Sheep pen: types and drawings, how to do it yourself at home

The need for a special pen for keeping sheep arises for several reasons. In order for the animals to be kept, fed in one place, creating appropriate conditions for a comfortable wintering (especially in cold areas). Or because the livestock has increased, the old sheepfold has ceased to accommodate everyone. Next, we will study the options for home-made pens designs.

What is it for

Sheep pen is a special dwelling where animals are kept, raised and created in conditions that are as close to natural as possible. Shepherds traditionally drive rams and sheep to pasture, using the corral only in cold weather or in emergency cases (for shearing).In Russia, it is not always possible to keep animals in the open air. Often there is simply no place for this.

An example pen is shown in the video:

Shepherd same will reduce the risk of losing animals, concentrate them in one place. And it will be easier to feed the sheep. Again, it is easier to maintain the required hygiene conditions for keeping, which reduces the risk of disease.

The main advantages of the sheepfold are as follows:

proximity of conditions of detention to natural conditions;
protection from predators, concentration of sheep in one place;
does not require many attendants (shepherds).

There are also disadvantages. It is required to carefully monitor the diet, throwing up food, periodically cleaning the pen. Consider the main types of structures that can be implemented at home.

Types of structures

When choosing a corral design, be sure to take into account their own financial capabilities, the size of the sheep population and the complexity of implementation. The most common options are:

Koshara.
Portable fence.
Stationary pens.
Bas.

Koshhara is a simple sheep paddock. In fact, it is a fenced area for walking with a barn or a house. Used as an option for temporary keeping, as it cannot completely replace a field or meadow, where sheep get a lot of juicy grass in large quantities.

The next most popular option refers to stationary, mobile pens. They are the easiest to build: a fence is created that limits the movement of sheep around the territory. You can use light shields, mesh stretched over poles, standard sections for reusable use.

It is also possible to build a canopy at home on a certain area from pipes, plastic. Bases belong to this type of construction. At the site of the future paddock, the groundwater level must be as low as possible so as not to flood the shepherd. It is strongly not recommended to place a corral in the lowlands.

An example of a base for sheep is shown in the video:

Design and drawings

Calculation is important in every case. Koshara will stand idle, will last for a long time, if you approach its design wisely. The size of the corral depends on the number of sheep in the flock and their composition. Young growth needs more space, movement. Functionally necessary space is enough for adult sheep.

For most options, there are ready-made, developed drawings. There are also special collapsible, industrially made structures (otsarks).

In some cases, the design will have to be entrusted to professional builders. But it will also cost much more. And a home-made corral from improvised materials for a small flock is much easier to assemble. Do not forget that the gate should be wide enough so that the animals do not crowd at the exit, do not collide. The pillars need to be strengthened, dug into the ground: they will bear the main load. Partitions, sections should be designed for impact, an attempt by sheep to knock them out.

Approximate pen area can be determined based on the following data:

Required space, square metersYoung growth0.8 Adult sheep Sheep with lamb Stud Sheep

Animal species

1.0
3 (max)
1,6

Knowing your specific data (herd composition), it is easy to calculate the minimum required pen area.

Building materials

You don't need many materials to build a homemade barn. Basically, it is a tree, a durable and seasoned timber. So, for the construction of the corral we will need:

Poles, beams (2.5 meters minimum).
Wooden board.
Coating materials.
Mastic bituminous.
Gravel, crushed stone.
Cement.
Rope or cord.
Pegs.
Hand drill, bayonet shovel.
Meter, tape measure.
Level.
Plummet.

In addition, you will need: fasteners (nails, bolts, screws, steel staples), a hacksaw, a drill or a screwdriver, a container for mixing the solution, a couple of buckets, a wide brush. When choosing wood, it is not at all necessary to give preference to high grades devoid of defects.Relatively cheap lumber of pine is fine for a corral.

The main thing is that there are no deep cracks, rot, strong curvatures. Everything else will be fine.

How to choose the right place?

Not every place is suitable for a stall. Paying attention to the strength of the structure (and sheep are not distinguished by flimsy physique, they can break a weak corral in a couple of hours), they also do not forget about compliance with the conditions of detention.

