stupid question for bedding material

[Briard'nSheep]

Has anyone tried shredded paper for sheep bedding?

we lost a lot of our hay to mold due to wind picking up our tarp covering the hay on multiple occasions (lesson learned). The tarp was secured under old tires and the hay! Until more hay/straw becomes available again i need something to tie us over for the bedding. For now i hope what's left the sheep will eat at night out of the feeder and not have to use it as bedding too. I can get shredded paper very easy.

The last storm we had go through was lightning ~3 seconds for about 1 1/2 hours with heavy winds, then another half hour where there finally was some thunders with heavy rains. We did have a few trees hit by lightning, so we choose not to go outside to safe the last remains of the hay we got for free but was supposed to last into the fall...
I say the storm lasted over two hours, I was just able to fall asleep after two hours..

when the entire sky lights up with lightning every few seconds and my trees get hit.. sorry to the 6 bales of hay! guess i am not that good of a farmer

 

[SheepGirl]

Wet paper gets really heavy. Also, what kind of sheep do you have? I can't remember. Shredded paper may stain hair sheep coats. Personally I wouldn't use it.

Is the floor of your barn dirt or is it concrete? Because if it's just dirt, you don't need any bedding. Dirt floors are perfect for sheep.

 

[goodhors]

I have not used paper for sheep, though I have some experience from friends using
paper for their horse bedding. It is rather dusty, lots of fine stuff in the air as
they move around in the stall. Paper tends to "clot" into big HEAVY lumps when
wetted. Heavy to pick up and clean the stalls, can't use the plastic forks. Doesn't
break down real fast when spread on the fields. When dry it blows around.

Peat moss is VERY dirty, puts a dust screen in the air every time it gets walked on,
so animals are breathing it all the time, and so are YOU! Leaves a dirt layer on
EVERYTHING in the barn. I don't consider it healthy at all, though it spreads
on the fields or garden well.

Have you checked for sawdust or shavings bags at the farm store? They often have
sales, so it is cheaper. They are also dusty, but you can sprinkle the shavings or
sawdust, which keeps the dust down, and they are still VERY absorbent. You can
clean out the wet spots, but I don't think you could shake out the sheep poop
and keep it in the fork to throw in the manure tub like with horses. The shavings do continue
to break down into wood fibers the more the sheep walk on it, making a nice layer
for bedding. This also makes good mulch, or compost, should you like to use
the dirty bedding that way.

Whatever you use, I suggest putting stall mats down first, then bedding over it.
Cleaning dirty bedding off the mats is SO MUCH easier than cleaning off dirt it
is hard to believe. I got stall mats off Craigslist for a good discount price, instead
of buying new mats.

You might also ask around, see if anyone needs a barn
cleaned out for the new hay or straw crops. Grain isn't ready yet here, so they
still need the lofts and storage areas cleaned of chaff. Could be you can get
a LOT of bedding free for taking it away! A tarp to pile it on, then carry or pull
tarp to truck or trailer to dump the load, go back for another tarp full.

Couple ideas for you, every location is different.

 

[Briard'nSheep]

It's dirt floor.... We have been putting in hay for the sheep to eat out of the feeder, but they ended up dragging it all over. So we gave in to them having a "softer" ground.

Doesn't sheep urine then make the dirt floor stink? That's why I was under the impression of using bedding.

Thanks for the paper shredding advice, it's mainly white paper from "office" use, not newspaper. I do like the saw dust idea, will have to check out the feed store.

Thanks for all the advice!!

 

[SheepGirl]

No, the urine seeps into the ground. Though of course if the manure isn't cleaned out regularly, then to the average person who's not used to the smell will think it reeks. But if you're around it all the time then it doesn't 'smell.'