Goats Shed...REALLY SMELLY...Baking Soda??

[chickylou]

Oh, I have so many questions tonight. But I really need the input.

I've noticed that straw when it has been urinated on has a very foul odor. I'm not sure why it does this to me, but I feel it makes me a bit dizzy in the head. Then today, when we set up our new goat shed/pen area, I noticed the two goats gravitating toward one corner of the shed so I asked my hubby to put a outline that 4 x 4 are with a wooden lip and scattered the straw in that area only. I thought it might be a nice bed, but the one goat proceeded to pee in it.

So much for my comfy designs.

Then I decided to buy some pine shavings. I scattered it and mixed it in with the straw and suddenly, the shed seemed to smell a bit fresher to me.

Have any of you noticed a difference in bedding and flooring materials you use? Which do you prefer?

Also, would throwing some baking soda in the bedding make some of the intense odor go away? Any deodorizing tips you may have? I'd sure LOVE to hear them.

They are well ventilated, but I don't want to be knocked over by that smell when I greet the merry milk maids in the morning.

Thanks so much

 

[helmstead]

Sweet PDZ is your friend. Soda really won't touch it, you need lime to fight them ammonia.

I prefer shavings to straw. They smell better.

 

[Chauntecleer's Keeper]

Are you housing bucks? They can have smelly urine. I have not had any problems with my girls. I use the hay under the hay rack, that is not consumed, for bedding. My goats eat pine shavings like potato chips.

 

[Skyesrocket]

Sweet PDZ is a good product.

 

[mcmch91]

Quote:
We have used straw and rejected hay for years. The odor is from the amonia produced by the byproducts as they break down. Ag Lime is the best bet. Your local farm store likely sells it in a small-ish bag if you only need a little. If you want/need a lot, call an agriculture applicator service or a feed mill/store for a truck load.

Really, it's not just your goats that piddle in the most inconvenient places . . . all of them do. A few have even done it in the open top of my boot when I failed to pay attention!

 

[NOnuggets]

If the smell is getting to you...it is probably getting to them!
I agree...PDZ is a wonderful thing

It keeps working under the layer of straw until it is "used up" and wont hurt the goaties. (works with other critters too...)
Is it one goat in particular? Could be sign of health concern...If not the scent of one in particular (that isn't male - they're just stinky), then-
How well is your goat area ventilated? Should not be airtight...as long as there is no wind at their level, you want some space or gaps near the top to allow an air exchange...
Hope you find a solution!
(PS...if you are using the deep bedding method through the winter, just wait 'til you get a whiff of the spring stall strip

!)

 

[lilhill]

We have concrete flooring in our barn stalls, so once a week everything is striped out, hosed down, stalls are air dried, lime put down and then a nice layer of straw. I've never used PDZ, but it sure sounds like something I would try.

 

[ThreeBoysChicks]

Growing up. AG Lime went down on the Milking barn floor after every milking and cleaning. We used it in most of the animal runs to cut the amonia. Not sure if there is any truth to it, but my Aunt and Uncle always said it help to keep the flies away also.

I use it in my horse stalls today. Have not used in my goat house, but it stays rather dry in there. But then again, they spend most of their time in the horse stall with the horses. I think they are afraid, they will miss something.

 

[FlightsofFancy]

Quote:
I 2nd that!! Plus the shavings are easier to clean. I also use an all natural stool and urine killer for dog runs called "Yard Odor Killer" www.naturvet.com It smells wonderful and I spray it in areas that are really yucky, in between cleaning. It helps eat away the smell.
Good luck!

 

[Goattalker]

Stall mats are your friend, if you put them down, then add shavings and clean regularly your barn will smell like fresh saw dust. Urine smells are the result of build up, and to get rid of them you need to dig out the urine soaked dirt, and then fill with something like the stuff above, or stall dry. And clean, clean, clean. If it smells like urine, pneumonia and colds will be more frequent, and harder to deal with. Baking soda will cut the smell a little, but it is not a replacement for cleanliness.