How should I setup this sheep pen?

bocephus

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I currently have a 20x30' pen in my barn. At the very least I'd like to build a tight pen but would also take suggestions on how to set it up for other uses like lambing and what not. Right now I'm focusing on the tight pen so I can get them set up with vaccinations and worming.

Below are two pictures of part of the pen area. To the left leads to the pasture, to the right is storage, tractor parking, etc.. To make this easier I'll refer to the 3 beams from left to right as beams 1,2 and 3. So the black water bucket is between beams 1 and 2, beam 3 has a chain hanging on it.

I'd like to make a 10x10 pen on that side of the barn. I was thinking of running more 2x4s from beam 2 to the wall like I've done at beam 3. At first I was thinking of attaching a metal tube gate to beam 2 that I could swing back and forth and close either side. Another option I considered was to attach the gate to beam 3. Most of the time I could just have it pushed up against the gate that leads to the storage area. Then if I wanted to I could push the sheep into the 10x10 area and close it behind them.

Thoughts on this, any other options I should consider?

POX5r.jpg


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BrownSheep

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First off you need to get rid of those turkeys. I'ld be happy to take them off your hands. You're pen size seem a little large for lambing pens but a good size for just a holding/sorting area. You'll want to make certain the 2x4s are close enough togeather to prevent any frenzied sheep from escaping. How you have that first one set up looks great. If you do end up using it for a lambing pen I might add a board towards the bottom as it looks like it would be easy for a lamb to wander off through there. The gate placement will be the trickiest part in placement but what you described sounds good. Good luck!
 

Bossroo

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You will be much better off building a chute along a wall to work/ sort / vaccinate/ worming, etc. the sheep. The 10 x10 pen will be just fine for lambing out 1 ewe. You will want to build 2 lamb jugs for a ewe + her lamb(s) to house them together for a day or two. I would have as large an area as possible for the sheep to loaf/ sleep, etc. at night/ hot days/ storms. Google sheep chute, lamb jug, for building info tips. Also, are the dividing boards 1 x4s ? If so the sheep will break them in no time. Use 2 x6s. Also the spaces between the boards are way too large the sheep ( as well as lambs) will try to go through them . If I was you , I would store all metal tools, equipment, tractors, etc. in another building because amonia from urine and feces will cause them to rust in short order. I would also store hay ( bales stacked with spaces between bales ) in another building or hay shed to minimize the possibility of a spontanous cumbustion fire.
 

bocephus

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I just got started with the turkeys, I bought those a couple weeks ago at that age and a younger group. I'm hoping they cut down on my tick population, I'm sick of picking ticks off of my sheep. Biggest problem so far is that they poop all over barn.

Those are 2x4's I put the lowest board just off the ground and then 6" spacing between the rest. I did some research before even doing that and nothing specifically told me what spacing I needed but it seemed like 6" was referenced a couple of times. So I went with that.

I was actually googling chutes today, maybe I could build one on that wall and have it leave back to the pasture.

If I start with a 10x10 area for now, is that small enough for a vet to be able to grab them?

I have 6 Katahdins. They came from a flock of 100+ lambs so probably very little human interaction. I've got them to the point where they will follow me around the pasture to see what I am up to. They will certainly follow a feed bucket. One or two will let me scratch them but the others will only accept being touched a little at this point.
 

Bossroo

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You will find that the chute will be your most labor saving item especially if you install 2 or 3 small doors at the exit point to sort sheep as they go through. ( I had 3). the 6" spacing is just right for sheep to break legs as they crowd at the fence when you are trying to catch one. I prefer 1" spacing and 2" x6" boards as 2 x4s tend to break fairly easily ( especially if they have a knot ) when a sheep hits one head on or several hit it at once. I would use the 10 x 10 as a lambing pen in inclement weather and double use it as a small pen off one of the chute doors to catch and treat any sheep that needs treatment, or just a holding area for a short time. Enjoy ! :clap
 

RemudaOne

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Bossroo said:
You will find that the chute will be your most labor saving item especially if you install 2 or 3 small doors at the exit point to sort sheep as they go through. ( I had 3). the 6" spacing is just right for sheep to break legs as they crowd at the fence when you are trying to catch one. I prefer 1" spacing and 2" x6" boards as 2 x4s tend to break fairly easily ( especially if they have a knot ) when a sheep hits one head on or several hit it at once. I would use the 10 x 10 as a lambing pen in inclement weather and double use it as a small pen off one of the chute doors to catch and treat any sheep that needs treatment, or just a holding area for a short time. Enjoy ! :clap
Excellent advice there!
 

bocephus

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Would a vet be able to get a hold of one in a 10x10 pen at this point? They follow me around, 2 will let me pet them but the others will only sniff my hand.
 

SheepGirl

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If you're worried about catching a sheep in a 10x10 pen, it will be very difficult because they will run around in circles until they bunch up in a corner or run out of breath. I would get a shepherd's crook--my neighbor had one (before the ram broke it) and it made catching sheep in pens sooo much easier. Especially when there were only a few sheep left in the holding pen during shearing. You just put it in line with the sheep's neck and then when the sheep runs, its neck gets hooked and then you pull the sheep close, hold onto its head/neck/jaw, take the crook off, and then lead the sheep where you want it or you can then handle it where you're at.

P.S. I would make the pen 8' wide or narrower. It will make things a lot easier in addition to having a shepherd's crook.
 

bocephus

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I've looked at a bunch of designs and measured my pen. What if I build something like in the design I made below. Red lines are exterior walls, black lines I would make out of wood, blue lines are various gates. Not exactly drawn to scale, just a rough drawing. Each square represents one foot.

I end up with a chute running around the exterior with two pens in the middle.

fjSd1.gif
 

SheepGirl

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I think you have a great design so far. I came up with an idea, so maybe it will give you some ideas. I used the same colors as you.

4485_pen.png

1: Close the gate when all sheep are in the feeding area.
2: This 8' gate is used as a forcing gate to squeeze the sheep into a smaller area.
3: This gate is swingable to move the sheep into the chute.
4: This is a smaller gate that allows you to lock an individual sheep in; you can do individual treatment like vaccinating, worming, etc, or you can send them through the gate into the pen.
5: If the sheep didn't enter the first pen this gate can be opened so they can move on through.
6: Same as #4
7: Same as #5
8: Gate out of chute
9: Gate out of pen
10: Gate out of pen

So someone doesn't have to be at the individual cages, you can set up a rope and pulley system...my neighbor had one in his barn and you just pull the rope and the headgate would lock. I am sure you can design something to work for a gate, too.

eta: You can make gate three come in some so there is more room in the squeeze pen.
 
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