Animals are extremely susceptible to external stimuli. If the sheepfold cannot be located away from housing, roads, some noisy objects, it is imperative to build a solid fence, a fence. Further, the geological conditions for the location of the barn, the base are taken into account. It is desirable that the site be flat, compacted, if possible on a hill (not in a lowland). So the animals will feel comfortable, dry, begin to breed normally and gain weight.

You can not arrange a sheepfold near mass graves of livestock, industrial areas, in clay areas.

How to make a sheepfold for sheep with your own hands

There is nothing difficult in creating a sheepfold. With proper selection of materials, design, as well as taking into account the main nuances, even someone who does not have a special education can build it. The whole process is conveniently divided into several stages. First - the foundation, then - the frame, walls, roof, floor and gate.

Shed Foundation

The sheep farm will last longer if you pay due attention to the creation of the foundation, the foundation of the sheepfold. Since this is not a residential building, the foundation can be created according to a simplified scheme. Pillars-racks are embedded in drilled holes, which are poured with concrete.

Making a solid, strip base for a farm is unprofitable. It will be enough for each bearing post, on which the weight of the fence is distributed, to securely fix the coatings in the ground using a mortar mixed with crushed stone, sand and cement.

At the same time, communications should not be located under the future shepherd (this should be known in advance), groundwater close to the surface.

Pits for supports are drilled or dug. Previously, the site should be marked out using pegs and a cord. Approximate depth - up to 40 centimeters (depending on the structure of the soil). For dense soil, the depth is up to 60 centimeters, loose, bulk - up to 1 meter or more. At the bottom of the pit, a pillow of crushed stone and gravel is necessarily poured.

Shed frame

The load-bearing frame is formed by uprights and crossbars. Before you start installing the supports, they need to be prepared. The lower part, which will be in the ground, is impregnated with bituminous mastic to avoid destruction. Waste machine oil or drying oil will do. The applied layer should dry.

Then the racks are built into the pits, filled with concrete. It can be kneaded in a suitable size trough or concrete mixer.It is allowed to use a ready-made building mixture, this will speed up the process. For the period of solidification of the solution, the racks must be fixed. You can not load them for several days (about 3 days). The verticality of the corral supports is checked by a plumb line, visually.

When the mortar has hardened, start laying the crossbars. The first is located at a height of 15-20 centimeters from ground level. Further, depending on the chosen design, a solid or thinned skin is made. Long crossbars will provide a reliable connection of the frame. If it is not possible to use large pieces, you can splice bars or boards. In this case, the seams in the vertical plane should not coincide (go apart).

Corral walls

When the decision is made to make not just a corral, but a room, walls are created in it from boards, profiled sheets, wooden shields.Fastening to the frame is done with nails, screws, special staples - which option is better - the owner himself will choose. The walls of the corral must withstand the impact of the hoof, the weight of the animals. And for cold regions, they also perform the function of protecting sheep from precipitation and bad weather.

Roof of the barn

Beams are mounted to create a corral canopy, which are then sheathed with profiled sheet, plastic, slate. If the area of the structure is solid, a crate is made in front of the flooring device, it will close the windows between the beams.

Mounting structures covering the corral is arbitrary - on nails, corners and self-tapping screws. Examples are shown in the pictures:

The main thing is that it be reliable and durable.

Sheepfold floor

It is acceptable to leave the floor of the corral earthen, rammed or rolled it. If the structure is intended to be long-term, boards can be laid. But it will cost more. Mortar floors are not recommended as they are too cold for sheep. Do not forget that the main condition is to ensure comfort when keeping animals.

Gate

The gates of the corral are made with the expectation of a simultaneous passage of 2-3 sheep. It is better to make 2 doors or equip a separate entrance for people. Start assembling the gate from the frame. Then it is sheathed with a board. At the end, the sash is hung on hinges, attaching it to the pen post. The buttonhole must be able to support the weight of the collar.

Provision is made for constipation so that the sheep do not run away from the pen.

Arrangement of the paddock

When the construction is completed, they begin to install feeders, drinkers and s alt licks. The choice of feeders is determined by the purpose of the corral: for fattening (for slaughter) sheep, for keeping or rearing young animals.