How much straw should I need? Other bedding choices?

[lupinfarm]

So my girls will be moving into their brand spanking new 6x6' goat house hopefully by next weekend and I am in a pinch to buy some straw as I've put it off because the goat house build was moving slowly.

They will be on a vinyl floor, insulated with R22 comfortbatt insulation, ... How much straw do you guys think I'll be needing? It's a small house for just two goats so their own body heat should also come into play. I don't have a lot of storage space as our hay loft is kind of off limits right now due to my mum falling through the floor so our hay is being stored in the garage.

I can also get pellets, but I would really like it if they had something nice to hunker down in.. But at the same time, I'm so wary of using straw since my chickens got a nasty bout of mites from infected hay!

What do you guys think?

 

[mully]

Two goats and a small space I would use pine shavings ...since it is only 6 X 6 two bales would work

 

[lupinfarm]

How often would you change the bedding?

 

[ksalvagno]

Are pine shavings ok to use for goats? I was told it was bad to use for them because it got dusty and could cause problems.

Unless you do some type of deep bedding method, the pine shavings would have to be cleaned out on a regular basis. Also, not sure if pine shavings would get pricey. My pine shavings cost $5.50 for an 80 lb bag but I go through them quickly with the alpacas. But I have to clean up every day and put new pine shavings down. I only use the pine shavings in the areas where the alpacas go to the bathroom.

Around my area, straw is the cheapest way to go. I think you would have to play around with it and see what works best for you. You would want to cover the floor enough so the goats aren't slipping on the linoleum floor and laying in their pee and poo.

 

[lupinfarm]

Shavings for a bale are about $5.00/bale...

Straw is around $3.00/small square bale

I was considering putting down pellets and then straw as a bed to sleep in.

I had heard similar things about shavings with goats, HOWEVER, I have built our goat house with ventilation in mind so they have two huge vents on the sides by the roof that have flaps to close them up at night/in cold weather/bad weather, plus they have a window at the front, and a dutch door for my access (and a goat sized pop door at the back LOL).

 

[mully]

With flooring that is not absorbent using just hay will keep the goats wet with urine. You need to find something that will keep them dry. Pellets under the straw might work well, you will just have to experiment to see what is effective. Pine shavings are dusty with chickens as they scratch up everything but I have not had dust problems with the goat kids I use pine for but I have a dirt floor. Good luck.

 

[ducks4you]

I don't want to suggest that you buy more stuff, but that vinyl floor is slippery for any hoofed creature. You might want to put down some rubber mats on top before you add any bedding. And, BTW, straw is quite adequate as bedding material. You don't want so much that your animals have to swim to move through the bedding, or so little that it just looks dusted. Just cover the floor with a few inches, clean it up regularly, and you'll figure out the right amount.

 

[lupinfarm]

I have to wait to get my stall skins for it, I want to put them on top of my vinyl simply because they'll insulate the floor as well but I think I'm going to go with pellets and a small bed of straw for them.

 

[ksalvagno]

Sounds like a good option. Good luck with finishing that goat shed!