The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Goats => Topic started by: Sierra7 on July 25, 2017, 10:25:09 am
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I have an extremely stupid question, so please forgive me in advance. ;D. I am the proud new owner of 3 very beautiful Anglo Nubian goat kids (just keeping as pets and not milking) and having never kept goats before am on a steep learning curve.
I have donkeys and chickens which I bed on straw and am doing the same for the goats in their stable, with a layer of aubiose underneath to soak up the urine. My stupid question is; how do you muck out with the pellets being so small? I can't pick them up with a shavings fork and can't sweep them up as they're all mixed in with the straw. I'm reduced to trying to pick them out by hand ( ::) ) but surely this can't be the easiest way. Maybe bedding on straw is the problem? Does everyone else use shavings or hemp bedding?
Thanks in advance for any suggestions, this place is great and I've already gathered much useful info from your collective wisdom!
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No need to muck out daily and remove the top layer of soiled bedding as and when necessary.
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I think most people deep litter their goats, top up bedding daily and clear out and disinfect once a month
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I have donkeys and poultry and used to keep goats. Used the same system for all of them - top up the soiled bedding daily (possibly remove large bits produced by donkeys) and clean out when convenient. It might even be only once a year. But the used bedding underneath rots down, with considerable production of heat which kills bacteria, and the rotting process reduces the volume of manure. I don't, however, leave it till it reaches the roof, or until it becomes a mammoth task. :farmer:
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I have donkeys and poultry and used to keep goats. Used the same system for all of them - top up the soiled bedding daily (possibly remove large bits produced by donkeys) and clean out when convenient. It might even be only once a year. But the used bedding underneath rots down, with considerable production of heat which kills bacteria, and the rotting process reduces the volume of manure. I don't, however, leave it till it reaches the roof, or until it becomes a mammoth task. :farmer:
I knew someone who did leave it until the goats were touching the roof, he then put pigs in the buildings to root through it all before mucking out.
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I have kind of shavings fork that I use. ..its more like a dustpan and rake affair though. No idea what its called but we used to use it for our pony in the field. It works quite well to shuffle the poos into the long handled scoop thing! I probably manage to get 50 - 75% depnding on how much I am actually trying that day!
I think I muck out too often tbh generally every couple of weeks or so. I worry too much about it. Need to top up more and muck out less methinks!
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Awesome! I knew you lot would be helpful. Thank you so much. :)
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I also use deep bedding. There is a plank nailed across the bottom of each doorway and when the level of straw reaches that, they are cleaned out. Probably every three months. As well as straw, I use shredded paper as it rot down well and helps soak up urine.
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What a good idea!!
Off to find a suitable plank!
And shredded paper sounds à fantastic idea too.
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something like this might work.
http://www.onlineforequine.co.uk/shires-spare-long-handle-manure-fork?gclid=Cj0KCQjwnubLBRC_ARIsAASsNNmOgzVgaaj08rS_4TbjZ4TMRr0Ualt0KM9n0eED9k-dXOwW_t27e7gaAkfTEALw_wcB (http://www.onlineforequine.co.uk/shires-spare-long-handle-manure-fork?gclid=Cj0KCQjwnubLBRC_ARIsAASsNNmOgzVgaaj08rS_4TbjZ4TMRr0Ualt0KM9n0eED9k-dXOwW_t27e7gaAkfTEALw_wcB)
I've always had them for horses, you can use the raked side or the flat side. They're not expensive and available from most country/feed/equine stores.
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Your link doesn't seem to work Kealy, but it sounds like the thing I have!
https://www.wynnstayonline.co.uk/equine/tidee-muck-scoop-rake.html (https://www.wynnstayonline.co.uk/equine/tidee-muck-scoop-rake.html)
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That's the one Flump74
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I mostly let the bedding build up, but to try and keep them a bit cleaner I use a short handled shovel and a trowel to slide the pellets on..