just fall through the straw, unless there's a neat little pile that I can pick up along with the straw. Obviously my pitch fork is no good for cleaning the goat stall, so what do you guys use to pick up/clean up the goat poop? Our barn floor is dirt and bedding is straw, btw.


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## GreenMountainNigerians (Jul 3, 2013)

I actually pickup the straw with my apple picker. Then sweep up the berry with my broom. I use them for fertilizer. I use the broom and dustpan to pick up berries in the outside pen too.


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## Tayet (Feb 9, 2012)

I just use a scoop shovel, nice and easy! [URL="http://877joebark.com/yahoo_site_admin/assets/images/scoop_shovel.18163454_std.jpg[/URL]


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## TrinityRanch (Mar 26, 2013)

This is a nice thread on the subject- http://www.thegoatspot.net/forum/f217/what-have-you-found-best-thing-scoop-up-goat-manure-148906/

I found this reply to be extremely helpful- :lol:



happybleats said:


> My kids lol


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## erica4481 (Mar 26, 2013)

I use a wide broom/brush to push everything into a pile then get it up with a snow shovel to dispose of it. It works great for me


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## AmyBoogie (May 20, 2013)

If there is a lot of hay, we use a pitch fork for that. If it hasn't been particularly wet and rainy, the barn is dry, we use a broom and shovel. If it's wet we use a hoe and shovel.


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## NyGoatMom (Jan 26, 2013)

I use a pitchfork to get the hay. Then a rake and shovel for what's left. I have a wooden floor so I also scrape with a hoe to get anything stuck on.


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## Cali2013 (Jun 2, 2013)

I didn't think about getting them into a pile somehow, then scooping them up. I'll try either a broom or a leaf rake. My problem is, before we got,these goats, we added new dirt in the stall, so there's a lot of loose dirt, it's not a packed down dirt floor. Makes it more challenging to gather up the goat poop. I'll just end up getting some of the dirt, I'm sure.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

http://www.amazon.com/Ames-True-Temper-42-Inch-KLRO/dp/B000OW969A

Ames True Temper Real Tools for Kids Rake. Works like a charm. Has the right spacing to get the berries and leave most of the dirt. You will also learn how to rake the berries and leave the dirt.


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## GreenMountainNigerians (Jul 3, 2013)

Oh yes! A rake for diet floors. I have wood floors and as I am disabled all my stuff(including my goats) are mini. I got a rake at our local department store that has about a foot wide head and close spaced tines. I love it!


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## Cali2013 (Jun 2, 2013)

Yesterday I tried the leaf rake, did not work well at all with all the loose dirt on the floor. I ended up using a broom and dustpan, which worked better, but takes a lot of time. I need to go check out this kids rake. This looks like it will work the best, ESP if I can sift the dirt out through the tines and dump mostly goat poop.

Told my hubby I was posting this trying to figure the best way to clean the little goat berries and he said tie a bucket to their rear ends....LOL.


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## GreenMountainNigerians (Jul 3, 2013)

LOL! Being limited physically ,I'm always trying to come up with easy ways of doing everything. My four ND kids don't make much of a mess but that bucket idea may be a winner! LOL! Brings a funny visual anyway.


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## lottsagoats (Dec 10, 2012)

I used a manure fork to get the packed hay/straw and then rake the floor with a bamboo leaf rake and a shovel.


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## loggyacreslivestock (Mar 5, 2013)

If you have a seperate spot for your goats for a while, this may work. When we made our new pen last year, it was really dusty from bringing in new dirt. I sprayed it down really good with water for a few days in a row. It was packed nicely then and easier to clean.


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## ciwheeles (Apr 5, 2013)

I use a broom and pan or a shovel. Depends what's closer. We even use a kitty litter scooper a lot too. The sawdust falls right out, but it's a pain to have to sift it! :/


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## groovyoldlady (Jul 21, 2011)

We have one small stall and we use hay for bedding on a dirt floor. I use a child's rake paired with a child's snow shovel. Works GREAT!


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## wiselittlefainters (Jul 9, 2013)

I switched from hay to line shavings and use a metal rake. Soooo much easier!


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## KW Farms (Jun 21, 2008)

You can get the big stuff with a pitch fork and then the "berries" that fall through, use a flat shovel or snow type shovel.


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