Polytunnel for sheep

[N.G. sheep]

Hello looking to put a tunnel up for sheep sourced a 2nd hand frame and fittings and thinking of putting the cover down to around the 3-4ft mark

Im looking at sides what way are people doing them? I see some have plastic mesh but is it strong enough

Also considered boarding the sides with timber like a garden fence
What other ideas have you?

Thanks

 

[JohnGalway]

If it's woven mesh just be aware I had that, a pet lamb took to rubbing his teeth against it and I quickly found out one broken twine goes allllll the way to the end. So I'd try to keep them off it.

Another point, wind can push rain drops that hit the mesh way inside. I used lengths of 2x1 horizontally which had clear plastic tacked to it between the mesh and a sheep net fence I had inside. It didn't go all the way up to the roof plastic so as to still provide some ventilation. I had a gutter on the outside which provided an overhang so rain didn't get in from above.

I wouldn't board up the sides, the roof plastic on mine isn't clear so boarding up the sides would have made it too dark inside.

 

[N.G. sheep]

If it's woven mesh just be aware I had that, a pet lamb took to rubbing his teeth against it and I quickly found out one broken twine goes allllll the way to the end. So I'd try to keep them off it.

Another point, wind can push rain drops that hit the mesh way inside. I used lengths of 2x1 horizontally which had clear plastic tacked to it between the mesh and a sheep net fence I had inside. It didn't go all the way up to the roof plastic so as to still provide some ventilation. I had a gutter on the outside which provided an overhang so rain didn't get in from above.

I wouldn't board up the sides, the roof plastic on mine isn't clear so boarding up the sides would have made it too dark inside.

Was thinking more the "high strength mesh* on the inside and the woven mesh outside of that to deter the rain blowing in, just worried about something running through it

As to boards it wouldn't be a solid fence but a board and a gap between next board

Ive no experience with polytunnels the one i seen had a whitish clear plastic on it and it was bright enough is there a darker livestock plastic too?

 

[Fendt516profi]

Pallets

 

[BigD135]

we have one with the mesh netting on it. never any problems to be fair. One thing though, we have a 2 inch tubular bar running up the length of the netting, on the inside, about halfway up. stops the ewes rubbing or pushing into the netting. might have a pic somewhere if I can find it.

 

[BigD135]

 

[FE35]

I had the ‘high strength’ plastic mesh & it was crap. Replaced with sheep netting. Gutter is key to keeping dry but mine is very sheltered. I’d be wary of anything horizontal that they could climb up, & stick there heads thru the plastic but I’ve horned sheep so that may make it worse! I’d consider tin sheets on the 1st 2 feet of the upright if I was putting mine up again so that it’d be cosier lower down for lambs.

 

[tr250]

We have concrete block walls round ours because they are used for weaned calves

 

[Mc115reed]

Hello looking to put a tunnel up for sheep sourced a 2nd hand frame and fittings and thinking of putting the cover down to around the 3-4ft mark

Im looking at sides what way are people doing them? I see some have plastic mesh but is it strong enough

Also considered boarding the sides with timber like a garden fence
What other ideas have you?

Thanks

Used too lamb in a poly tunnel..
A. A ram ran through the mesh but it was a ram so can be expected...
B. We had too always stack bales down the sides at lambing as was too much cold breeze coming through on lambs
C. Guttering is the best thing you can do for the polytunnel it dried ours up over night, we had too bed up every time it rained because it turned too a bog... guttering which ran into a water trough sorted it all

 

[neilo]

+1 for gutters, they will take away the water that would otherwise drop down/get blown in.

As for the sides, our two were clad with Netlon Windbreak, which is strong enough that nothing short of a tractor will go through it.
I did seal the sides up in a snowstorm one year, using lots of little bales. It stopped the airflow almost completely, making everything very damp inside. It would definitely have been better to accept the bit of snow that blew in. Do not make the sides solid!

 

[N.G. sheep]

Ive went for the strong plastic windbreak and a light mesh to try help keep rain from blowing in as much although it is fairly sheltered

Had thought about something along the bottom for lambs is that something that is worthwhile or do they do well without it? My lambs arent bare at birth and any weak ones will be pulled into the shed for some TLC

 

[neilo]

Ive went for the strong plastic windbreak and a light mesh to try help keep rain from blowing in as much although it is fairly sheltered

Had thought about something along the bottom for lambs is that something that is worthwhile or do they do well without it? My lambs arent bare at birth and any weak ones will be pulled into the shed for some TLC

Airflow is absolutely necessary and closing it up too much is detrimental to the air quality in the tunnel. Ideally it wants to be like lambing outside, but without the rain, nothing more, imo (having had tunnels as sheep housing for 20 years).

If the sheep need wrapping up in blankets, with heat lamps in every pen, you may want to question the genetics/system, unless you are receiving a hell of a premium for doing so.

 

[N.G. sheep]

I understand the airflow is the benefit of the tunnel i think ill stick with the netting dont see it being too drafty where it is situated

Never have much bother with lambs so far but if they need a hand for 1-2 days they get it

 

[wdah/him]

I put sheep wire inside mine. But it is different to any type of tunnel u have I think. Will try to get picture

 

[Tommy]

Do you need planning permission fo a poly tunnel?

 

[George from SJM Planning]

Do you need planning permission fo a poly tunnel?

Yes, if it is intended to be permanent then it will need Planning Permission or Prior Notification under Part 6 just like any other agricultural building.

 

[Tommy]

Thank you[emoji106]

 

[ISCO]

We needed prior notification not pp