Changing over from straw bedding - advice please?

[kit279]

I'm changing over from straw bedding to Megazorb (the jury is out on this as never used it before, I will see how it goes and switch to flax or hemp if I can't get on with it). The point of changing over to a non-straw bed is really so I can compost the waste properly and use it on my garden - straw takes up a lot of room as a muck heap and doesn't rot down fast enough.

Today I have begun the unenviable job of completely clearing two stables of deep littered straw and although I have dug out most of it, I have a few bales of straw left and also a lot of clean straw from the banks which is completely unused. The stables have earth floors and I was wondering whether I should use the straw to make banks and use the Megazorb as the bed.

Or would this completely defeat the point of switching over from straw?!

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

We don't use Megazorb so can't advise but I just wonder why you are deep-littering on earth floors. Ours have minimal bedding, although we deep litter the concrete floors, (using shavings).

 

[Jane_Lou]

I would be concerned that the Megazorb will absorb the moisture back from the ground and proove expensive! Have you thought of putting rubber mats down first - that is what I did when I had stables with an earth floor? I used Megazorb as an absorbant layer in the areas they wee underneath a deep bed of Sundown Red, which is a mixture of finely chopped straw and shavings with a lovely eucalyptus smell. I deep littered monday to Friday, skipping out well every day and lifting the wet once a week, I used a 1/3 bag of Megazorb a week and 1 Sundown every week - was a lovely deep, clean bed. I have not used Megazorb on its own though but it is amazing stuff, it really holds the wet well at he bottom of the bed.

 

[Cuppatea]

I just wonder why you are deep-littering on earth floors.

because this is the most effective method of deep littering...?!

I would be concerned that the Megazorb will absorb the moisture back from the ground and proove expensive!

this would be my concern too.....
Rather than mixing the left over straw and megazorb, can you not leave one stable on straw till it has run out?

 

[Vetwrap]

I used Megazorb for several years with and without rubber mats and it is excellent. Our wastage was minimal and it was very easy to use. We always set up full beds with banks and deep bases. I do agree with Jane-Lou though, an absorbent bedding would likely pull moisture from the floor. It is still the best bedding I have used though.

 

[Rose Folly]

Our earth beds in our stables are bone dry rain-wise, and the urine sinks through anyway IF it gets that far down. (We use Bedmax which is marvellous). I just don't think it should be a problem.

 

[Jules123]

If you haven't made the change already to megazorb, I'd recommend Aquamax - I've used this in a concrete stable and also in a dirt floor stable and it's great. You can put it straight on your garden as doesn't need to rot down - even though the poo does!