I clean my pens in the summer about once every two weeks. But, I have 4 large dairy goats in a 12 x 12 pen at night. When the material starts to look pretty packed down and used, I clean. I usually start by drying the dirt underneath with a couple of fans. I then put down a thin layer of sweet PDZ, which is a non-toxic substance which helps keep the urine smell covered. Then I put down 1/2 bag of wood shavings to help with absorption. I follow with two bales of straw for the top layer. I have been doing it this way for quite some time and it will keep fresh for at least two weeks, and longer in the winter. With your 2 pygmys, you should be able to go a bit longer. I like to keep the fly population down, so when it starts to look wet or really tromped down, I clean. I tried using just straw, but I really needed the wood shavings to absorb the urine, and the straw stays nice for them to lay in.

Bonnie

thanks Bonnie! Are your floors wood too? Mine are...but I think I'm going to buy those thick rubber mats at the co-op that they sell. They're suppose to keep the wood from rotting underneath them. I did put down a full block of wood shavings..nice and thick to absorb the urine,and come winter I think I'll do your idea with the straw on top. Thanks :)

My floors are actually hard packed dirt. I think your idea of the rubber mats it a good one. It will probably help to keep them warmer in the winter as well. There are people who do what is called "deep littering" in their barns. They let the straw continue to build up in the winter,and just keep adding straw or wood shavings to the top layer as needed. Supposedly the heat from the manure helps to keep the animals and the barn warmer in the winter. I do this in my chicken coop, but, it is extremely hard to clean out this sort of arrangement in a large pen. You would need to have removable panels and a front-end loader to remove the heavy layers of manure in the spring. But, I have seen a couple of goat farmers who have used this method and really like it. There is less problem of the urine smell in the winter because it usually freezes after it hits the ground.

Bonnie