Inexpensive housing

Ferguson K

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Morning!

I thought I would share with y'all our new recycled loafing sheds. The cattle panels were originally purchased three years ago. We have tons of them lying around, and tons of hog panels.

The wire that was used to the there together was baling wire off of our bales of alfalfa. For outer support instead of cinder blocks, since we don't have any to spare, I used old tree timbers that we have tons of since we're clearing the property. The back supports are leftover 1x4s from the shed rebuild, aaaand the old telephone poles were sawn in half and used for a wall support.

Works wonders.

The girls seem to enjoy it.

We're installing one for the horses, the pigs already have one, and we will be putting two or three more in the goat pasture.

I still need to add hay feeders along the wall but they're already enjoying it.

Enjoy!

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Ferguson K

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@micah wotring I'm aware.

This design isn't limited to just chickens and poultry.

Horses, cattle, alpaca, llamas, sheep, goats, pigs, many animals can take advantage of a hoop shelter. It's a simple and east design. All you need is a solid base and you can make it as large or as small as you need it to be. With a little structure you can make a solid building out of panels. I used to have a yard full of them.
 

Ferguson K

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You can also use wire to hold the bottoms of the panels together to keep them from flipping up. I used the timbers because it's what I had a lot of.
 

Bruce

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I agree, there isn't a cheaper and easier way to make a shelter than to bend a few cattle panels. They have a SERIOUS desire to be flat and that tension will hold up a tarp and whatever snow lands on it unless you spread the base too wide.

You can hold them down with most anything, rebar, PT wood tied together across the narrow direction, T Posts driven at strategic locations or hunks of large logs as @Ferguson K did. Covering can be basic or elaborate depending on the amount of weather you need to keep out.
 

NH homesteader

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I'm probably going to end up with these all over my property. Wish I could get away with just a tarp on top! We are planning on making one for our turkeys in the spring but it'll need metal roofing. Hadn't thought of using it for goats but now maybe I'll do that too!
 

Alexz7272

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I love hoop houses! That is what I have my sheep, alpacas and goats in partially! We found out the hard way that it wont support Colorado snow loads though, so we put a t post on the front and back to help support it structurally. Now I am dealing with kids climbing up it, but that is because my sides are not as vertical as yours :p
And using timber on the bottom is an awesome idea! Thanks for sharing :)
 

Mini Horses

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They are great for shade shelters, also. And I have put round bales in them for some weather protection. The animals can eat while out of the rain, sun, etc. WORKS. Easy, inexpensive & portable. Good deal. Only ones I've had "attacked" were from goats who felt the need to climb...:barnie
 

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