Mucking out a straw bed.... any tips?

[FestiveSpirit]

I have had my horses on shavings beds with full rubber matting for about 7 years, but now have moved yards and have my horse on a straw bed with no rubber matting.

Any tips for managing the bed effectively please? I keep adding more and more straw as I am paranoid it isnt deep enough, but then I am left moving shedloads of straw every day to let the floor dry out etc

Also I find that the muck hides in amongst the straw

Any tips for finding it please?

 

[Chestnutmare]

I used to use marigolds and bucket to get poo out 1st....then sift through the bed til i got the wet....picked that up and there we go!

I muck out 6 stables at work that are bedded on straw and believe me some of them are foul...but I get the fork in under the poo...if in one place and lifted it got to side of wheelbarrow and shock the poo out, then chuck the rest of straw back onto pile in stable.....any loose bits and you always get them...they annoying one....I try and get the straw under the fork....move it to one pile....finish off the stable and sweep the rest up into a big pile then scoop it up...job done!!!
I do it quite quickly now...you just get used to it and you find your own way of doing things....

it depends on how much straw I'd taken out as to how much I would put in....and the horses are all on deep beds....just do what you think is best for your horse!

 

[dopeesophee]

ok here goes i work at a livery yard with nice big beds, and we dont put loads in

to start;
1. get a fork and take out all the poo thats on top
2. sift through and put the clean on the banks and take out the wet/dirty
3. sweep out the bottom of the bed
4. put fork into banks and sift though it again (taking out any wet/poo at the bottom of the banks)
5. push all the clean straw from the top of the banks and put it in the middle
6. push fork sideways along banks and on the top of banks to make them neat and more bank like!!
7. all the straw in the middle... start at a back corner and pat it down (should be more in one spot than another) gradually put more straw from one side in the middle to the other, flattening it as you go
8. you should have a mattress like bed this way... as you are adding and flattening all the time...
9. add extra straw that you need in the gap thats missing straw


this is the way i do it at work, and often dont need lots of extra straw, they are neat, big and mattress like

once a week i move the beds round/move all of the bed and brush it out and leave it to dry

hope this makes sense... i love mucking out

and im really obsessive about it!!
x

 

[Chico Mio]

Poor you, I hate straw beds

Sorry, not constructive.

 

[monkeymad]

Wear a cap or the amonia from the wet straw will get into your hair and you will stink!

 

[Bedlam]

Straw is brilliant.

I have a very messy mare that I've tried all sorts with. She's on rubber matting so I've tried minimal shavings bed - sweep out every day so quick and easy, but smelly and not conducive to her lying down. Thick shavings bed - nice for 2 days, then just messy and expensive to maintain.

Wood pellets. Thought they would be magic. They're not.

Straw - bloomin' marvellous. Had wood pellets underneath to start, but they've gone now, and don't need them. Its a warm, clean bed that doesn't smell.

Marigolds to pick up poo bits left behind when you stick fork underneath pile. Shift everyhing up onto banks and remove sodden straw underneath, then put bed back. Mine are out overnight so I leave bed up overnight so floor can dry out, then put bed back down 1st thing in morning. I always bash it down quite firmly so it's even - seems to help keep it in order with a box walker.

Love my straw and won't be persuaded otherwise. Big, thick comfortable beds that are easy to keep that way.

 

[Lanky Loll]

Love straw - nothing looks better when it's done right

1. Take out all obvious poo on top
2. Start banking the bed up round the edge and take out worst of the wet.
3. Put the dry straw down on to the bed leaving any damp in the banks - strengthens the banks and gives it time to dry out without your ned having to lie in it.
4. Spread dry out and use dirty (as in there already) straw to make the banks.
5. Test thickness of bed by bouncing flat pitch fork on it to make sure you can't hear it hitting the bottom.
6. Spread clean straw.
All done - shouldn't take more than about 15mins even for a bad un, and you should end up with a bed you'd be happy to kip in

 

[FestiveSpirit]

Thanks for the tips everyone

I think I am pretty much doing what you suggest, so I guess it is a case of getting used to it and I will be able to do it quicker

It seems to take loads longer than shavings ever used to

Monkeymad - believe me, I ALWAYS go and have a bath/shower after I have finished with my horse, I hate smelling of horse all day

 

[scribble]

I do the same as dopeesophie during the week as work full time, but at weekend i put all straw into one big heap in corner to let as much of floor as poss dry then i put fresha straw round the sides to make nice new banks and put the straw which was in the heap in the middle. that way i have flound the bed stays relatively fresh and you end up renewing over 2-3 weeks. I also put a complete bale in on a sunday night and then run it down over the week. mine are 17 hand and 14ft stables but on rubber.

 

[Mike007]

Dont mess around with a four prong fork ,get yourself a proper pitchfork. It will make the job a lot easier.

 

[ruscara]

More advice please

:

My stable has a chalk floor, and it wears away with the ammonia and constant sweeping. So I have had to put rubber mats down all over as the YO won't concrete it. I have a straw bed in the back half of the stable.
I find that the wee seeps under the mats, but I am not able to lift the mats and clean underneath by myself every day.
I've been told to 'leave it because it won't get any worse'. The floor will apparently absorb the wet, and the horse won't suffer because it's under the mats.
I think it's cheating and probably not good (though I can't fault the logic).
Advice please?

ets: I have just realised I have stolen the thread - sorry OP!

 

[flyingfeet]

You put rubber mats over chalk??? Are you mad

I have earth floors, so straw bedding is easy peasy and takes me only 5 minutes to muck out!

You simply deep litter and stop pulling back all the bed, take the poos out and the wet stuff when it squidges under foot. I generally take a little wet each day as its easier on the back than doing a big muck out once a week.

 

[hldvs86]

I hate straw beds but I have my horse on straw..lol!! I just take out the poo first.....using a pitch form..then drop onto floor that way u can put back in the bed the clean straw so your not wasting.....then use a poopascoop or a shavings fork to pick up the poo....i know where my lad pees so I just take the whole wet area out and the poos then bed back down again...not sure thats enitrely helpful :S