# Winter



## 4seasonsfarm (Jan 22, 2014)

I don't like winter and can't wait till spring! I'm not a beginner with goats but yet I am far from an expert!

I know shaving are great but what it some alternatives for bedding that works very good! My goats will be havi babies started next month and shavings prices add up. I'd like to wait closer to time to put down shaving for my does. Until then what would you suggest I out down? Hay or leaves?


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## Goatzrule (Feb 7, 2013)

I use straw on top of shavings. It make the bedding last longer and keeps them warm.


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## J.O.Y. Farm (Jan 10, 2012)

I use shavings with straw or loose hay on top in kidding stalls, other wise I use just shavings. 
With a lot of goats I don't find that it helps the bedding to last longer lol, but it is nice for kidding stalls


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## Goats Rock (Jun 20, 2011)

All we have is straw- on super cold days or as it packs down, I add more. Kidding pens- fresh straw. And, whatever hay they waste- which is alot. GRrrrrr!


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## 4seasonsfarm (Jan 22, 2014)

So straw/ hay it is thanks!


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## FineFolly (Dec 29, 2015)

Newbie here, do you mean wood shavings? Cedar? What does shavings refer to please?

Is the idea that it makes a good first layer, then add straw?


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## deerbunnyfarm (Dec 14, 2015)

Yes, wood shavings. I use cedar shavings from TSC, the kind that would go in a hamster cage. Then some DE and straw.


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## FineFolly (Dec 29, 2015)

deerbunnyfarm said:


> Yes, wood shavings. I use cedar shavings from TSC, the kind that would go in a hamster cage. Then some DE and straw.


 Is this a common thing to do in the colder parts of the country, or year round?


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## deerbunnyfarm (Dec 14, 2015)

I'm doing it this winter, because I have cement floors. But in the summer I leave them bare or just let their leftover hay cover it.


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## lottsagoats1 (Apr 12, 2014)

After 35+ years in goats, I found that rubber mats with shavings topped with straw has worked best for me. I clean it daily. It takes me less than 10 minutes to clean the stall every day. The mat keeps the floor warmer and makes clean up a breeze! The mix of shavings and straw works well for warmth and keeping the floor dry.

Be careful with cedar shavings. The scent is strong and causes inflammation to the respiratory tract. I use them once in a while for the dog kennels and goat pen but i mix it 3/4 pine to 1/4 cedar. That way it doesn't burn the respiratory tract.


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## FineFolly (Dec 29, 2015)

Do you mean the large rubber stable mats?


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## goatblessings (Jan 6, 2015)

I can't speak for her about mats but I use the horse stall mats, shavings, and straw as well. I agree that it is a good regimen. I clean daily and it isn't labor intensive.


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## FineFolly (Dec 29, 2015)

Can I ask about your cleanout procedure? Is it just raking or sweeping out, or are you hosing down as well? Would you mind sharing it?


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## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

I just use straw. I hate shavings! They are such a pain for me to clean up and when I dump it in the field nothing will grow there for a long time. The only thing I do like about shavings is it seems more easy for the kids to get their feet under them then the straw.......but they still get their feet under them so I go with what's easy for me lol


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## FineFolly (Dec 29, 2015)

Have you tried composting them? I wonder how long it takes for them to break down in a compost heap with the manure.



Jessica84 said:


> I just use straw. I hate shavings! They are such a pain for me to clean up and when I dump it in the field nothing will grow there for a long time. The only thing I do like about shavings is it seems more easy for the kids to get their feet under them then the straw.......but they still get their feet under them so I go with what's easy for me lol


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## goatblessings (Jan 6, 2015)

I use a manure fork for for straw and any hay that dropped out of the feeder, and a broom and shovel (dustpan) for goat berries. I don't hose anything. Damp is no good. If the pen gets damp I will strip, put down barn lime and let it sit for a week, then put down fresh shavings and straw on top if it is cold. All the mess goes in the wheelbarrow and out to the poo pile or other area.


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## FineFolly (Dec 29, 2015)

Thank you. We are on the verge of building our goat barn. I can use all the tips I can get. In fact I should probably ask for them in a Thread!


