Have you any ideas and suggestions for making a quick, inexpensive, shelter for sheep

[soarwitheagles]

Hi everyone!

I would like to start this thread with good news: Our flock is growing!

Here's the background of what is happening here:

Last year we were able to install over 2000 linear feet of fencing and make 9 new paddocks for our sheep.

Also, we experimented with allowing the sheep to browse in our back forest area, and so far, they are doing well, eating leaves, wood, dead oats from last year, new forbs, and lots of new wild oats just sprouting.

My concern is we only have one covered shelter for our sheep. We recently doubled the size to 10'x16'. But now we are thinking about constructing inexpensive shelters in some of the larger paddocks and out in the forest. Our winters are incredibly mild compared to many other parts of our nation. I see lots of local ranchers here leave their cattle, sheep, horses, etc. out in the cool winter rainy season with no shelter at all. But I am not comfortable leaving sheep out in the cool winter rainy season after losing a little lamb last winter to pneumonia.

Please share any ideas or suggestions you may have!

We are all ears!

I am posting a pic of some junk metal we picked up recently. I was thinking we could construct a three walled building with a roof using this junk metal. I would simply place two metal pieces on each side for the walls, then throw two pieces up top for the roof, then maybe plywood the roof and throw a tarp of for temporary shelter. I would brace the walls with dug in 4"x6" posts to keep the walls secure. Have you any thoughts on this?

I was thinking it would be nice to find a used metal car port, but haven't found any good deals on one yet..

We will keep looking!

 

[Goat Whisperer]

I don't know how windy it gets over there, but we have had good success with hoop shelters.

You'd just want to make sure the lambs don't get caught in the panel. We use this in the heavy woods where building a shelter would be impossible.

 

[soarwitheagles]

GW, nice shelter! May I ask what material you used for the hoops? Is it PVC?

 

[Goat Whisperer]

12 ft cattle panels bent in a "U". Best to connect the panels with wire. 2x4's at the bottom to keep the panels from buckling & T posts to keep everything in place.

Its a very fast, easy shelter.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Our panels are 16 ft... Seems like a 12 foot one might make a shorter shelter? I dunno these things, lol....

For a really quick shelter in a hurry - rope between two trees with a big tarp thrown over it and secured to the ground with whatever heavy stick or rock you can find.

But, those hoop houses are awesome!

 

[NH homesteader]

I fully intend to make some hoop houses like that. With 16' panels... Except tarps won't survive the winter snow load so they'll have to be decommissioned for winter or metal roofed.

I really think thats the best way to do it!

 

[frustratedearthmother]

I had a hoop house for a long time. I just added new tarps to it every fall - no snow to worry about. Just had to worry about the occasional smarty-pants goat that would try to climb to the top.

 

[Goat Whisperer]

We get the 16ft and cut them down to 12ft. Either way would work. The higher the shelter the more wind it will want to catch.
We did do a hoop shelter with 16ft panels to make the sides steeper.

 

[soarwitheagles]

I am a little confused on your awesome design...

Please help me understand how you made that awesome hoop house...

1. How do you bend the cattle panels into a U?
2. What is the height of your pictured hoop house?
3. How many panels did it require to build it?
4. What type of tarp do you use with it?

Thank you!

 

[Goat Whisperer]

Bending- push panel against Tpost/2x4. Grab opposite end and proceed to push inwards. Start bending.

I don't remember the hight. We have taken it down since the pic was taken and haven't used it in years. It's appropriately the hight it looks in the pic Sorry not much help there.

That shelter was 2 panels. You can make them as long as you want. If you have some very dominant ewes it might be best to make several in different locations so the dominant ewes don't chase the less-dominant ewes out.

Whatever tarp I picked up from harbor freight or TSC. The tarp in this pic was old and needed to be replaced.

It's not an exact science, pretty flexible for how you want to do it. Adjust as needed.

You can bend the panels to get them close to the shape you want before hand. Just grab one end and start bringing it close to the other.

Very easy to assemble