Nails sticking through barn walls a problem for goats?

porcupine73 · #1 02/16/13, 03:22 PM

Hi, I'm making ready my goat pen in the barn. I noticed on the outside walls there are many places where nails from the siding are poking though to the inside. They stick inside about 1/2". Will these nails be a problem for my goats?

I could try to bend them over, or I have used in the past a hand grinder to nip them off at the base so they don't poke in anymore.

where I want to · #2 02/16/13, 03:27 PM

Depending on their height, yes. They could easily drag a foot across them when they stand up on the sides, or scrape themselves as they rub. If there are a lot of these, you could put plywood between the wall studs.

Crazy Farmgirl · #3 02/16/13, 03:34 PM

I had that issue, I took a hammer and bent them down and flat into the wood. Worked great, no worries!

Clovers_Clan · #4 02/16/13, 03:39 PM

I would bend them over. It should help secure your siding too. If the siding is made from brittle material, like Hardie plank(cement based) or hard plastic/PVC, I'd grind them off. The siding might crack when nail snugs up.

Minelson · #5 02/16/13, 03:43 PM

That sounds like an accident waiting to happen...get rid of that. BtDt

porcupine73 · #6 02/16/13, 03:49 PM

Ok thanks, the 'siding' is actually roofing paper. Yes I think I better do something with them and not leave it to chance. They seem to mostly be on just the one wall, so I think i can use the hand grinder to remove them up to say 5' or so. Maybe there's a few dozen sticking through.

Other problem is I found a bunch of lead paint based old boards sitting in the cow feed trough, which is right next to my goat pen I'm setting up. So I have to figure out what to do with those too.

Minelson · #7 02/16/13, 04:01 PM

You have your hands full...it's hard to make things safe. Do the best you can

Ford Zoo · #8 02/16/13, 05:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by porcupine73

Other problem is I found a bunch of lead paint based old boards sitting in the cow feed trough, which is right next to my goat pen I'm setting up. So I have to figure out what to do with those too.

Is there a way to tell it is lead based? You got me thinking about my old barn here-built circa 1910, never really thought about the risks but sometimes the goats do take a nibble on the siding. I've only owned the place 7 years, who knows the history of any paint jobs?

And I agree with the others, try to do something with those nails ends. We have missed a few now and then, but I think we have been lucky. No sense in taking chances, Yo never know when some goats may get to arguing and one poor soul will end up with a puncture wound.

Clovers_Clan · #9 02/16/13, 05:21 PM

Most home improvement stores sell lead test kits. They're reasonably priced as I recall, you just swab the paint surface, doesn't require mailing anything off, I don't believe. You definitely don't want to be drinking milk from an animal thats been nibbling on that stuff. Great point!

where I want to · #10 02/16/13, 05:22 PM

You can tell what my [lace looks like with my continually saying to cover it up.

But that is what I'd do with the boards in the trough, depending on how hard they would be to remove. The only thing would be to keep them from eating off it or maybe lying on them if they are really crumbly.

porcupine73 · #11 02/16/13, 06:38 PM

Thanks for the help, I appreciate it. The goats definitely will not be able to get at the lead painted boards, those will definitely be out of reach. What I read is it's the lead dust that is the most dangerous, such as when moving them.

I manage to clean out the stall area today. It will be about 10-1/2 foot by seven foot. So I should be able to keep three to five Nigerian Dwarfs in their I am guessing. I made up whitewash with hydrated lime and soaked all the walls and other areas. I started boxing off their pen with 2x lumber and some horse fence. It's taking longer than I thought but I find jobs usually take me twice as long as I imagine.

Unfortunately my nephew in trying to help out a few weeks ago moved a dozen or so of them around. That probably kicked up some of the lead dust. Before I move them I will spray them with a strong solution of trisodium phosphate, I read that is a good thing to use. That will keep the dust down during their move to outside or wherever they go to eventually.

Right on, I used a 'lead check' swab. I think they sell them at Lowes and Home Depot; I got mine in an 8 pack off Amazon. They look like those little drug identification ampules the police use. Basically you squeeze the vials and the inside one breaks, you mix up the chemicals inside, then flip it, and this yellow liquid will start to come out the swab. Then you rub it on the surface to test for 30 seconds. Mine turned red then dark purplish almost instantly, which is a bad sign, since that is positive for lead.

Oat Bucket Farm · #12 02/16/13, 08:03 PM

Yep, get the nails taken care of or the goats will intentionally shred themselves just to give you something to do and worry over.

"SPIKE" · #13 02/17/13, 08:47 AM

As a general rule; If A goat can hurt themselves on it, they will.

I try to keep all sharp or pointed items to as close to zero as possible!
They may/can climb and/or rub on anything/everything. LOL

SPIKE

Suzyq2u · #14 02/17/13, 10:02 AM

We had exposed screws and had an issue. Now they've got wine corks on them

Occasionally one (usually star, because she's a pest, lol) will chew the corks off and we just replace them.

o&itw · #15 02/19/13, 11:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ford Zoo

Is there a way to tell it is lead based? You got me thinking about my old barn here-built circa 1910, never really thought about the risks but sometimes the goats do take a nibble on the siding. I've only owned the place 7 years, who knows the history of any paint jobs?

I an not sure exactly of the date, but you can Google it. I think any paint before 1978 possibly has lead in it. Be specially careful about white or faded red paints. "White lead" and "red lead" we very popular barn paints.

porcupine73 · #16 03/02/13, 06:53 PM

Thanks, the nails have been dealt with. One of my nephews was over, and he really likes to use power tools. So I fitted him up with tight fitting goggles and he took off ever nail head right flush to the plywood. I'd of preferred he wore a face mask over the goggles since that's preferred for grinding but the mask was broken.

Pony · #17 03/03/13, 07:46 AM

LOVE the idea of corks on the nails.

We have screws in the addition Nick built to our goat/chicken housing, and we discovered they are a problem for US when we were out there to tend to Trub and the kids. Got myself hung up a few times. Don't want the goats to do that b/c they will do it up BIG and DRAMATIC.

Suzyq2u · #18 03/03/13, 10:45 AM

When machi was punctured we never knew if it was from star throwing him into a screw or her horn. Wasn't taking any chances, does the job