# Urine odor? Do you use anything in your goat housing for it?



## Voodoo-Jones (Mar 24, 2005)

I don't currently use anything in my goat housing for urine odor, I just mix in diatomaceous earth with my bedding. I currently just change the bedding daily as well. I have however read about using lime for neutralizing urine odor. I know there is a special kind of lime, not the dolomitic lime, for urine odor. Sweet barn lime, I think it's called? Do any of you use this or another product for urine odor? Is there something you recommend? I don't have an issue with odor, but then again, I would rather not have an issue


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## goatkid (Nov 20, 2005)

When I'm doing major goat house cleaning, I put down a layer of type S lime. That's the caustic stuff, so I cover that with pine shavings, and if it's cold, I add straw to the top. For spot cleaning or to use in the house for infant kids, I buy PDZ stall freshener, which is not harmful to the mucous membranes.


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## BackfourtyMI. (Sep 3, 2007)

At your local feed store they will know what kind of lime you need if you tell them what your using it for.
I think it's food grade lime, I'll have to check my bag to see exactly what it's called.
I use the lime on my barn floors since they are dirt but in the houses, I clean bedding areas daily & while out to pasture on nice day's I leave all bedding & house floors bare to air out & dry out.
In the winter I started doing the deep bedding method so many here do, started that last winter & it worked great. The only time you smell the urine is when you start digging around to clean out bed's, etc.
I went through much less bedding material last winter that way too.


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## Alice In TX/MO (May 10, 2002)

http://www.sweetpdz.com/


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## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

You want "AG " lime , which is Calcium Carbonate
Most pelletized lime is this type and does a good job neutralizing ammonia odors

Do* NOT *use Hydrated Lime, which is Calcium Hydroxide


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## Caprice Acres (Mar 6, 2005)

I have chickens to keep my barn smelling fresh. Sounds odd, but they work great. They keep the bedding 'turned' in the winter time, which is the only time I have really have bedding down for them that gets wet. Otherwise, they're on the sand and a light layer of pine shavings. In the winter, I throw in spent hay and some straw, which the chickens LOVE to scratch in. This moves stuff around and keeps the stall very clean and dry. No odors at any time of the year, here.


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## motdaugrnds (Jul 3, 2002)

I use deep bedding during the winter and in spring I place it all in the garden. During the summer I like to leave the ground bare for the chickens to scratch; and at times, depending on the way it looks, I might add some "agricultural lime" (same as I use to raise Ph in th epastures) rather thickly. (I put this ag lime in the chicken house and pen too.)


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## BethW (May 3, 2007)

I used to use ag lime, but switched to Stall Dry or Sweet PDZ which I prefer to the lime.

Interestingly, I have a goat who lost the hair right around the edges of his eyes and the corners of his eyes were always red. The vet was stumped. After I stopped using lime (and at the time I used it sparingly) his eyes improved greatly and the hair grew back.


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## Jay27 (Jan 11, 2010)

I use Stall Fresh, which is a clay product that neutralizes ammonia instead of just absorbing moisture. It also has essential oils in it and smells lovely. http://www.stallfresh.com/


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## Voodoo-Jones (Mar 24, 2005)

I'll probably do the deep litter method this winter with the goats. I didn't think of it as an option with them. I've always done it with the ducks ( I don't keep water in their "house") and this is my first year with chickens (they have a separate coop and I thought I'd do it in their coop) BUT, I never thought of it with the goats. Yay, that makes life easier!


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## BethW (May 3, 2007)

I've decided the deep-litter method is the only way for winter bedding. It's an awful job cleaning it out in the spring, but it makes for great compost


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## victory (Mar 2, 2010)

e have noticed a huge huge difference in urine odor since we started using apple cider vinegar. We started it after hearing the benefits from a Wholistic Vet, we use the vinegar and black strap molasses, in a squirt bottle and spritz the grain daily. I use this on my hens, turkeys, rabbits and goats. I especially notice the goats and rabbits urine order decreased..


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## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

> I especially notice the goats and rabbits urine order decreased..


Acids neutralize ammonia


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## jwal10 (Jun 5, 2010)

I clean the goat shed once a month, wash it down and let dry. Then I put down lime and bed with chopped straw, no problems at all....James


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## motdaugrnds (Jul 3, 2002)

I put apple cider in their drinking water; but never thought about spraying it on their bedding.

