[John Hill]

It is not really difficult to make a stock crate for a small trailer or pickup truck.

Wooden ones are easy to make and dont require much carpentary skill! Just use 3x1 timber (minimum) and carriage bolts. Depending upon the height of the sides of the vehicle you only probably need 3 rails which of course are all above the rails. Make four units, each with two uprights and the rails. Two of these units are equal in legth to the width of the internal dimensions of the vehicle while the other two are equal in length to the pickup up bed or trailer. Place the uprights near the ends of the rails, add intermediate uprights if you wish.

Just stand these units inside the vehicle bed and secure the corners with leather straps, good lashing or even fence wire.

The uprights should be long enough to extend above the animals head height.

If you organise it carefully you will be able to release one of the rear corner fixings and open up the back for loading and unloading.

Once the animals are on board throw a tarp over the whole thing preferably leaving a bit of space for ventilation.

 

[John Hill]

I can't imagine why a homesteader would be embarassed to use a 'home made' piece of equipment, surely that is the essence of homesteading?

Anyway, I have been thinking over the last two days on how a real nice 'stock crate' could be made with little effort. I have come up with a design that might fit the bill.

My idea is to buy four sheets of flooring ply or maybe lighter if flooring is too expensive or you think a sheet is too heavy to handle.

The only tools you need are an electric jig saw (do you call those 'sabre saws' in the US?) and an electric drill or a brace with about a 1" drill.

The idea is to build a box that will fit neatly inside the trailer or pickup bed, I assume the trailer and/or pickup has a 'wellside' not a flat deck.

The corners do not need to be rigid in fact they may be more durable if there is some 'give'.

So, cut the four sheets to fit neatly inside the vehicle, you will most likely have to do a cut out over the wheel arches and for the pickup you might need to do a cut out so that the tailgate latch can still be reached.

Now drill a series of holes about 6" from each corner, by this I mean say 4 holes equal spaced in a vertical row from near the top of the sheet down towards the vehicle. Do this on each end of each sheet.

Use some rope to 'sew' the corners and just for extra security make the ends of the rope fast to the vehicle.

If my idea is any good, and I must stress I have never tried it, you should have a very sturdy box in the vehicle that no animal will be able to break out of.

Now for the artistic component. Your sheep enjoy a bit of a view and need some fresh air so draw some appropriate shapes, stars, moon, sheep, etc on the sides and cut these out with the jig saw. More or less holes according to your climate I guess.

Cut one more hole in the rear of the box just big enough for your intended animal to pass through, don't cut it right to floor level as that would weaken it. I have in mind an oval shaped hole about 6" up from the bottom. When the vehicle tail gate is up most of this hole will be covered which may or may not be enough to stop attempted escapes, you will have a few pieces of ply offcuts so if necessary just drop one of these down between the box and the tailgate to block off this hole.

Put a tarp over the top to stop suicidal jumpers and to keep off the sun or rain.

If the corners have been laced in a sort of cross over you should be able to just release one of these and fold up the crate when it is not in use.

Painted, this will be the smartest stock crate on the day!


If anyone ever makes one let me know please!

 

[John Hill]

Best protection against hypothermia in sheep is more sheep, pack em in so that each supports the other. You do not want sheep lying down while travelling, ok for one or two on their own but if one goes down she might not be able to get up again. I have seen sheep transporters that carry several hundred sheep, truck and double trailer combos with three decks on the truck and four on the trailer. Sheep are packed in and all are standing, if the truck is not filled the pens are adjusted for standing room only.

I disagree on the comment regarding ropes, corners laced as I described will be much stronger than a few bolts that will only localise the stresses around the bolt holes. Agree regarding nails.

I am sure old (or even new) horse trailers will carry sheep OK. I agree on the safety issues, of course the vehicle used must be safe for the job.

 

[John Hill]

I hope they each had their seat belts fastened Pilot_34!