cleaning the goat pen

[MamaDee]

Hey, all....

How often do you all clean out your pens? We have a 16 x 16 foot pen in side the barn that leads to an outside fenced pasture. We spread new bales of straw on top to keep it clean and dry....but how often should we clean the whole thing out down to the bare rock shavings and start over?

Dee

[Sherrynboo]

Here in GA in the spring and summer we clean it at least every two weeks. In the winter, we just kind of add more layers with a massive cleanout when temps start getting warm. This stuff is great for the compost pile.

Sherry in Ga

[BlueHeronFarm]

Because it's warm here we don't use any bedding at all - we rake out the pen every day and use stall dry if it gets pee-stinky.

We tried the layered bedding this winter and NEVER AGAIN. The clean out is just not worth it. My muscles ache from the memory. ...so if you do use bedding, I'd experiment by completely taking out a small area and multiplying that work in your head to see if you want to let it go any deeper.

[MamaDee]

<<<Here in GA in the spring and summer we clean it at least every two weeks>>>

How big of an area are you cleaning out every two weeks? That seems like alot of money in straw to clean our 16 x 16 foot pen completely out every two weeks.

<<<<<In the winter, we just kind of add more layers>>>>>

That's what we did this winter, too. I checked frequently to make sure it wasn't wet when I kneeled down or didn't smell of amonia at all. But since our diagnosis with coccidiosis with Lilly, am re-evaluating everything.

<<<<We tried the layered bedding this winter and NEVER AGAIN. The clean out is just not worth it. My muscles ache from the memory>>>>

I'll bet. That's why we haven't done it yet.....we're trying to figure out how to get the pickup close enough to the pen...and what to use to get it all out of there, etc. It looks like a pretty big job!

We have what they call "screenings" in our barn. It's really fine rock shavings that are supposed to be good for livestock. In the pen we have straw on that--and add to it when needed.

Dee

[moosemaniac]

We're renting a Bobcat from friends for Memorial Day weekend. I figure we can clean out the barn and pile that stuff up to make garden mounds all over the place at the same time.

Ruth

[Junkmanme]

I can't imagine that you would have any straw to "clean out". My neighbor's goats eat every bit of straw they can find...(and anything else!)

[MamaDee]

I can't imagine that you would have any straw to "clean out". My neighbor's goats eat every bit of straw they can find...(and anything else!)>>>

THey only eat the straw when we first put it in....then they don't. And yes, there is alot to clean out. It's prbably six inches thick. More since I just added a bale.

We'd have to take the pen fence apart to get a bobcat in there. It's combo panels with four by fours. I guess we could, but I was thinking more along the lines of a pitchfork. Or isn't there a better tool to use. A manure fork, or something like that?


Oh, and since you are getting a bobcat.....how deep is your straw....how often do you do that full clean out?

Dee

[moosemaniac]

Originally Posted by MamaDee

Oh, and since you are getting a bobcat.....how deep is your straw....how often do you do that full clean out?

Usually we clean it much more often, but this year there was so much snow and it was so cold, we just kept adding straw bedding over top. It was quite warm in the barn all winter because of it. Now, of course, we have to pay the piper, so to speak.

Ruth