I think I might try some of that Stall Dry, Stall Fresh or Sweet PDZ this year just to see what the difference might be. (My ag lime pile is nearly gone and need to get some more delivered.)


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## Cannon_Farms (Aug 28, 2008)

if the ammonia is worse than you think it should be maybe look at the protein in your feed. too much protein has to be let go through the kidneys and through the process of the body turning into urine it makes the chemicals that make ammonia. its also puts a strain on the kidneys.
I use barn lime, sorry to say this but sweet pdz is DE with some scent in it. Think neutralizing acid as that is basically what you are trying to do.
I also use the deep beding method but blow it out with the leaf blower every few weeks but the shavings go on top of the pallets so they are never laying in pee, poop well it happens.
I also will add a bit of cedar shavings in on about a ratio of 4 bags of pine to 1 bag of cedar


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## Alice In TX/MO (May 10, 2002)

I'm going to go out and read the label, but the website of the folks who make PDZ say it is volcanic minerals, not diatomaceous earth. 

http://www.steelheadspecialtyminerals.com/what-are-zeolites.html

Edited to add:

It's clinoptinolite - a mineral

Clinoptilolite is not the most well known, but is one of the more useful natural zeolites. Clinoptilolite is used in many applications such as a chemical sieve, a gas absorber, a feed additive, a food additive, an odor control agent and as a water filter for municipal and residential drinking water and aquariums. Clinoptilolite is well suited for these applications due to its large amount of pore space, high resistance to extreme temperatures and chemically neutral basic structure. What might strike many as odd is the food and feed additives. Clinoptilolite has been used for several years now as an additive to feed for cows, pigs, horses and chickens. It absorbs toxins in the feed that are created by molds and microscopic parasites and has enhance food absorption by these animals. Similar uses in actual people food is being tested. *Clinoptilolite can easily absorb ammonia and other toxic gases from air and water* and thus can be used in filters, both for health reasons and for odor removal.

Clinoptilolite forms as a devitrification product (the conversion of glass to crystalline material) of volcanic glass in tuffs. Tuffs are consolidated *pyroclastic* rocks. The devitrification occurs when the glass is in contact with saline waters. Clinoptilolite is also found in the vesicles of volcanic rocks such as basalts, rhyolites and andesites.

Diatomaceous Earth (different product, not PDZ):
Diatomaceous earth (pronounced /&#716;da&#618;.&#601;t&#601;&#716;me&#618;&#643;&#601;s &#712;&#604;r&#952;/) also known as diatomite or kieselgur, is a naturally occurring, soft, siliceous *sedimentary* rock that is easily crumbled into a fine white to off-white powder. It has a particle size ranging from less than 1 micron to more than 1 millimeter, but typically 10 to 200 microns.[1] This powder has an abrasive feel, similar to pumice powder, and is very light, due to its high porosity. The typical chemical composition of oven dried diatomaceous earth is 80 to 90% silica, with 2 to 4% alumina (attributed mostly to clay minerals) and 0.5 to 2% iron oxide.[1]

Diatomaceous earth consists of fossilized remains of diatoms, a type of hard-shelled algae.


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## Forerunner (Mar 23, 2007)

For the folks who have any interest in using their goat bedding for compost, etc. lime is NOT the answer. Lime, as well as wood ash, drives nitrogen out of the equation and into the atmosphere. 
Sawdust or any dry organic matter is far superior for soaking up liquids and very satisfactory for keeping odors to a minimum. The added benefit is that you can't overdo the bedding....every addition is that much more compost for later.
And..... dry organic matter is generally cheap enough.


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## Minelson (Oct 16, 2007)

I have cement floors in their pen. In the warmer seasons I use this http://www.jeffersequine.com/ssc/pr...9J62P7F57M78GTBD8AXWQ2E50U82AE3&pf_id=0030272
I mix 1/2 C in a spray bottle with water. Sometimes I add Skin So Soft, eucalyptus, or Listerine to keep flys/mosquitos away. I use a small amount of shavings to help absorb. I clean everything out and spray the wet spots with this and let everything dry. I also use it on the horses pee spots on their dirt floor. Just spray it right on. In the winter I use more shavings. The pee freezes so it's easy to remove the pee clumps. I never have a problem with urine smells in the winter. I clean every day.


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