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## Little-Bits-N-Pieces (Apr 7, 2013)

I just use straw. I hate shavings because when it's kidding time, all those shavings stick to the kids, they get stuck in their mouth and everywhere else, I prefer straw any day of the week. 
I'm lazy and my back hurts when I do a lot of shovel work these days, so kidding areas get cleaned out fully once a week or so, I just throw fresh straw on top if need be until I can clean it out. 
My doe "barn" on the other hand.... well.... lets just not talk about that :lol:


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## deerbunnyfarm (Dec 14, 2015)

So we have cement floors with good runoff and our goat house walls are pallets, so good ventilation. As far as cleaning, I throw fresh hay down once a week and when it piles up more than I like I just go in with a rake and a shovel and remove it all, stick it in our compost pile. Then sweep the berries out. But, I hardly ever have to do it because our goats sleep outside unless it's raining. They don't spend much time in their house.


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## lottsagoats1 (Apr 12, 2014)

The rubber mat I have came from a tannery and it pretty much covers the entire pen floor. It's extremely dense and heavy and hard to move. However, it was free. However, it is about the same thickness as the horse mats, but it is smooth wghereas the horse mats are textured to prevent slipping. I add a layer of lime on the mat to keep them form slipping.

I rake the shavings and straw into a pile, shovel it up with my shavings shovel and carry it out to the manure pile.


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## FineFolly (Dec 29, 2015)

Does the lime cut the smell of urine over time? If you don't hose down the bedding area after cleaning, what controls the ammonia and smell?


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## goatblessings (Jan 6, 2015)

yes, the lime cuts the smell. But if you are removing your wet bedding, it's usually not an issue. Mine only go into their pen during bad weather and at night so they are not constantly going in the same spot. If you hose it down, everything gets wet and it doesn't do anything except make everything damp - unless you have concrete and can air it out for hours.


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## FineFolly (Dec 29, 2015)

Good to know. I'm trying to sort out the cleaning cycle, and frequency. Winter here gets down in the teens at the coldest mostly.

I have read that an 8' tall barn lets bedding build up to create more warmth. Have you experienced that?


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## nicolemackenzie (Dec 27, 2014)

FineFolly said:


> Have you tried composting them? I wonder how long it takes for them to break down in a compost heap with the manure.


A long time... And the wood is very acidic hence not great for growing things in.

My shavings, poop, wasted hay mixture from 3 years ago looks like dirt now. I did nothing to it. But it took years...

This year I've been putting lime down which should hopefully help with the acidity. I'd like to work on turning that crap into something useful. I think you can add lime to the old piles to and mix it to improve the quality.

For winter bedding I keep adding shavings until the spring and do a big pre-kidding clean.


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## cheyenne (Aug 21, 2011)

In my 2 stall goat shed, one stall has a concrete floor (no mats, tho I wish I could get some for that side) with shavings and waste hay. The other side is dirt topped with sand and stall mats. Pine shavings on that with the hay they waste on top of that. The goats will continuously add to the hay on top until it's pretty deep. They are so good at wasting hay the bedding is always pretty deep in both sides!

Since they only use the shed when the weather is bad, and when we have a nicer day that we know it'll dry, we'll clean it all out and hose it. Even in the winter. I have a box fan mounted up near the ceiling and use that to dry the floor. We lock the goats out while it's drying. 

If I think that it'll be a long time before it's warm enough to dry the floor, and they have been using the shed a lot, we'll clean it all out and use Stall-Dry under the shavings to help with any wetness and odor. 

I also have several smaller individual goat houses. All but one have wood floors. I don't hose those until warm out, only scrape out and add Stall-Dry, shavings and wasted hay. 

I used to clean them all out daily but was going through way too much bedding. Can't afford that now!


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## FineFolly (Dec 29, 2015)

Thank you for the reference on Stall-Dry. The website says it is a Diatomacious Earth and Clay Soil mix... wonder if we can make it up ourselves cheaper?


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## cheyenne (Aug 21, 2011)

FineFolly said:


> Thank you for the reference on Stall-Dry. The website says it is a Diatomacious Earth and Clay Soil mix... wonder if we can make it up ourselves cheaper?


I don't think I would want to try it myself. Maybe!  I have food grade DE here that I occasionally use to sprinkle on the floors to help prevent tiny little beasties from getting on the goats, but that stuff is horrible to work with! I hate it! The stall dry isn't near as dusty. It lasts a long, long time around here too since we hose out pretty regularly.

If you do make some, let me know how it works for you!


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## FineFolly (Dec 29, 2015)

Thank you. I have been reading a wonderful book "Natural Goat Care" by Pat Coleby. I am astounded at all there is to take in and oversee with healthy goat care. 

I admire you all, with your devotion and dedication.


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