Show your cage III
One of the lesser reasons I don't use fleece is that my pigs all wind up wet and with mushy poos in their paws even when I do daily rounds to poop scoop. But I think that everyone who does use it successfully poop scoops in one fashion or another. I think some of them use hand vacs.
My big reasons for not using fleece though is the expense and hard work of doing laundry in a laundromat since I don't have my own machines.
My big reasons for not using fleece though is the expense and hard work of doing laundry in a laundromat since I don't have my own machines.
You have to have that fleece layer over top to wick away the moisture- or you will get those squishy poop shoes.
I actually have many layers to my fleece system.
From the top down it goes:
Pads or small fleece squares
Double layer of fleece
double layer of towels
That double layer of towels helps the pee stay wicked away. If the towel is saturated, the pee wont' wick.
The big fleece protects the towels from poop and hay.
The pads I put in high traffic areas. Next to the kitchen, under sleeping spots, ect. I can roll them up daily with the poops and their collection of pee.
I lay smaller fleece squares in the other areas and just roll them up every day to shake the poops out.
Here's the cage:
The main fleece is red, you can sort of see it. There is a 1x2 pad at each end of the cage, because Henry and Oliver are filthy pigs, and a fleece square in the middle.
I actually have many layers to my fleece system.
From the top down it goes:
Pads or small fleece squares
Double layer of fleece
double layer of towels
That double layer of towels helps the pee stay wicked away. If the towel is saturated, the pee wont' wick.
The big fleece protects the towels from poop and hay.
The pads I put in high traffic areas. Next to the kitchen, under sleeping spots, ect. I can roll them up daily with the poops and their collection of pee.
I lay smaller fleece squares in the other areas and just roll them up every day to shake the poops out.
Here's the cage:
The main fleece is red, you can sort of see it. There is a 1x2 pad at each end of the cage, because Henry and Oliver are filthy pigs, and a fleece square in the middle.
My system is similar, but slightly simpler. I have two layers of towels and a single layer of fleece. I have highly absorbent pads in napping areas that are changed 1-2 times a day depending on use. these are made from flannel and microfiber wrapped inside a piece of fleece. I no longer use disposable bedding in my kitchen. Instead I have 4 layers of towel (1 large bath towel folded in quarters) covered with a layer of fleece.
My routine:
Sweep poo and excess hay twice a day
Change absorbent pads 1-2 times a day
Change kitchen pad every 2-3 days
Chane entire cage every 4-5 days
I have one senior pig. It was slightly different with 2 pigs. Then I swept twice a day, changed pads twice a day, used carefresh in the kitchen, and cleaned the entire cage every 3 days.
My routine:
Sweep poo and excess hay twice a day
Change absorbent pads 1-2 times a day
Change kitchen pad every 2-3 days
Chane entire cage every 4-5 days
I have one senior pig. It was slightly different with 2 pigs. Then I swept twice a day, changed pads twice a day, used carefresh in the kitchen, and cleaned the entire cage every 3 days.
When I take out all my towels and fleece layer I put down my clean layers of towels and then 3 layers of fleece blankets.
Every evening I take out one of the layers of fleece and go shake it outside and then there is another fleece blanket underneath. When I get to the third layer it's time to wash the towels.
I used to use a vacuum or hand vac but found it too hard to keep them from clogging up. My 3 layers of fleece works best for me.
Every evening I take out one of the layers of fleece and go shake it outside and then there is another fleece blanket underneath. When I get to the third layer it's time to wash the towels.
I used to use a vacuum or hand vac but found it too hard to keep them from clogging up. My 3 layers of fleece works best for me.
I sewed my fleece to a mattress pad. One layer of fleece on top, then one layer of mattress pad. I line the cage with a layer of disposable incontinence pads (about 30"x30" each). I use 3 to cover 2x6 cage. Then just put the sewn fleece pad on top. I check the corners everyday for wet areas. I usually need to replace the incontinence pads in the corners every 2-3 days. Then the fleece pad gets washed once a week. I use wood stove pellets in the haylofts, but planning to sew a smaller fleece pad for the hay area. Even with the wood pellets, I'm still obsessively cleaning out all the poop in the kitchen, and that takes a lot of time. It only takes a few minutes to scoop poop from fleece. I use large plastic kitchen spoon (sort of like soup spoon) to sweep the fleece. I usually do the sweeping before I serve their morning and evening veggies, and once again before I go to bed.
