I need advice about the floor of my buck barn. I didn't have any problem with my girls because they are on cement with about 10 inches of fine pine shavings, but when I built the buck barn I had read in many different places that a dirt floor is best so I didn't put a floor in. I am doubting this now. I live in Florida and I came to realize I can't put any bedding down or my poor boys will be living with a billion little roaches and fire ants galore! I have tried putting a thick layer of DE down before the bedding, but it didn't work. I don't have anything down right now and I put several pallets down with boards on top for the boys to sleep on so we aren't having a problem right now, but I don't like the look of the floor. It doesn't look clean and healthy to me, because even though the sand drains there is still a wet spot left from where they urinate. It doesn't smell when you walk in, but it seems like it might down on their level. I don't have the best nose, so I can't tell for sure. Any suggestions about how to make this a better place for them? My smallest little boy that I bought 4 weeks ago just got over being very sick from coccidiosis and worms so I am a little nervous still. I may just be worrying too much, because the boys don't seem to mind anything going on and they spend a lot of time in there. I don't know!!
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Don't use the pelleted stuff when kidding time comes around! It sticks to the kids and makes an awful mess. Straw is by far the best for use in kidding stalls. Just thought I'd update this thread since I learned this lesson the hard way last year!
I have also read that rosemary was recommended to help with fly control. It does smell good! I will have to make sure and plant more around the barns.
Both rosemary and bay leaves are supposed to repel insects. You might consider gathering as much rosemary from friends and neighbors as you can and putting it down when you clean the floor next time. You could even dig down now and try it in a corner to see if it will work. Rosemary is supposed to be a natural dewormer as well so it will not hurt the goats. It would be worth planting rosemary plants just for that purpose though it will be two years of so before you get enough to really do the job (don't cut the first year). If you have FreeCycle or CraigsList in your area, post there asking for some. Often people trim back large bushes and have lots and lots to give away. I recall reading peppermint repels spiders so you might try peppermint on the foundation. (I put rosemary needles in the chicken's laying boxes.)
This is an older thread but for future lurkers, thought I would update my thoughts on it. I ended up hating the pelleted bedding when my first kids were born. It breaks down to basically dirty dust which coats everything. It's BAD. I do not recommend pelleted bedding anymore. Good ol' straw and spent hay is way easier to keep clean. I actually pick up (with rubber gloves on) the obviously peed-on parts of the straw all the way down to the dirt, and patches of poo and haul it out every day if I can. I put lime on those areas and cover again with more straw. Barn stays nice and clean.
Juliana...I just put lime down in the barn and it worked great! I am a little nervous to ask this because if I put down the wrong thing I am going to cry, but what I got was Barn Lime from TSC. Is that the right kind?
I can't believe I didn't think about the chickens either!!! That is a fantastic idea. First thing in the morning I am turning them loose in there and let them go to town. I rototilled the lime in to the dirt so the chickens should be safe with the amount they could get to, but I will double check on that. I am having a horrible time with baby roaches! I have never had a roach problem with the girls, but the buck barn is a whole other world. It's driving me crazy! I am assuming the difference is it's a little damp in the boys barn because I had to leave a vent window in the top of the two ends to let the heat escape. Then of course there is hay on the floor that the boys discard. I try to keep it picked up real good but overnight they throw it all over.
Thanks so much for the chicken idea...I can't wait to get them out there! I will let you know how it goes. :)
GAH!! Chickens!! I totally forgot about them! Great idea, Julianna!
"Also, chickens! Turn your hens into the stall & they will take care of any bugs. But not when you've put down lime or especially Sweet PDZ, because it is little balls and they would probably eat that too and I doubt it's safe to eat."
If you can afford it, TSC sells a pelleted horse bedding which is super absorbent for pee and odor. It is great. I love it for the goats but it is too expensive to use regularly for me
You are already right on the money w/ pallets ect, I keep those everywhere, in the pasture, so they can escape the ants.
Peggy, we are also in Florida and I know what you mean about the dirt floor. I will sprinkle fire ant bait around right outside my barn anywhere that the animals aren't. I also have had to bait some stalls and keep them out of use for a few days.
I use lime or Sweet PDZ (both available at TSC or feed stores) on pee spots. The lime seems to help it dry out better than the Sweet PDZ.
The best medicine of all is to strip the stall and let it air out a little, better yet if the sun shines into that stall. The one good thing is our sun is strong enough to kill anything!
Also, chickens! Turn your hens into the stall & they will take care of any bugs. But not when you've put down lime or especially Sweet PDZ, because it is little balls and they would probably eat that too and I doubt it's safe to eat.
Thanks Julia...sounds interesting. I am going to look into it. I am hoping like crazy that one of you comes up with an idea that works for me!! :) I will try everything.
I have just tried a new product myself called Streufex (horse bedding), made from straw into pellets and I LOVE it. My girls hated the straw and refused to lie on it and it was such a mess to clean I just knew there had to be a better way. Maybe this would work better for you. I cleaned my whole barn down to the dirt, then used pdz liberally everywhere to help absorb moisture and urine then coated my whole floor in the streufex. It's fantastic! The goats love it and now don't mind laying on the ground. When they pee, it's very easy to see where it is, as it expands and turns a darker color, so you can just spot clean very easily. I didn't see it at TS but Southern States has it and probably other farm supplies. Here's their website: http://www.streufex.com.au/
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