# Making bunk beds/sleeping shelf...?



## Krahm (Apr 7, 2013)

I have two wethers that are brush eaters and hiking companions. They live in a converted building that has a concrete floor covered in stall mats and their space is 8 X 12. I have been bedding the entire thing with stall pellets (to absorb urine) and a layer of straw (to keep them warm and dry). Unlike horse manure, I am unable to clean daily because the tiny manure pellets just slip through the picker. So I have gone to the deep litter system where I just keep adding more straw so it stays dry for the goats. It works really well, until it comes time to strip it and start over, then it is a lot of back breaking labor.

I have recently been researching elevated sleeping areas for my boys. I think it would save money on bedding, plus labor. They really use less than 1/2 the stall for sleeping and don't need bedding for the run in and eating areas, just the beds, right? I found some pictures on this site, plus this youtube video....





My boys are Oberhasli and Ober X Toggenburg. I am wondering how wide I need to make the shelves and is there anything else I should consider?


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## Goat_in_Himmel (Jun 24, 2013)

They may or may not actually sleep on the sleeping benches. My little 'uns sleep _under_ the bench, snuggled together. Also, they may pee all over then bench and sleep somewhere else...your best laid plans, etc. They will probably enjoy the bench somehow, and I would just find out where they like to sleep, and bed that. My two cents.


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## MsScamp (Feb 1, 2010)

Krahm said:


> I have recently been researching elevated sleeping areas for my boys.


Bear in mind that raising something - sleeping platform, floor, etc. - allows the cold to get under it, radiate upwards and make it harder for the goats to stay warm. The purpose of bedding is to provide an insulating layer between the goats and the cold ground.


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## Spanish (Feb 13, 2013)

I never thought about calling them bunkbeds, but yes I have many of those platforms around in my barn but I have the bottoms open, some like to lay on top and others like to lay under, mine are also in different hights for the different sizes, and babies like to hide under if things get to busy, yours look real nice and she seems to have made it her space pretty content. I also have old 150 gallon watertruffs on there sides for them they seem to enjoy them as well.


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## Krahm (Apr 7, 2013)

The raised bed is done and both goats were sleeping in it this morning. I do think I want to put a 2x6 down (in sliders) so I can also bed under the bunk. Nice for them to have two options for sleeping depending on the weather/temperature. It sure was nice cleaning the traffic and eating area this morning with a flat bottom shovel.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Very nice!


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## Spanish (Feb 13, 2013)

looks nice


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## Casa_la_Palma (Oct 15, 2013)

Glad this was brought up. I've been trying to plan something like this myself


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## Krahm (Apr 7, 2013)

Got the bottom shelf done today.


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## Jodi_berg (Oct 29, 2012)

Nice job,I'm jealous of your cute stall!


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## Krahm (Apr 7, 2013)

Thanks! This building was originally a big shop for fabricating. We made custom 12X16 horse stalls. When I got the goats we put in a divider. Now the two miniature horses share one side and the goats get the other. The ponies do sneak in and steal food during the day, but at night everything is closed up.


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## FuzzyTop (Dec 30, 2013)

These are great, I like the raised frame to keep the bedding on them. We have shelves in our goat barn that they like sleeping on but they always push the bedding off. 


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## Krahm (Apr 7, 2013)

An update: The goats love the bunk beds. They will sleep in either one, but do favor sleeping below. The top bunk is more for playing games and pushing each other off. They also dribble and sprinkle on the top bed, but the bottom one stays clean and dry.


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## Chadwick (Jan 24, 2014)

Very nice !


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Nice!


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## MsScamp (Feb 1, 2010)

Wow! What a cool set-up you have!


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## MzRamz (Jul 7, 2013)

Love this!!!


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