What to use for bedding?

[Mini-M Ranch]

We are hopefully getting some goats from Helmstead later in the fall. We are trying to get our goat house and lot ready in advance. From what I can tell, it looks like most people are using straw for bedding. I already buy pine shavings in bulk for our chickens' bedding and wondered if that would be okay for the goats, too.

**Edited for a bajillion typos. Just got a Netbook and the keyboard is REALLY tiny****

 

[username taken]

yes, shavings are fine for all except fibre goats

 

[mully]

The goats will love pine shavings so use them.

 

[helmstead]

We use kiln dried pine shavings - the big fluffy ones (avoid EZ Pick types, esp with kidding stalls). I abhor straw, it's such a pain to muck.

 

[RedStickLA]

I don't like straw either...I use pine shavings too.

Mitzi

 

[OHMYKIDS]

I used straw bought bunches of it. Now to find out that the hay that they don't eat can be used as bedding. I could of saved the space and money.

 

[norcal]

Is it easier to clean out just one "specific" area in the pen - like where they sleep/poop the most - using shavings in comparison to straw.

 

[helmstead]

I used straw bought bunches of it. Now to find out that the hay that they don't eat can be used as bedding. I could of saved the space and money.

This is not a good idea. Hay molds...especially damp hay.

 

[OHMYKIDS]

I used straw bought bunches of it. Now to find out that the hay that they don't eat can be used as bedding. I could of saved the space and money.

This is not a good idea. Hay molds...especially damp hay.

I know now it doesn't mold because of the extremely dry weather we are having. And they don't go in the shed at all, they like to be by the trees. Probably in the winter I can finally use the straw.

 

[username taken]

I used straw bought bunches of it. Now to find out that the hay that they don't eat can be used as bedding. I could of saved the space and money.

This is not a good idea. Hay molds...especially damp hay.

Actually its not a bad way to bed your pens/sheds down - you clean the area out, then give them their hay, and what they dont eat gets left for bedding. Let it build up and you will have a nice little snuggle bed for them.