# flooring in goat house



## poppa goat (Dec 27, 2009)

I'm building a goat house, not sure what type of flooring to put down, In my chicken coop I put linolium down over plywood works great easy cleanup should I do the same for my goats?


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## farmergal (Jun 19, 2009)

Most people on the board seem to agree that dirt is best... supplemented with straw for the muddy or cold winter months. The difference between chickens and goats is pee :wink: and the pee would pool on the linoleum, leaving your goats wet and smelly!


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## AlaskaBoers (May 7, 2008)

i really like dirt, absorbs easily. 

second would be wood flooring, I used that, but it does collect moisture, so...


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

I had no choice but to use wood because my barn location is on a hillside...too much water running and obviously uneven ground. I have plywood floors in "my" area of the shed as well as the kidding stalls, the main goat area is treated deck wood, with gaps between the boards to allow for drainage.


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## nutmegfarm (Dec 23, 2009)

I have dirt and I like dirt


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## 4kids (Jul 21, 2009)

We also have wood due to hill/ledge/ect... I hate it! I would much prefer dirt but the decking flooring is a good idea esp for drainage!


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## poppa goat (Dec 27, 2009)

Dirt would be much less work but doesn't the dirt get a little ripe from all the urine that would build up? I'm starting the house this weekend so I will gladly take all ideas, thanks everyone Jim


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## AlaskaBoers (May 7, 2008)

I use lime to keep the smell down.


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## Dreamchaser (Oct 30, 2008)

I'm a fan of wood. Only because I'm a freak about dirt. Here, the goats dig big holes in the dirt, and then when the rain comes it all turns to mud. Is it just my goats, or do they all like to undermine everything? LOL


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## kelebek (Oct 5, 2007)

I have dirt floors that I put down lime - them that sweet pdz, then pine shavings in the winter.... can't use cedar because of the chickens ..... with 17 does in 1 covered area, I only have to replace the bedding every 2 weeks, and just get the "berry piles" out daily.


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## Dreamchaser (Oct 30, 2008)

Allison, refresh my memory. Why can't chickens have the cedar shavings? It's poisonous to them isn't it?


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## Shelly Borg (Nov 2, 2009)

The fumes from ceder can hurt the lungs. Chickens as well as most small animals. I would think twice about putting goat kids on it too.


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## kelebek (Oct 5, 2007)

Yeppers - has to do with respitory issues. Not poisonous to eat or anything like that - just the fumes from them.


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## FunnyRiverFarm (Sep 13, 2008)

I have wood and I like it...it is warm, dry, and relatively easy to clean. It cuts down on the work load because I don't need use bedding during warmer months--I just sweep up poops with a broom every day and the floor stays clean and dry.


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## sparks879 (Oct 17, 2007)

I like sand the best, my second choice would be dirt, third would be concrete with mats over it.
beth


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## redneck_acres (Oct 18, 2007)

I wouldn't recommend a wood floor-just dirt or sand as it helps for drainage and helps prevent mastitis to. We had a wood floor in our barn a few years back and kept having some mastitis issues-took the floor out and haven't had any since. You can put a layer of sawdust on the ground and then put some straw on top and sometimes that helps with the drainage a bit to.


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## magilacudy (Mar 18, 2009)

I put down screening, then dirt. I have no issues with smell in my barn at all. When stalls are cleaned out I sprinkle baking soda.


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## lupinfarm (Aug 26, 2009)

I have 100 year old cement, easy to clean but I plan on putting stall matts over it to make it easier to clean.


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