Author Topic: Multi purpose barn (Read 2836 times)

Bluff · « **on:** April 10, 2016, 03:30:26 pm »

We have a very small barn (18ft X 12 ft) that we use for overwintering our 2 goats. We also use it at kidding time. Following this very wet spring we have decided to also use it for the winter pigs ( we fatten about 12 weaners a years and sell pork etc)
Currently the barn has no enhancement at all. It's 4 walls and 3 doorways.
We want to incorporate 4 pens - 2 either side of the main entrance that could be used for weaners or kidding.
Are we best off building pens or is there a modular system that would offer more flexible space options ? Thanks

bazzais · « **Reply #1 on:** April 12, 2016, 01:44:04 pm »

Mucking out is easier if you can remove all pens in my opinion - so good use of pallets for pens or use yorkshire boarding - you can make one hurdle for about £3 with 'yorkshire' boards - its the bolts that hold it together that the pricey bit

- free if you use pallets cos you can use string.

Marches Farmer · « **Reply #2 on:** April 12, 2016, 01:55:22 pm »

I agree about the mucking out but think pallets and string won't keep in finishing pigs. If you can sort strong fixings sheep hurdles will do the job (you need to be able to keep the hurdles held down).

harmony · « **Reply #3 on:** April 12, 2016, 02:28:56 pm »

We did some internal pens a while ago in an old cow palour. We have horses, goats, pigs, sheep and poultry and we wanted something that would be useful for anything should we need it. We were going to go with ready made stable panels but then decided they were expensive and restrictive. We thought about doing block work ourselves but in the end went with series of gates that made a number of different size pens.

There are dividing gates from the back wall coming forward. Then gates along the front. All dividing gates can be removed or tied back so we can have 1 large pen or five smaller pens of different sizes or any number in between.

With your dimensions I would do divisions of 6 foot but you know your building.

It was a bit of work hanging everything but I am really pleased with it.

Bluff · « **Reply #4 on:** April 12, 2016, 02:56:13 pm »

Thank you everybody for sharing your experiences.
We have looked at purpose built panels but they seem to be expensive as you say.
Meshed gates look to be a bit of a plan although I understand that for pigs it is better to if they cannot see through the gate (in such a confined space) as then they will be less likely to try to escape (we haven't kept pigs indoors before but this muddy spring has convinced us that it is something that we need to look into)
Any views on visibility / non visibility?

thanks again

harmony · « **Reply #5 on:** April 12, 2016, 03:44:37 pm »

Pigs love to escape whether they can see through or not. Whatever you decide it should be pig proof whether solid panels or see through. My gates aren't meshed. Eventually, although some years on, the potential is for the mesh to come off as the weld gives. Just have barred gates that the gap between the bars isn't big enough to get through.