Construction ideas using pickup topper

[prairiecomforts]

Okay - before you all laugh - I am serious. We have a neighbor who has two older pickup box toppers that he doesn't want/use any more and he offered them to me for free. We raise dairy goats and I am always looking for cheap shelter ideas so I told him I would take them. So here is my question. Does any one have any suggestions on how I could possibly make something to get the topper up off the ground a little and maybe use the topper for the "top" half of a shelter for the goats. I don't have a lot of exprience with building things - so if you are going to explain please keep it simple! I do have saws, hammer, and a screw gun - and I do do have basic skills. Any help or ideas would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

[Cornhusker]

Plant some posts and set the topper on them.
You could even screw them to the posts, and add plywood around the bottom to finish it off.

[Nel frattempo]

We are not laughing here! Anything that can be used is a good idea! A neighbor uses an old pickup top for a dog pen. He has it set up on cement blocks and stuffs straw in it during winter. He took the door part off and the dogs go in and out. He has 3 large dogs and they all use it. I have not looked to see if he has the sides blocked in some way.....did not pay that much attention. I just noticed that the dogs seem to love the shelter since they can look out the windows when it is raining, bark like nuts and stay dry!

You could raise it up as high as you need, block up sides if need be and put whatever bedding needed inside. Just be sure it is level so the goats do not climb on it and toss it over. Good luck and it is a good idea.

[Jolly]

Originally Posted by Cornhusker

Plant some posts and set the topper on them.
You could even screw them to the posts, and add plywood around the bottom to finish it off.

That's pretty much what I've seen done, although down here you may see tin instead of plywood....

[Batt]

GoatShed The walls are 39" high so that the metal (from a building I tore down) would exactly fit under the camper topper.
Be sure you trench around or otherwise make sure that water will run around rather than thru. Scatter a foot or so of hay to keep them off the ground. The goats loved it all the way thru the ice storm. Bat, the Great Pyrenese could care less and was happy sleeping in the ice or snow.

[prairiecomforts]

The goat shed you postedd is exactly what I want to do!! Let me ask you though - did you bolt or screw the frame of the topper to the top board?

Thanks everyone for your great suggestions!

[jennigrey]

Maybe use pallets for lower walls? The roofing company in town always has pallets of every shape and size available for folks to take away.

[prairiecomforts]

I have thought about the pallets too. That would be great to use during the summer, but I need something that would be warmer when it gets cold. Wonder if a person couldn't take one pallet apart and then use the pieces from it to replace the openings in the other pallets. (Don't know if that make sence or not! I am brainstorming!)

[nehimama]

That's a GREAT goat shed, Adron. To keep the floor dry, you could throw in a pallet with a plywood sheet on top of it. That's how I keep them up off the ground here.

NeHi

[brownthumb]

Think about it.
Do you really want your place to LOOK like you got a couple of free toppers from the junk pile and converted them into animal shelters? You are going to have to look at them for a long time if you spend the time to find something really useful to do with them.
I am not snobby but I try to keep things pleasing to the eye. Others don't seem to care about how things look as long as they work.

[gone-a-milkin]

I am wondering about goats dancing around on the roof...ours jump really high. Aren't they made out of thin aluminum? And what about them (the goats) breaking the windows? Not saying it couldn't work...just some things to think about.

[saramark]

I use an old pickup topper(truck cap in Maine) that I put a floor underneath and raised off the ground for better access. It is a brooder for about 100 chicks for the first 2-3 weeks. After that, it is a bit small. I only use the truck caps in the winter, so in brooding season I have 2 full size caps to use for brooders. That keeps brooders from sitting around unused, and I didn't have to buy anything.

mark

[Batt]

I have had no problem with the goats jumping on top of the topper. They do keep pushing the rear window up, so I just leave it up now. Will probably take it off later when I get another of those "round tuits". The side vents were closed for winter, and just recently opened. You might want to remove any accessible wiring.

I like the idea of pallets, then hay, but it seems to give the varmints an additional lair. I'll probably give it a try to see what happens. I bolted the bottom of the camper to the upper plate. The shed is in the trees, and the back is to the NW for the prevailing winter winds.

I keep my place picked, the yard mowed, and the abandoned vehicles moved off. For the most part, I mind my own business except when the one of the neighbors need some help. I trust the McMansion people will also mind their own business.

[Wolf mom]

I'm like browthumb liking everything "pretty", but I also really like adrons building. So, maybe painting it all one color might help.
I have two I was gong to junk. After seeing that picture, I'll have to rethink...It sure doesn't look junky.

[ovsfarm]

We adapted a small size truck topper for a "chicken tractor" type pen for our meat chickens. We built a 2x4 frame under the topper that extended out front for the yard and then framed the "front porch" area and put chicken wire over that area with a door in the top. It works great. The little slider window allows us to put feed in from the back also and helps at processing time. We put an axle on the back and recycled a couple of used lawnmower tires to make the pen mobile. It is still rather heavy, but we only have to move it one pen length at a time, so it is doable.

Regarding the appearance, we live at the end of a dead end road and the pen is out past the barn so we don't really have to look at it much, nor do our neighbors. That said, I would much rather look at a pen of organic, pastured poultry for my family to eat instead of some nasty bed of stinky flowers that serve primarily to need weeded and attract critters who persist in pulling them up. Our topper/pen is pretty neutral-it is a taupe color and blends well into the environment. I suppose one could paint cute scenes on the sides and decorate it up, but at our place, we are more interested in function than appearance.

[ozark_jewels]

In the spring I always need more moveable kid shelters. So I use our old fiberglass pick-up cover for that. Its versatile, and no need to raise it for kids. During the months when its not in use, I just stack it out of the way against the back of the barn.
Here are pictures of mine.







In those last two pictures you can see the pallet inside so if it gets too wet they can stay off the ground. During the cold months, I stack staw on top of the pallet. They love it.

[mikeyfireman]

Put it up on straw bales. they will block the wind and keep it warmer in the winter

[Batt]

Ozark Jewels....I like that. Double decker goats!