How long do we need to keep our foal on straw?

[Shelley]

Our filly turned 2 weeks old on Sunday. How long do we need to keep the straw

bedding in the stall? We are stripping out the wet parts daily but the straw

doesn't absorb anything, and what a mess on the rubber mats beneath! We

just hate it.

We normally use pelleted bedding. Does anyone know at what point it is

ok to use that instead of the straw?

Thanks,

Shelley

 

[disneyhorse]

You really don't need to have straw any longer than a week or so. You just don't want newborn foals inhaling shavings the first couple of days.

The pelleted shavings are pretty dusty, I would be a little more cautious about those. Is there any way you can limit the pellets to the "pee spots" only, or put a layer of regular shavings on top of them to minimize the dust?

Andrea

 

[eagles ring farm]

we use woody pet and when we have a foal we just spread

hay on top and leave the pelleted under neath to absorb

its still messy but within a week we start to put less hay on top

just what we do

Lori

 

[Miniv]

Instead of straw, we actually use hay as foaling stall bedding........We tend to strip it out after about two or three days.

MA

 

[bpotze]

I used to use pelleted bedding..but would like to relate to you all.....a scary incident that happened to me...We have used pelleted bedding for several years...started with Woody Pet and now Equine Fresh.

I will not use it anymore. Two days ago I had a three week old colt choke on the bedding. I had just stripped the straw out and put in fresh pellets...wet them down and when I went out in the morning to do chores...this guy had slimy stuff coming out his nose and mouth. Scared the daylights out of me....I have no experience with choke. So I called the vet right away and they came right out. He had eaten some of the bedding...and it got stuck in the upper part of his throat. Horses produce huge amounts of saliva...and it would not go down...so came out nose and mouth. Luckily we get liquid to pass down his throat and didn't have to stick a tube in him. It was very scary....and I will not use pellets again.

Becky

 

[Devon]

I used to use pelleted bedding..but would like to relate to you all.....a scary incident that happened to me...We have used pelleted bedding for several years...started with Woody Pet and now Equine Fresh.

I will not use it anymore. Two days ago I had a three week old colt choke on the bedding. I had just stripped the straw out and put in fresh pellets...wet them down and when I went out in the morning to do chores...this guy had slimy stuff coming out his nose and mouth. Scared the daylights out of me....I have no experience with choke. So I called the vet right away and they came right out. He had eaten some of the bedding...and it got stuck in the upper part of his throat. Horses produce huge amounts of saliva...and it would not go down...so came out nose and mouth. Luckily we get liquid to pass down his throat and didn't have to stick a tube in him. It was very scary....and I will not use pellets again.

Becky

Ahh.....

We use pellets

 

[HGFarm]

Oh dear, I have heard of a couple of other people using pellets and having problems. The babies just try to put everything in their mouths- just like toddlers. I just use bermuda grass for bedding, and clean it daily. Dont have rubber mats except by the feeders though, as the stalls are mare motels on dirt so the drainage is good and they dry fairly quickly.

 

[eagles ring farm]

wow thanks for the heads up on the pellets Becky

oh those babies :ugh: glad your little guy was ok

 

[zoey829]

I use matts and a covering of hay. It can be costly it spreads pretty good. I was always afraid they would think the straw was hay and eat it. I did hear Peet Moss was good.

 

[tagalong]

We use shavings with a straw - or this year, hay - layer on top of the mats... the shavings absorb what seeps through the straw. As it is a PITA to clean, I start pulling it out after 2 days... and by the end of the first week the foal is happily nesting in the shavings...

:

 

[lilnickers]

I use straw on top of shavings on rubber mats. The horses won't usually eat straw as it doesn't taste good . After a week or so , as I remove soiled shavings which do include some straw and replace with only shavings. Eventually there is only a layer of shavings and all is well. I hate cleaning those foaling stalls , too

:

 

[Shelley]

Thanks for the suggestions. They are in a 10 x 16 stall, so whatever we put down,

it takes a lot of it.

Thanks again,

Shelley