We're still new to the fleece system, but I went nuts over the weekend.
I have old towels that fit the tray almost perfectly. I bought 6 inexpensive fleece blankets and 4 yards of batting, on sale cheap. I did a lot of sewing this past weekend. I made layered pads, towel, batting, fleece. Since Sunday, every time I go talk to them, I do a quick poop scoop,2-4 times a day. I just toss it back in the litter if it's just a couple of pieces, but use the dust pan and hand broom if there's alot.
I did my first cage clean last night. I rolled the new towel up into a log. Then at the cage, I pulled up the dirty pad and unrolled the new pad at the same time. Didn't have to take them out at all. I have a bagless vacuum, so I just sucked up all the dirty litter and put new in. Quick and painless. Once a week, I'll take them out and wipe down the plastic trays, just to stay clean.
I have old towels that fit the tray almost perfectly. I bought 6 inexpensive fleece blankets and 4 yards of batting, on sale cheap. I did a lot of sewing this past weekend. I made layered pads, towel, batting, fleece. Since Sunday, every time I go talk to them, I do a quick poop scoop,2-4 times a day. I just toss it back in the litter if it's just a couple of pieces, but use the dust pan and hand broom if there's alot.
I did my first cage clean last night. I rolled the new towel up into a log. Then at the cage, I pulled up the dirty pad and unrolled the new pad at the same time. Didn't have to take them out at all. I have a bagless vacuum, so I just sucked up all the dirty litter and put new in. Quick and painless. Once a week, I'll take them out and wipe down the plastic trays, just to stay clean.
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codyNpatches
- Supporter in '09 - '10
I like the idea of several layers of fleece. Does the pee still wick through all the layers though?
I have fleece pads now, but I am about to cut my old fleece into squares to use in high traffic areas. My cage only looks "pristine" for like 10 minutes. I have a hay rack, but I still put a big pile of hay on the floor for the boys to play, and poop, and pee in. I have a small shop vac, but it still get's clogged. I also have a mini broom and dust pan I like to use.
I have also been changing out beds more often than I thought I would have to, because they get pee all over the outside and not just the pads!
Also, do you guys do pig laundry like once a week? Do you just let it dry(any pee) and then put it in a laundry basket? I fear that mold or mildew will build up in my pads or beds where I can't see it. If I leave my stuff longer than I think it should have been left, then I put a little bleach in the wash and double rinse. I have caught myself washing random pig things every day, because the sooner you wash, the better the urine smell will come out, but I am wasting so much water!
I have fleece pads now, but I am about to cut my old fleece into squares to use in high traffic areas. My cage only looks "pristine" for like 10 minutes. I have a hay rack, but I still put a big pile of hay on the floor for the boys to play, and poop, and pee in. I have a small shop vac, but it still get's clogged. I also have a mini broom and dust pan I like to use.
I have also been changing out beds more often than I thought I would have to, because they get pee all over the outside and not just the pads!
Also, do you guys do pig laundry like once a week? Do you just let it dry(any pee) and then put it in a laundry basket? I fear that mold or mildew will build up in my pads or beds where I can't see it. If I leave my stuff longer than I think it should have been left, then I put a little bleach in the wash and double rinse. I have caught myself washing random pig things every day, because the sooner you wash, the better the urine smell will come out, but I am wasting so much water!
I have no trouble with two layers of fleece.
I do pig laundry about once a week, yeah. I have a big rubbermaid tub that I keep it in so that it doesn't smell. I put the stuff straight into a bag, toss it in the tub, and don't open it again until I must. Beds and stuff that get really saturated I leave out in an open box to dry before tossing them in the tub.
I do pig laundry about once a week, yeah. I have a big rubbermaid tub that I keep it in so that it doesn't smell. I put the stuff straight into a bag, toss it in the tub, and don't open it again until I must. Beds and stuff that get really saturated I leave out in an open box to dry before tossing them in the tub.
SHOP AMAZON