The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Smallholding => Buildings & planning => Topic started by: Jamie12 on October 12, 2014, 11:00:59 am
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I am on rented ground for my 30 girls (and one tup). I would like to erect a sort of field shelter type building to use for routine things/lambing/etc. There is a poly tunnel already there I can use ( although it is unsheeted and has a load of rubbish and overgrown weeds in and around it. Has anyone any reomendations where to buy suitable sheeting? Roughly what are will I need to house my girls at lambing? I would like to add on extra storage in the future. Not keen to spend a massive amount as it isn't my land, I do have my wooden frame left from my 12 x 16 horse shelter which is in parts after taking that down (lost my ponies grazing)
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SImple pole barn style shelter is probably easiest.
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Has anyone any photos of their set ups? Preferably Small scale "sheds"
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(http://www.firsttunnels.co.uk/images/logo.jpg) (http://www.firsttunnels.co.uk)TELEPHONE 01282 601253
Try this company for replacement sheeting. Very helpful and they will supply spare parts, and sell sheeting by the metre.
If you decide to cover down to the ground, please be aware that tunnels can get very hot and are not ideal for sheep - good ventilation is essential. A cover over the top to give a dry area would be be helpful, maybe a cheap tarpaulin? Do you have a source of pallets? We find them useful to make temporary side walls.
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Out of interest, what is the shed actually for?
Most of my rented bits have no shelters, just hedges etc.
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Lambing. I only rent and own no land so need a 'base' so to speak
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You could hire a small marquee if you are sure of your lambing times. Cheap and temporary.
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Key question is probably how windy the site is and how likely you are to have snow - polytunnels don't stand much of either. Are there any farm sales near you where you could buy some secondhand corrugated iron and clad the field shelter frame?
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Fence poles for uprights, 3x2 supporting corrugated for roofs, weatherboard or old doors etc for backs and ends, hurdles on fronts when in use.
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We aren't too windy and fairly flat. Snow may be an issue. Zwartbles that looks good, do you need planning for that? I have lots of large telegraphs I can use if I can knock them in.
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Temporary agricultural buildings?
Telegraph poles unnecessarily heavy? I only use 3" posts knocked in about 9". It's about using what we've got isn't it! The shelters are about 5' high at front reducing towards the back.Each bay 6' wide so can use standard width hurdles on front. One pole at front and one half way back to fix lengthways 3 x 2 onto to stop the roof sagging. Mostly done by trial and error!!
We tie cardboard to the front hurdles if the weather is really bad. Cardboard bike boxes from your friendly bike shop flattened down and tied on with baler twine(Surprise, surprise).
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Split feed sacks tied to the outside would do the job of the cardboard and last longer, or gash wood, or scraps of lino .....
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As said, use what you've got!!
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We have a shelter made from pallets and corrugate plastic roof - round posts banged into ground, pallets put ontop to form side - 3 pallets deep and 4 pallets wide, 2 pallets high. Rail for post and rail fencing screwed to pallets to secure. Rails screwed across top and plastic fitted to this. Currently used as a hay store but could be used as a shelter too with hurdles across the front. Can fit 60 or so small hay bales in it. Will try and post pic when it stops raining
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Rather than using a poly tunnel cover for a poly tunnel, would it be a bad idea to use tarpulin? As it cheaper than buying a full new sheet?
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No, not at all! Just remember that the reason polytunnel plastic lasts is because you stretch it over on a hot still day, then keep taking the slack out of it as it expands. That means that on a cold windy day, it's nice and tight and doesn't flap about (flapping kills the plastic faster than anything), so you'd need to find a way to tension your tarp up too.
Just a thought - how about Damp Proof Membrane (http://www.screwfix.com/p/dmp-damp-proof-membrane-blue-1200ga-4-x-15m/98181)(DPM) polythene? That's very tough stuff, and also relatively cheap?
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Thanks womble, trying to do things cheaply as I don't own the land and the owner doesn't seem very intelligent at times ::).
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Oh I get you Jamie! :thumbsup: Just don't fall into the trap we did with our rented cottage. We only intended being there for 6 months, so I didn't want to pay for insulating the loft (the landlord wasn't interested). However, I wish I had done, as it would have paid back within a year, and we stayed there for seven freezing cold winters in the end!
I guess you either need to do it cheaply from whatever you can source for free or nearly free, OR do something better that you can take with you when you have to move on!
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Do you need to lamb indoors? If not then a decent sized garden shed which you can move with you will be fine for storage and sitting in!
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Oh, you mean like a Shepherd's Hut? You know, that sounds just the thing! ;D
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There is a 25 by 35 unsheeted poly tunnel, but its a mess and full of rubbish/scrapl I'm in the process of cleaning it. I had an old horse shelter I can re erect but worried about ventilation/cost and there is horses in one field who's owners appear to take liberties and I don't want them using it lol
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Or just lamb outside.
I rent all my land and lamb 400 ewes outside.....
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We have a shelter made from pallets and corrugate plastic roof - round posts banged into ground, pallets put ontop to form side - 3 pallets deep and 4 pallets wide, 2 pallets high. Rail for post and rail fencing screwed to pallets to secure. Rails screwed across top and plastic fitted to this. Currently used as a hay store but could be used as a shelter too with hurdles across the front. Can fit 60 or so small hay bales in it. Will try and post pic when it stops raining
Pallets are a nice cheap option to get you going,you can even get them 8x4feet or 10x5feet a cheap quick option to put something together