The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Smallholding => Equipment => Topic started by: hafod on December 04, 2014, 09:46:26 pm

Title: Animal Ark - livestock hut
Post by: hafod on December 04, 2014, 09:46:26 pm
I quite like the look of  Animal Ark's dual purpose livestock hut. Has anyone got one? would you recommend it?
Thanks
Title: Re: Animal Ark - livestock hut
Post by: mojocafa on December 05, 2014, 06:30:05 am
Just had a google, I too would be interested for feedback
Title: Re: Animal Ark - livestock hut
Post by: Marches Farmer on December 05, 2014, 08:03:09 am
Not if it's made from recycled eco board.  I've mentioned on the forum before that we have a large poultry house made from this material but the board is compressed, shredded plastic, not a sheet material.  After two years' weathering the surface of the board forming the roof started to "open up" and rain dribbles down through it.  Now has a plastic sheet on top, weighted down with rocks, and works fine but not what I wanted!  An e:mail complaint to the company received no response.  Whole thing also very heavy and though easy to hose down the open structure of the board at the ends of the sheets is no more resistant to red mite infestation than T&G would be.
Title: Re: Animal Ark - livestock hut
Post by: hafod on December 07, 2014, 08:05:50 pm
The spec says 'eco recycled 9mm plastic sheets' - does that sounds like what you are describing Marches?

If so that's a shame - has anyone any recommendations for a lightweight but robust field shelter that would be suitable for sheep and pigs? (not at the same time!) It would need to be lightweight enough for two people to move about easily....
Title: Re: Animal Ark - livestock hut
Post by: Marches Farmer on December 09, 2014, 08:11:33 am
That does sound like the kind of board our shelter's made from.  How about a traditional shaped tin-roofed ark?  You could put it on skids if you have a towing hitch and the pigs aren't so big they could move it themselves.  There's an old ark abandoned in one of the fields where some of our sheep are on grass keep and they always use it in bad weather.