Sheep house

[NachoFarm]

We have two adult ewes and one three month old ewe coming to us on the weekend and we're building the sheep house from scratch. Any suggestions/advice on what works and what doesn't? Cleaning, ventilation, flooring etc. We want them to lamb outside in the spring and they will be kept outdoors all the time. We will eventually have a flock of no more than 10. We're in Ontario, so the summers are HOT and the winters are SNOWY and COLD! Well...usually, last winter being the exception of course.

 

[shawnfisher]

We have two adult ewes and one three month old ewe coming to us on the weekend and we're building the sheep house from scratch. Any suggestions/advice on what works and what doesn't? Cleaning, ventilation, flooring etc. We want them to lamb outside in the spring and they will be kept outdoors all the time. We will eventually have a flock of no more than 10. We're in Ontario, so the summers are HOT and the winters are SNOWY and COLD! Well...usually, last winter being the exception of course.

Define HOT-- does it ever get over 100 degrees up there for more than 6 days?

calf hutches work great, and will last forever-- in your situation-- I recommend them. Probably just as cheap to buy, as build yourself.

3 sided outbuildings work best- can be round top, or square. tin works best on a frame

one of the best 'sheds', I ever had-- was an old fertilzer buggy turned upside down and the front cut out. had the door on the back that you could raise or lower-- heavy enough to never turn over in the wind.

 

[NachoFarm]

No, not over 100 degrees for more than six days sort of hot...although it's 41 (105) here today!!! So we're all hiding inside from the heat.

Our neighbour has a dairy farm, do you mean those white igloo looking things? How many would we need to house up to 10 sheep?

So if we build a three sided shed would we leave the ground bare or do we raise it up? We have some large strips of tin kicking around that came out of the barn and we were thinking of using it for the roof to help hold the snow and let the rain run off?

Oh, and sheep people...how do you keep water unfrozen for sheep in the middle of the winter? I read that they can get water requirements from eating snow? Otherwise, do they make solar buckets?

 

[shawnfisher]

No, not over 100 degrees for more than six days sort of hot...although it's 41 (105) here today!!! So we're all hiding inside from the heat.

Our neighbour has a dairy farm, do you mean those white igloo looking things? How many would we need to house up to 10 sheep?

yes, one or two, depending on how big they are.. our calf hutches are about 4x6, and you'd need 2... but we have some 8' round ones-- and you'd only need one of them.

So if we build a three sided shed would we leave the ground bare or do we raise it up? We have some large strips of tin kicking around that came out of the barn and we were thinking of using it for the roof to help hold the snow and let the rain run off?

on the ground.

Oh, and sheep people...how do you keep water unfrozen for sheep in the middle of the winter? I read that they can get water requirements from eating snow? Otherwise, do they make solar buckets?

we don't... let it freeze, chop it out.. or get a heated auto waterer.

see bolded.

 

[sdsmowen]

Do they make heated waterers that are solar our barn has no electric run to it?

 

[CochinBrahmaLover=)]

We have two adult ewes and one three month old ewe coming to us on the weekend and we're building the sheep house from scratch. Any suggestions/advice on what works and what doesn't? Cleaning, ventilation, flooring etc. We want them to lamb outside in the spring and they will be kept outdoors all the time. We will eventually have a flock of no more than 10. We're in Ontario, so the summers are HOT and the winters are SNOWY and COLD! Well...usually, last winter being the exception of course.

Ok I just gotta ask

LAST WINTER WAS WARM? We're in AK, which is CLOSE to Canada but not Ontario, but we had -70 and -60 for weeks!!! Your lucky!

 

[aggieterpkatie]

I would think the calf hutches won't let multiple sheep get inside at once? I know my sheep prefer to be together. YOu can get large hutches, but they're pretty expensive. We built a 3 sided wooden structure, and it works great. It doesn't have to be anything fancy, just 3 sides and a roof. We cover 1/2 the front in the winter as well, so it blocks more of the wind/snow.

And water freezes here, I just break if a few times a day. Man, with days reaching 100* lately, busting ice sounds pretty good about now!

 

[kfacres]

I would think the calf hutches won't let multiple sheep get inside at once? I know my sheep prefer to be together. YOu can get large hutches, but they're pretty expensive. We built a 3 sided wooden structure, and it works great. It doesn't have to be anything fancy, just 3 sides and a roof. We cover 1/2 the front in the winter as well, so it blocks more of the wind/snow.

And water freezes here, I just break if a few times a day. Man, with days reaching 100* lately, busting ice sounds pretty good about now!

how do you figure? I used to have a triangle shaped fertilzer box flipped upside down for my sheep- 8' long and 4' wide-- 10 sheep could fit inside of it at once... and I'll bet that my sheep are the biggest both frame size and weight of anyone on this board.

 

[Royd Wood]

I'll bet that my sheep are the biggest both frame size and weight of anyone on this board.

You could be right there and we are all so pleased for you

 

[kfacres]

I'll bet that my sheep are the biggest both frame size and weight of anyone on this board.

You could be right there and we are all so pleased for you

just using that as a reference to the number of sheep that can get inside and pack into a small structure. You'd be surprised.

example of size: 42" tall x 43" long- weighed 395 pounds at Louisville as a yearling (in this picture). This ram was 1st at the All American as a lamb (National Junior Show), 1st at IL State Fair, and Reserve Champion, 1st at Louisville Junior Show, and 1st at Louisville Open Show and Sr. Champion. He then came back and claimed honors of being the largest Oxford ram ever shown at Louisville as a yearling.