# Cleaning up after goats?



## TxMom (Jul 3, 2009)

I'm sorry this is probably a really dumb question...I just got my 2 wethers this week and haven't figured everything out yet...LOL.

I have little goat berries all over my back yard...of course...what did I expect???  They must really love us because my goaties like to sleep by the back door, and sometimes even on the steps to the back door, instead of their beautiful little goat house that my DH slaved over   Sooo, most of their berries are right as you walk out of the house, on the steps and in the grass.  Mmmmm...love the smell of goat poo early in the morning. :/ I guess I expected them to sleep in their little house, and I would keep that clean, and it would be OK if there were random berries around the yard.  But this is different...lots and lots all around...and none in the goat house in the bedding...grrrrrrrr.  

Do you have any suggestions how I could keep the back door area cleaner?  I can sweep the steps, but what about in the grass?  How do you clean up when all those little berries are scattered everywhere? 

I think we're going to fence in a new "yard" for them away from the house if we can't get this figured out.


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## ohiofarmgirl (Jul 3, 2009)

hey! welcome to goats!

can you lock the goaties in their house at nite? this might help with a couple of things - first the pooping...and also neighborhood dogs LOVE goats..they smell like poop and they run when chased. unless you have electric around your yard you may want to lock them up tight... even just for safey's sake. 

if its big enough you could put some straw bales in their house for them to sleep up on something... then give them a few mins in the morning to um.. do their business.. then just rake it up and pop it in your garden or in them compost pile. 

if you find you dont use all the compost you could always put an ad in craigslist - surely there is a gardener around that would love it.

good luck!


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## lilhill (Jul 3, 2009)

Fence them away from the areas you don't want them in.  Or, run a wet/dry vacuum over the porch and yard "berries" to pick them up.


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## TxMom (Jul 3, 2009)

A wet/dry vac....what a great idea!  Then dump into the compost...perfect 

I can't really lock them in their little house...it's a more open design with 2.5 walls and a roof, because it's so freakin hot here...been in the 100's for the past couple weeks and I don't want to create an oven.  Even my chicken coop has only 3 walls with windows and vents on those.

We are planning to run an electric wire (prolly 2) around the yard...we already have the charger and wire and we're just trying to figure out exactly how we want to do it, taking into consideration the house and the garage, our kids, and all our pets (chickens, goats, chihuahuas).  And then if we end up changing the yard configuration...we will get it worked out...eventually...LOL.


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## Farmer Kitty (Jul 3, 2009)

You could use fencing for the remaining walls in order to be able to lock them in. It would keep them in and yet still allow the air flow.


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## Rockytopsis (Jul 4, 2009)

In the barn area where the goats lay alot DH uses the lawn mower and bagger to pick up the nannie berries.


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## farmin'chick (Jul 4, 2009)

My Goat Sanitation Team is a flock of chickens...they pick the poop apart and scratch it up.  There's a thick layer of hay (about 8") in the barn, but the chickens go through it all.  When you sweep it out, it's just dirt.


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## TxMom (Jul 5, 2009)

Funny you should say that   I've seen my Roo pick up the berries and then call the hens over to admire the treats he found!  The chickens have certainly done their share of pecking and scratching at the mess...LOL.  At first I thought it was gross, but really...it's just "processed" grass, brush and hay, right?


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## Thomas423 (Jul 5, 2009)

We have a secure fence around the whole backyard with the back half divided off for the goat pen.   We let them out into the yard with us sometimes but this keeps their berries in their yard and them off the patio table.   The "inner" fence is not the most secure but it keeps them in and our dogs out.   They have gotten out of their pen once or twice but only into the rest of the fenced in yard.   Even then they just came knocking on the door.   They really believe that they are house goats.  LOL

Good luck and enjoy your new goaties.


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## alba (Jul 6, 2009)

If your yard surface area is big enough to support them, the poop could just disperse, decompose and turn to dirt. If the surface area is not big enough you will have to go deeper and sweep up. You wouid put a very deep sand and gravel for footing  so it is like a deep kitty litter or a deep sand box so it could just sink down  and get lost while it is decomposing. You could stir it to turn it over from time to time while it is decomposing to keep a fresh layer on top.

Good luck


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## mully (Jul 6, 2009)

Great fertilizer for the lawn and they do such a nice job of spreading it around.  I have the biggest tomatoes growing in some goat compost ...now i want to grow everything in it.


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## TxMom (Jul 6, 2009)

Well, I guess I need to plant a garden right outside my back door...that's where all the poop is!  LOL  I really don't mind it out in the yard, it's just immediately out the back door where the highest concentration is.  I couldn't step outside without a broom this morning.  I guess I could put a fence and gate around the steps so they can't sleep at the door...


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## WalksWithGoats (Jul 10, 2009)

I haven't even got my goats yet but i was wondering  if electric fence would keep a goat in , if so does it need more than one wire?


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## ohiofarmgirl (Jul 11, 2009)

yes you need more than one. we found you need one low enough that they wont crawl under, about at nose level, and one about ear level..or so they are discouraged from popping over.


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## WalksWithGoats (Jul 11, 2009)

Thank you Ohiofarmgirl


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