Corn Crib Plans

goatgirl2 · #1 08/22/06, 01:45 PM

Does anyone know of a link where I can get plans to build a small corn crib? This is something I'd like to experiment with to supplement the feed ration for my goats. I've seen bits & pieces of pictures of cribs made of snow fencing... I just don't know dimensions or anything about roofing; I would think it would need to be off the ground? I am in an arid prairie.

Thanks in advance, Debra in NM

uncle Will in In. · #2 08/22/06, 04:39 PM

I've had several picket corn cribs. A roll of pickets is often 50 feet long. That makes a circle about 16 feet in diameter. That would hold over 300 bushels of ear corn. If you cut it in half (25 ft) and make your crib two rings high your crib will only hold about half as much corn, but doesn't need nearly as much floor or roofing. A canvas was all I ever used for a roof. You can't put a picket crib where goats can get to it because they can eat the corn through the slats. You can lay boards right on the ground for a floor, but it can get to be rat heaven under there. Up on ties or something is better where cats can get under there.

FarmboyBill · #3 08/22/06, 05:11 PM

Im wanting to build one like my dads. Just to remember me of home I guess. I cant this year, im going with a snow fence crib also, (if I can find the snow fence in Okla. Havnt really tried looking yet). Think of a bank barn, 2 storie, with dirt up to the second storie on the north side, and that is where the door is, and where the wagon goes in to be scooped off, and for storage of the wagon. Over this part is a shed extending from the crib north however many feet. Underneith, is a shed for feeding out a calve or two, hogs to be grained for a couple a months, or goats. There is a pen extending out south from this shed however far u want to put it. The shed on his , on the S side is tight on 3 sides, and open to the south. IOn dads, there is an actual shed attached to both sides of the crib, N & S, so that the animals can either go under the crib to get any shelled corn that fell through the slats of the floor, or under the shed itself. In mine, I dont know if ill build a shed on the S side or not.. Whaddia u think? The cribs on both run E & W

Dave S. · #4 08/22/06, 07:34 PM

If you had a good source for free pallets they would make a nice crib. The trick is to keep the rats out. The rats must have some sort of ESP going on, they will know about your corn before you even pick it. They might even cheer you on as you bring in the first harvest. If you could make piers that were about 2 feet off the ground with overturned pie tins on top you may be able to thwart mice. You wouldn't believe how far a rat can jump, however. Rats don't like crossing open spaces typically, so an elevated crib with no cover underneath would be a plus.

rambler · #5 08/22/06, 07:39 PM

You want air to curculate, so don't wall up too much with sheds or lean-tos.

6-8 feet is as thick a wall you should make, to let the air curculate.

Wire or snowfence cribs are round, don't want to get too big around - again, let the air get through. The middle core of the round cribs fill with kernals & _will_ mold due to lack of air movement, you need to either keep a vent tube down the middle or be able to grind out the middle first during winter yet.

If stored on ground, want to move it before spring thaw. For long-term storage, on concrete or better yet wood floor.

--->Paul

goatgirl2 · #6 08/22/06, 09:36 PM

Oh yeah, pallets... NOW, you're talking my language! I can build anything with pallets, t-posts, tarps, and baling string/wire (actually, that sounds like a fun and creative thread for later, doesn't it?). Yes, I DO have a good free source for pallets and thanks for that idea. However, I also have access to snow fencing, which would be my 1st choice, though it's not free. BTW, here in NM, we can get snow fencing at Home Depot or Lowe's; in Oklahoma, I dunno, but I'll bet either store will order it for you.

What do you think of this? (bear with me, I'm very visual) How about if I took maybe 4 or 6 railroad ties and criss-crossed them in a square like a log house. Then I'll put a wood platform on top, like a sheet of plywood... or should it be planks with air space between? Then a circle of snowfencing and the canvas top. Would this work? Now, how would I harvest it without a hopper... I guess I'm asking, how would I make a hopper? I want to keep it as simple as possible; I'm a low-tech baling-wire kind-o-gal.

I appreciate the input, everyone; you always come through for me. debra in nm