What bedding do you use for an organic goat?

[gimpymom2goats]

I'm new here and our family will be new goat owners in 3 weeks. We are getting one doe and one young wether. We will be using organic feed ( I'll be on that question soon enough) and natural ways of caring, curing and nurturing our goats.

Okay here goes the stupid question. Is basic generic hay grown with chemicals? Is there such thing as organic hay? Are there other items can be used for bedding in the goat shed? My hope is to keep the place as free from chemicals as we can for the goats and because of the some of the medical problems I have.

I'm a little nervous but I know we can do it!

Thank You all,
Maryann

 

[Marianne]

Hello Texas--Where are you located? We have a Nubian herd in Salado. As of this weekend kidding season is over and all are well and happy. Most hay in our area is fertilized in the spring. Just ask and when you find "good stuff" buy a supply. And, thanks to our alkaline soil, we have Selenium. During the drought periods hay does get scarce; we have had to drive to Waco to find it. We are very fortunate to have pasture and an irrigation system to help feed the hungry mouths.

 

[elevan]

Welcome to BYH!

Where are you located? That will determine what options are available to you...

Find a hay supplier and ask lots of questions. Once you find a supplier that you like that has a product you like remain as loyal to him as you can and he'll give you a good deal and treat you right - that's been my experience. My supplier doesn't spray anything on his fields - nothing.

 

[Pearce Pastures]

I don't actually use any bedding. Anything on the floor is just from the goats being wasteful of their hay. The floor stay fairly dry that way, we don't have as many flies hanging about, and it smells better. We rake up the floor every few weeks and put any wasted hay and berries into the garden to break down.

 

[gimpymom2goats]

Marianne and elevan - I am in Arizona, East of Phoenix. As I said all this is new to us so now I know where to start. Thank you so very much!! Find people who supply hay, get to know them and when I feel confidant with a particular person be a good loyal customer! Thank you so very much! For the info!

Pearce Pastures - Do you have a floor in you goat shelter? We had planed on setting up on top of the ground and leaving it bare but I told my husband about what you are doing and it does not sound half bad. I'd still like to have something there to lie down on top of. I want them to be happy they are milk goats and will provide for my family. I'd like to think that they are family too. Just new members of it. <3

 

[WhiteMountainsRanch]

Goats are big-time wasters of food. (They don't like to eat the sticks- just the leaves of the alfalfa). Just put whatever leftover sticks from the organic hay you are feeding them into the shelter for them to lay on.

 

[Pearce Pastures]

Marianne and elevan - I am in Arizona, East of Phoenix. As I said all this is new to us so now I know where to start. Thank you so very much!! Find people who supply hay, get to know them and when I feel confidant with a particular person be a good loyal customer! Thank you so very much! For the info!

Pearce Pastures - Do you have a floor in you goat shelter? We had planed on setting up on top of the ground and leaving it bare but I told my husband about what you are doing and it does not sound half bad. I'd still like to have something there to lie down on top of. I want them to be happy they are milk goats and will provide for my family. I'd like to think that they are family too. Just new members of it. <3

The floor is dirt, which is my preference for a floor over concrete or wood. I have sleeping shelves built on one wall but they are kept free from hay too. Not sure what your climate is like, but it gets below zero here in the winter and even then, we don't use any bedding. When we first got goats, we used to put down straw and it of course got peed and pooed on and when we put on their sleeping shelf, they took to peeing there as well. Not sure why I decided to stop doing it (maybe we ran out of straw or something), but once we quit putting it down,
I realized that it was actually cleaner in their barn and they peed on the floor instead of on their shelf.

No bedding has turned out to be nice for lots of reasons.

 

[Egg_Newton]

Marianne and elevan - I am in Arizona, East of Phoenix. As I said all this is new to us so now I know where to start. Thank you so very much!! Find people who supply hay, get to know them and when I feel confidant with a particular person be a good loyal customer! Thank you so very much! For the info!

Pearce Pastures - Do you have a floor in you goat shelter? We had planed on setting up on top of the ground and leaving it bare but I told my husband about what you are doing and it does not sound half bad. I'd still like to have something there to lie down on top of. I want them to be happy they are milk goats and will provide for my family. I'd like to think that they are family too. Just new members of it. <3

The floor is dirt, which is my preference for a floor over concrete or wood. I have sleeping shelves built on one wall but they are kept free from hay too. Not sure what your climate is like, but it gets below zero here in the winter and even then, we don't use any bedding. When we first got goats, we used to put down straw and it of course got peed and pooed on and when we put on their sleeping shelf, they took to peeing there as well. Not sure why I decided to stop doing it (maybe we ran out of straw or something), but once we quit putting it down,
I realized that it was actually cleaner in their barn and they peed on the floor instead of on their shelf.

No bedding has turned out to be nice for lots of reasons.

Do you heat the barn in the winter?

 

[Jered Norris]

You can try to find local farms that sell either organic or natural wood chips (probably the best choice) or organic straw. I don't use hay because if water or snow gets on it It sucks it in and becomes wet and moldy. I have enough experience putting hay down in the barns and looking after it rained or snowed to find freezing goats sitting their shivering and wet.