Made By Alpaca People For Alpaca People
Barn Bedding
Our barn floor is cement and we are using lime stone screenings. We are not happy with this set up. It is killing my alergies (no way to tell how much it is messing with the alpaca's lungs). It also does a number on their fleece. My animals do go to the bathroom in the barn (our winters are very nasty and we have weeks where they can not get out, there are days that I have to plow my way into the barn) Does anyone out there ever tried washed pea gravel?
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Donna Jaruzel on -
I've never used pea gravel in my barns, but before the boy's barn was their barn I had a dog kennel (10x15) off that barn that had a three or four inch layer of pea gravel in it. Once we transformed this barn into the boy's barn we built a 10 foot overhang where the dog kennel use to be. My males have used this area for two years now and the pea gravel is almost gone. From all the scooping of poop. It comes right up with the poop. But my males had no problem with the pea gravel. It did not get in their fleece or cause them any problem. I would use it again.
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Permalink Reply by Diane Watson on -
Do you think it would be warm in the winter, we use a lot of straw in the really cold snaps with the screenings. I wouldn't mind loosing some of it when cleaning the poop pile (I have to replace the screenings anyways).
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Permalink Reply by Nancy Schell ~ Walnut Hill Farm on -
Diane,
You also might want to try rubber mats.... We use them. And when its really cold we will put down extra hay or straw. cleans up easy too.
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Permalink Reply by Diane Watson on
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I have used rubber mats, it works well for the boys but the girls would rather use them for their poop piles.
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Permalink Reply by Donna Jaruzel on
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I know some farms don't use straw in the winter. It depends where you are located and how cold your winter weather is. We use a lot of straw in the winter. Michigan winters can have periods of extreme cold. I did put straw on top of the pea gravel. But during the warmer months the pea gravel can actually be cool to lay on as long as it is kept out of the sun. And we also spray it down with water to keep it even cooler.
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Permalink Reply by Debbie Phillips on -
Hi Diane,
I use a small gravel that comes from the rock quarry.It`s usually sold by the ton.It `s smaller than pea gravel and it`s flatter making it easier for the alpacas to walk on it.It doesn`t seem to stick in the fiber.I`ve used it for 2 years and I`m pleased with it. There`s some pictures on my page where you can see it.
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Permalink Reply by Diane Watson on
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Any idea what they would call it, we have a washed gravel available but it is usually just muddy gravel. I have never liked it for the driveway (it makes a muddy mess).
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Permalink Reply by Debbie Phillips on
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Diane,
It`s crushed gravel.They crush it for the size you need.I think I got #2 or #3.It`s a real fine grade but still like little gravel. Hope this helps?
Debbie
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Permalink Reply by Cal and Leslee Michell on -
I sell Alpaca Foamat Flooring. It is 1 1/2 thick recyle plastic wich is blown back up so there is air pockets which allows air or liquids to go throw. I have it my barn and I also have a litter box in the middle of the barn due the alpacas use it more in the winter.I also have cement floor and I did not want my pragant girls on the cement in the winter and I did not want to deal with straw. I only have the flooring down and they are very comfortable though out the winter and summer. I sweep everything into the litter box and clean the box. In spring I pull out the pieces and power spray the flooring down and put back. I hose down in the summer around the litter box edges to keep clean. I have a drain but I cover when winter comes.. If interested e-mail me and I can send a samlpe with info about the flooring. lesleeknt@aol Thank you Leslee Michell. Check out my pic there is one of the flooring
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