New doe barns

yarrow · #1 09/09/13, 01:22 PM

after years of having a big communal doe barn..(which Jess & I built on our very own!).... we finally decided that the herd will do better split into smaller night time living groups.. we build new barns this summer.. split the does into groups of friends (Edith, Carla and Tess sleep in one).. Gloomy has a group of 5 other does that she grew up with.. they live together.. 2011 & 12 does together.. on & on like that.. everyone goes out to browse during the day, but come back to the new small barns to sleep.. (there is a pen around the barns, that's about 100' long and 50' or so wide.. it has a gate in it where the LGDs can get in, if they are needed during the night) I really think this is going to help make sure everyone gets enough to eat during the winter.. housing the less aggressive eaters together.. away from the piggie gals..still need to get the new little barns painted..

We now have a large doe barn that's empty.. it's the back side of the new barns' pen.. the plan is to take the end walls off.. run long hay feeders down the middle and give them a covered loafing /hay station area they can get to without anyone having to open pens and move them.. it has a *sick* room in it.. insulated walls and a solid floor.. somewhere that's like being inside when I have an adult not feeling good.. but.. a place that's not my kitchen!! think we'll keep that room intact.

it's never ending here.. one building improvement always leads to another one LOL..now I'm wanting to build new bottle/weanling pens.. with indoor/outdoor runs for each group of babies.. with the outside covered so they don't get wet.. now just to convince my *worker bees* that what mama wants... mama really needs

susie, mo ozarks

Otter · #2 09/09/13, 01:32 PM

Beautiful!!

trnubian · #3 09/09/13, 01:40 PM

That is really nice Susie! I bet the does will do much better in smaller groups.

o&itw · #4 09/09/13, 01:52 PM

Really nice barns, Susie ! Local sawmill wood?

yarrow · #5 09/09/13, 02:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by o&itw

Really nice barns, Susie ! Local sawmill wood?

actually no.. we've bought local sawmill wood before.. it's so darn hard to work with tho.. we just swallowed hard and paid for decking boards (my goats aren't barn wall eaters thankfully) I have barns built from decking boards that are 10 years old and still look new..

susie, mo ozarks

Doug Hodges · #6 09/09/13, 03:25 PM

Im in the process of adding some shelters also. Im looking at all metal carport like barns built on my site by someone else.

IndyGardenGal · #7 09/09/13, 06:59 PM

I'll have to show this to DH. He'll get a kick out of it, although, I'm not letting him kick my goats out of our new pole barn just yet.

MDKatie · #8 09/09/13, 07:34 PM

Nice!

fadedpolaris · #9 09/10/13, 12:58 PM

When I get a decent herd going, I'm stealing your setup. So practical, and it looks great.

Josie · #10 09/10/13, 01:31 PM

Very nice setup

yarrow · #11 09/10/13, 01:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fadedpolaris

When I get a decent herd going, I'm stealing your setup. So practical, and it looks great.

it is turning out to be very user friendly and as you mentioned practical.. just using pieces of cattle panel for hay feeders between each group.. and for the gates into each pen.. we have this exact same type of wee barn for the sheep, the donkeys, the bucks.. I have a couple out front in my quarantine pens... all of them build from decking boards.. some 10 years old.. still in great shape... never a leak.. (enough air flow to not be stifling in the heat, but with walls tall enough to block the winds of winter.. the new doe barns all sit with their door openings.. facing east south east.. morning sun, afternoon shade.... but they'll stay drier in the rain.. and not as chilly in the winter)..I like them to be able to get out of the barn and into the fresh air if they want to..

only took a few days for the girls to learn which house is theirs.. now they all just run in and go to the right house..

susie, mo ozarks

Minelson · #12 09/10/13, 02:56 PM

Love it! Wow you did a good job!

Backfourty,MI. · #13 09/10/13, 04:04 PM

Those are really Great Susie! I wish I was as good a builder as you are, I'm just happy when I build something & it actually works & is still standing a couple years.

Josie · #14 09/12/13, 11:37 AM

Susie, How did you do the corner posts/frame? Did you just set the 4x4's(I'm guessing) on the ground, or do you sink them in concrete? About what size(they look to be 4-5 foot-ish tall) are the individual run-ins and shelters?
I really like the separate areas for sleeping, I can see how there would be less getting singled out and picked on.

yarrow · #15 09/12/13, 12:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Josie

Susie, How did you do the corner posts/frame? Did you just set the 4x4's(I'm guessing) on the ground, or do you sink them in concrete? About what size(they look to be 4-5 foot-ish tall) are the individual run-ins and shelters?
I really like the separate areas for sleeping, I can see how there would be less getting singled out and picked on.

the new barns that the girls are in.. just have 4x4 posts sat on the ground (I do have a couple single sized mini barns (8x8 and 10x10) that have the taller sides corner posted concreted in).. these are heavy enough, if we ever have a wind that will move them... we'll have bigger problems then moving barns LOL.. the 4x4 posts started out as 10 footers.. cut them each to make a 5 1/2 and a 4 1/2 foot post.. we just held up a post on each end and started adding boards.. each group of does in the front barn have an 8 x 8 area.. the barn on the second row houses a larger grouping of does. mostly 4 thru 8 year olds.. does that have always been together and I thought it would be more stressful to move them away from each other.. so that barn is 16' x8' so everyone still has room to lounge.. the smallest number of does to a barn is 2.. I don't want anyone sleeping alone and getting cold in the winter..

susie, mo ozarks

dbarjacres · #16 09/12/13, 03:13 PM

those are really nice. Great set up for a big herd!

aart · #17 09/13/13, 05:50 AM

Nice! What a great setup!!

5/4 decking....what width...pressure treated???
Did you use screws or nails?
2x4 rafters at each 4x4 post?
Metal siding for the roof?

How do the 'gates' work?

yarrow · #18 09/13/13, 12:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aart

Nice! What a great setup!!

5/4 decking....what width...pressure treated???
Did you use screws or nails?
2x4 rafters at each 4x4 post?
Metal siding for the roof?

How do the 'gates' work?

yeppers.. just pressure treated decking boards (again, I don't' have chewers)
we used screws (actually all our projects are screws since I've been known to change my mind LOL.. makes it easier to start over, move.. rebuild ect)
framed out with 2x4 at the top and to screw the Corrugated roofing in to..
they go up quickly (not a lot of sawing).. too heavy to blow away.. last a long time.. we are going to get a coat of paint on the new ones before winter..

susie, mo ozarks

wintrrwolf · #19 09/13/13, 09:33 PM

Really a great setup! I like that` build to make your chore / feed time easier so you can enjoy time spent with them, or short version "less work more play"

aart · #20 09/14/13, 05:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by yarrow

yeppers.. just pressure treated decking boards (again, I don't' have chewers)
we used screws (actually all our projects are screws since I've been known to change my mind LOL.. makes it easier to start over, move.. rebuild ect)
framed out with 2x4 at the top and to screw the Corrugated roofing in to..
they go up quickly (not a lot of sawing).. too heavy to blow away.. last a long time.. we are going to get a coat of paint on the new ones before winter..

susie, mo ozarks

Thanks...I use screws for everything too, never know when you'll want to 'modify'!! Nice Job.

You really don't need to paint PT wood do you? Make sure its good and dry first, sometimes that stuff is pretty wet when first purchased.