want to try different bedding

[Catahoula]

Right now I am using straw. I would like to improve absorbent and odor control. I read some of you use pine shavings and at least one uses kitty litter or combination of pine shaving and straw. I went to a pet store earlier and found some bedding options for small animals and wonder if I could use it too? These are some examples of the bedding/cat litter I found.

Carefresh Pet Bedding http://www.petco.com/product/3370/C...Animal_1-_-Carefresh Natural Pet Bedding-3370

Green Pet Aspen.... http://www.petco.com/product/10515/...?CoreCat=MM_SmallAnimalSupplies_BeddingLitter

Feline pine pellet http://www.petco.com/product/4364/F...aspx?CoreCat=LN_CatSupplies_LitterAccessories

Planet petco pine pellet http://www.petco.com/product/115187...t Petco Natural Pine Pellet Cat Litter-115187

Newspaper based.... http://www.petco.com/product/112061/Purina-Yesterdays-News-Paper-Based-Crumble-Cat-Litter.aspx

Do you think any of these are ok for goats? I know there is some kind of wood pellet that can be used at animal bedding...soak in water to expand it and then use that as bedding. I would love to find something to put underneath the straw to make it better or totally replace the straw if that's causing one of my kids' allergy. (for those who don't know, I thought Walter is sick with a cold but not, it may be allergy....) Anyway, any thought?

 

[HankTheTank]

I think (not sure) that cedar shavings are poisonous. Once I used those pellet thingy's made for horse stalls, but I will never EVER do that again...they just crumbled up and made the barn really hard to clean. I've never used any of the products in the links, but I don't see why they wouldn't work, though you would need to buy a lot of it since it seems to be made for small animal cages. Personally, I use pine shavings.

 

[crazyland]

Cedar is bad for poultry.
I wouldn't use pellets as I fear the goats would eat them and then they expand in their stomach.
And the price would be to much. We use lime and de under the bedding.

 

[elevan]

I doubt that straw is the allergy...more likely that it is a dust and / or pollen based allergy. If you truly believe it to be the straw then try a different type - if you're using oat straw, then look for wheat straw...

For absorbency I would just run your bale of straw through a wood chipper then lay that down.

We like lime as a ground layer, then shavings, then a fine layer of straw.

 

[Catahoula]

I doubt that straw is the allergy...more likely that it is a dust and / or pollen based allergy. If you truly believe it to be the straw then try a different type - if you're using oat straw, then look for wheat straw...

For absorbency I would just run your bale of straw through a wood chipper then lay that down.

We like lime as a ground layer, then shavings, then a fine layer of straw.

No, I don't think the straw is causing Walter's problem...but I do want to see if there might be something just works a bit better. The dust from straw is getting me a little. When I rake out the straw, I can see wet spot on the ground. It would nice to have a product where it could absorb the urine some and not just go into the ground because the smell would still be there. We don't have a a wood chipper.
Well, if Walter is allergic to pollen...we have plenty. The roof of shelter is covered with yellow pollen. We live up in the mountain with lots of pines. I haven't try the benedryl yet since we still have 3 more days of antibiotic. I feel bad for torturing Walter with his shots. I wish I hadn't gone to the vet.... I would not have done that with my dog since I know what to look for if he were sick. With goats...I worried.
Anyway, I feel I am not cleaning efficiently and would like to try something that would help. I need to come up with something that I feel works best in getting ready for time when we get snow...which starts pretty early up here.

 

[SmallFarmGirl]

I used to just put hay down for a bed, now I use a great horse mat in the barn and it's AWESOME! I add a little hay in the corner for them to sleep on and it's so EASY!
SO easy to clean, and it fits my barn perfectly! Most TSC sells them in squares that hook to each other to fit your needs or you can get one cut there.

 

[Catahoula]

I used to just put hay down for a bed, now I use a great horse mat in the barn and it's AWESOME! I add a little hay in the corner for them to sleep on and it's so EASY!
SO easy to clean, and it fits my barn perfectly! Most TSC sells them in squares that hook to each other to fit your needs or you can get one cut there.

We just have dirt floor. We don't have water access to the goat area so it would be hard to hose down the mats.
I found pellet bedding that are for horses or livestock. I may try that.

 

[redtailgal]

We get a mix of shavings and saw dust from a local sawmill.

It keeps odor down wonderful, is very absorbent and best of all its free since we haul it ourselves.

 

[marliah]

We use pine shavings, they at much easier to clean out than straw or hay. Just shovels right up.

 

[Catahoula]

We use pine shavings, they at much easier to clean out than straw or hay. Just shovels right up.

Maybe pellets at the bottom and pine shaving.... I am not sure if I like straws to begin with. Where can I get large amount of pine shaving?