# Drainage issue inside and outside the goat barn



## glenolam (Jun 11, 2010)

We built my goats barn in the same spot their temporary shelter was set up in and I never had the problem I do now.  I'm sure our disturbing the area to make this barn attributed to the problem, but we didn't think it would be like this.

Outside of the door to their barn and all in the "entrance area" between the gate and their barn door as well as inside the barn - note, not immediately when you walk in, but all on one side - is nothing but mud and muck.  Hay won't even help you when you walk...

I'm getting concerned because the ground inside their barn keeps getting saturated and if/when they pee it just gets worse.  I have a dirt floor which I fork/rake all the old bedding and waste out each week so I start fresh.  It's been rather rainy, but we've had a good mix of dry and rainy days so flooding isn't the issue.

Ideas on how to clean this up and help the drainage?  Their dirt floor is naturally graded towards the back and one side (which is where the problems are) but it seems like it's just starting to pool up here.

Would a load of processed gravel underneath another load of topsoil/dirt help?  I don't really want to raise the ground level as there's a little space between the bottom of the barn and the ground and it really helps me clean out the barn when I can push out some of the stuff I can't rake inside.  But then again, if I raise the ground level inside the barn will that help keep water out?


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## patandchickens (Jun 11, 2010)

What you describe is ubiquitously common in 'run in shed' type situations, and is partly a problem of needing a better-draining substrate and partly a problem of grading.

From what you say, it sounds like your best bet would be to get a load of roadbase or screenings or such, to raise the level inside the whole barn. Having it drain towards the back and side of the indoors is just dysfunctional, it needs to slope down towards the open front of the barn; and the open front of the barn, in turn, needs to be higher than the surrounding ground.

The only thing is, you have to watch that you are not piling fill up against barn walls, as it will push them outwards quite powerfully (pop your siding off) and also encourage them to rot.

If you really want a space to push stuff out, although that sound to me like various accidents waiting to happen, I would suggest framing out a gap maybe 3' wide at the new level of the fill, so you have a cleanout hole so to speak.

I will mention only in passing, b/c I do not think it addresses your primary problem, that you can also buy perforated grid-type tiles that can be set on a bed of gravel and either covered by other soil/gravel or left exposed, to prevent hooves from eroding the ground down in gateways or shed fronts or whatever. The thing is, they are not cheap and it sounds like you need higher ground and better drainage TOO, so I don't know as they're your solution. 

(e.t.a. - oh, and put gutters on the entire barn roof if you don't have 'em already, and make sure they're not leaking, and run the downspout FAR AWAY AND DOWNHILL (may require an aerial run of downspout to get it away from the barn, and/or plastic drainpipe used as an extension to dump the water elsewhere)

Good luck, have fun,

Pat


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## glenolam (Jun 11, 2010)

Thanks Pat!

The slope iniside the barn was just natural - we never put anything extra back in or around their barn.

The roof is at an angle sloping towards the back and has a 2 ft overhang, so the rain doesn't drain off to the front or sides, but I've been BEGGING my husband to put up an awning so the entry way between the gate and the barn door is covered, too, which would also help immensly with feeding time and other stuff.

Guess it's going to be one of those things I'll start on my own - he'll jump in and say "What the _____ is that?!?" take it down and do it for me!


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