Drying out the barn

DamnearaFarm · #1 05/05/11, 06:22 AM

Any ideas?

When we built the barn several years ago, we attached gutters and dug out french drain systems across the front and leading into the ditches on the lower side (barn is built on a gentle slope) and never had issues with flooding. We rented this place out for a few years and the barn was mistreated by the first renters and unused by the second. We've since redug the drains and cleared years worth of crud out of the gutters, so flooding will no longer be a problem.

Now, we are stuck with four of the six stalls soaking wet. There is still old manure and loose hay in them, but the stalls squish when you walk. No mats, just dirt floored. Any ideas on what we can do to dry the stalls up, other than shoveling the mess out by hand? Sold the tractor when we moved to NM, so our only tools are shovels and such and the wheelbarrow. My husband suggested trying to rake the muck level and perhaps it would dry then, given time. It's going to be hard work, regardless of what we do. Just wondered if anyone out there may have any ideas.
Thanks

fishhead · #2 05/05/11, 08:01 AM

Water seeks it's lowest level so I would dig trenches to the gutter and maybe pile as much of the dirt as possible into the center of each stall.

Beeman · #3 05/05/11, 08:03 AM

Is it a center hall type barn? Digging a deep drain trench thru the center and putting in a drain and gravel might be the answer.

paintlady · #4 05/05/11, 08:09 AM

If you muck out the stalls and get a large fan going maybe that will help. Try to get as much air circulation as you can going in there. Heat would help also but most likely not possible. Good luck!

motdaugrnds · #5 05/05/11, 09:15 AM

Sounds like your barn is rather "tight" (closed off from much circulating air). I would definately find a way to get some air in there; then the other suggestions given will work faster. [We actually created our barn roof so the sun will come thru about a third of it (also put a window on south side at loft lvl but not at loft area) ... mostly for heat during winter months; but works great to help keep barn dry too.]

oneokie · #6 05/05/11, 09:56 AM

The manure and loose hay acts like a sponge, holding the water.

Otter · #7 05/05/11, 10:51 AM

It will actually be easier now. Heavier, but easier to get out of there.
A good friend of mine could never make herself take small shovelfuls. She'd stop paying attention and load the shovel and end up with a sore back. So she took a child's shovel and put the head on a long handle!
Brilliant!
I made one for myself and will never be without one now. Perfect for jobs like above.

olivehill · #8 05/05/11, 10:58 AM

Yep, muck it out and get a big old fan in there.

ronbre · #9 05/05/11, 11:12 AM

borrow, rent, beg or steal..forget the steal..another tractor and do it the easy way

oregon woodsmok · #10 05/05/11, 01:43 PM

Why would you want to leave old manure in your stalls. Clean it out and move it into the veggie garden. If you let it dry, you'll need a pick to get it out of there.

You can probably rent a small tractor with a bucket for the day. Or go down to town and pick up a day laborer and pay him to do it.

DamnearaFarm · #11 05/05/11, 02:43 PM

The barn is center aisle and the tall sliders on the far end stay open year round. The stalls themselves are double walled sawmill lumber from the ground til about four feet up, then it's single walled sawmill. The shared walls are 1/2 tractor trailer doors (on their side) and the upper half is chainlink fence. The stalls fronts are only about chest high, as are the doors. PLENTY of ventilation, but the stalls aren't all level since there is wet manure and hay in them.
Regardless of having a tractor or not, we have to move the mess to the hallway. We used to just fling the poo/bedding (shavings) into the aisle and swing by with the tractor and drag it out. This stuff don't slang, lol.
And it's so soaked I would be afraid it would smother the garden (not to mention that there are seeds that have gotten a toehold in it!) before it'd dry out enough to do good.
I do have a few box fans we use in the barn (put in an outlet over each stall for fan/heat lamp useage when we built) so I may hook 'em up and aim them in one stall and see if it will dry it up enough to muck out.

The drain Beeman described is what we re-did this weekend. Good idea on your friend's part, Otter. I tend to do the same thing when i'm shoveling!

Thanks guys, you've got me thinkin' now.

Minelson · #12 05/05/11, 03:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Otter

It will actually be easier now. Heavier, but easier to get out of there.
A good friend of mine could never make herself take small shovelfuls. She'd stop paying attention and load the shovel and end up with a sore back. So she took a child's shovel and put the head on a long handle!
Brilliant!
I made one for myself and will never be without one now. Perfect for jobs like above.

Wow! I am so happy you shared this! Brilliant! I currently have a ruptured disk, I'm sure from over doing it. Thank you Otter...you always have some pearl of helpful wisdom to share

motdaugrnds · #13 05/05/11, 11:20 PM

WOW, that small shovel thingy is a great idea. I, too, tend to "need" a full shovel .... bad habit!

MorrisonCorner · #14 05/06/11, 07:56 AM

We're dealing with this same issue. The barn worked for years, but this year, even with my best efforts, it flooded and I can't get the muck out. It's a disaster. So bad we're thinking of tearing the whole thing down to start over.

Water. Can't live without it... but in a barn, you sure can't live with it!!

jwal10 · #15 05/06/11, 01:15 PM

When the manure and bedding starts to rot it makes it's own moisture and keeps decomposing. Only way now is to clean it out. This will also remove any disease. I would lime well and let it dry naturally. May need to pack new clay in the stalls to raise the floors to keep water from running in or ditching to lower the outside level and get water to run off....James

Danaus29 · #16 05/06/11, 03:58 PM

Clean it out and pile it up into a compost pile. Left alone it will rot any wood that it lays against.

Tabitha · #17 05/06/11, 06:03 PM

clear out a bit every day until you are done. Pile it in a compost pile. One year our barn was full and it took me two weeks to clean it out. No need to feel inundated by a big job, little by little works. I put a couple of pigs in the sheep shed that had a thick, tight mat of manure and hay in it, the pigs did great work and it was easy to shovel the loose stuff out. I guess a pig would not help you in your present situation.

DamnearaFarm · #18 05/07/11, 09:54 AM

So far the barn aisle is clear. Next we start on the closest to dry stall. Muck out manure, rake the mud level and hit it with the fans. Thank God we only have five stalls to do... lol

Nope, Tabitha but it sure would be a good excuse to get one, wouldn't it? lol