Construction of a sheepfold for sheep
Anyone who has a desire to raise sheep should seriously think about building a warm, isolated room. In fact, the answer to the question of how to build a sheepfold for your cattle is simple: it is enough to know the peculiarities of sheep breeding, draw up a work plan, and choose the right materials. The sheepfold for sheep should be warm, no drafts are allowed, especially if small sheep will be included in the flock.
Construction of a sheepfold
Sheep breeding is a profitable business, sheep meat and wool are in great demand in the market. Breeding mammals requires comfortable living conditions and good nutrition. In order to ensure good growth, the construction of a sheepfold will be required.
Start of construction
How to build a sheepfold with your own hands, what is required? To engage in sheep breeding, you will need:
- sheepfold;
- grazing field.
What is a sheepfold? Sheepfold is a one-story building made for animals for the autumn-winter period. In the summer, a simple roof fence is also fine. In summer, many sheep graze in the fields and meadows. They have a herd instinct, and therefore it is easy for a person to follow them and the fence of the pasture is not necessary.
After the construction of the barn, it is required to determine the area for grazing. The fence can also be made with your own hands.
Grazing area
The plan for creating a sheepfold is as follows:
- Construction should begin with marking the territory and pouring the foundation.
- The middle part is the wall and roof decoration.
- At the end, windows are installed, floors are laid, and equipment is dealt with.
The size of the sheepfold directly depends on the number of livestock: for each sheep, the standards require 1.5 square meters. m, for the uterus with the offspring - 3 sq. m. Everyone has their own sheepfold project, but keeping only about a dozen animals in a shed for at least 100 head of cattle is unprofitable.
Laying the foundation
From the many types of foundations, you should choose the option that is most suitable in terms of time and budget. The fill freezes for at least a month, the construction must be started taking into account all the little things, so that the sheep sit near warm feeders before frost.
Consider a pile foundation. It is considered the most reliable, the technology does not require digging huge holes or making formwork. In addition, it is suitable for all types of soil. Wooden piles are driven into the ground with special equipment, and for bored wells they are drilled with a hand tool. A layer of waterproofing is laid on the fundamental basis for strength and reliability. After that, a frame is made of wood.
Second stage of construction
A do-it-yourself sheepfold for sheep involves the construction of walls and a roof as the second item. Building walls involves a number of sequential steps:
- installation of support beams;
- wooden lathing;
- outside cladding;
- insulation inside.
Sheepfold do it yourself
Facade work is usually left for later: it is better to quickly arrange a room where there will soon be a huge number of sheep.It is more expedient first of all to take care of the warmth and waterproofing of the joints inside and outside.
Building a roof involves performing the following manipulations:
- laying beams on walls;
- fastening rafters;
- installation of the lathing;
- laying out the roof.
The duration of the further operation of the premises will depend on the strength of the roof.
Completion of construction works
The construction of the sheepfold is crowned with the installation of windows and laying the floor. It is important to understand: simple concrete pouring is not suitable. A sheep is a delicate animal that can catch a cold, soft straw bedding will not work due to the fact that livestock on such surfaces will strain their legs, hence problems with ligaments and diseases.
A plank should be placed on top of the concrete: this combination is ideal for long-term use of the room. If the floors are initially made entirely of wood, it is better to prepare in advance for its quick replacement. The short-lived material is not recommended for use in the construction of farmyards.
Another tip: the floors in the building should be made slightly inclined, then it is easier to clean the sewage.
The windows should be located at an approximate height of 1.5 m. You can choose the size yourself, the main thing is that the sheepfold is well lit. It is better to build two-leaf doors, convenient for 2 or 3 animals to exit at once.
Primary requirements
The work on the construction of the shepherd is almost completed, there is only one small thing to do: to carry out a strength test and arrange the equipment. At this stage, everyone who decided to save money on insulation is advised to carefully check the sheepfold for cracks. Sheep, although they have a warm thick wool, are still very sensitive to drafts, especially for small individuals.
Finally, it is important to install hoods: one for each individual room. According to the Sheep Care Dictionary, the temperature inside should be at least 12 ° C.
It is necessary to design several stalls for the older curls and for the brood. A large number of drinking bowls are required. The location of the heating furnace is possible.
Ventilation is also important, especially when it comes to large numbers of sheep. Construction is a laborious and responsible process that should be taken as seriously as possible.
Conclusion
A person is able to make with his own hands any typical sheepfold project. There are various schemes for building a room: rectangular, with the letter "P", T-shaped. The choice is up to the owner of the farm, the main thing is that in the end what was conceived will work out.
Not only external, but also internal work is important: separate corrals are formed with wooden sheets: individual and group. Feeders and drinkers are placed longitudinally for each sheep. The length of the sheep feeder is at least 35 cm. Drinking bowls with a volume of 100 liters are ideal.
Ventilation is an important aspect in the construction of a 100-head sheepfold project: the living area must be well ventilated. All mammalian odors must be ventilated. The heat emitted by living creatures in a closed room can create condensation, which will have a bad effect on the decoration of the walls, and also causes fungus and mold, which are difficult to get rid of later.
When setting up a sheepfold, all issues must be taken into account, because ensuring comfortable conditions is a guarantee of the health of the offspring and adults. For clarity, it is advisable to use photos and drawings during construction.
The more affectionate the care of the cattle, the better the wool and milk will be, and this will result in a profit.