Slatted shed layout

[Stockwell]

Morning everyone,
Hoping to convert a current building 105ft x 55ft into a slatted sheep shed for in wintering ewes. Current floor is concrete.
What would people suggest as the most suitable and efficient layout.
Thanks very much

 

[fowrass]

Morning everyone,
Hoping to convert a current building 105ft x 55ft into a slatted sheep shed for in wintering ewes. Current floor is concrete.
What would people suggest as the most suitable and efficient layout.
Thanks very much

Hi.
It all depends on what you want to do with the building, how long you need to store the muck, how you plan to clean it out and of course your budget. We can supply plastic sheep slats and any penning you require. Www.fowrass.co.uk

 

[Andyt880]

First thing is will you dig out a tank or raise the slats off the floor?

 

[Stockwell]

Raise the slats would be my initial thoughts, to save money mainly
Ewes would be sheared and fed good quality chopped silage and turned out to lamb late March.

 

[Andyt880]

Clipping ewes to go onto slats is a good job imo.
Yes the raised slats also leaves the shed that it can be used for other things the rest of the year. How about making frames of slats and hinging them on the wall up each side. Lower them down onto a small block wall along the front or some sort of props and have some sort of raised feeder/barrier to set in front of them. If made right it would be a one man job raising the slats back up to the wall and that’s them stored away until needed again. I have wooden frames with wire mesh on them and they are a tight lift for two men. They have to be lifted out and in again at least once each year.

 

[irish dom]

Interested as after leasing another block with big solid floor shed and want to put in wooden slats for wintering some of the ewes on. Needs to be removable so I was thinking of making 8x4 slats and putting 2ft legs on them kinda like a big table. Lift them out with bale handler. Dad has a similar set up but his is small and involves digging out farmers friends out of the shite when cleaning out. Not wanting to replicate that

 

[Andyt880]

Interested as after leasing another block with big solid floor shed and want to put in wooden slats for wintering some of the ewes on. Needs to be removable so I was thinking of making 8x4 slats and putting 2ft legs on them kinda like a big table. Lift them out with bale handler. Dad has a similar set up but his is small and involves digging out farmers friends out of the shite when cleaning out. Not wanting to replicate that

If you make your slats out of 6x2 timber with the timbers all going long ways they won’t need a leg in the middle. I support mine on a baton on the wall and then they sit on the feeders at the other side. It means the pens are only 8ft deep but it suits my shed ok. My shed is only rented so I don’t like anything to permanent.
If you do want to make your pens deeper and need to support the slats in the middle, props made out of a piece of 6 inch sewer pipe sitting on its end is a good job. Lift the slats away and the pipe just slides up out of the muck, and it won’t rot. If you put a leg on the slat it makes them harder to lift out as you have to lift the slat up high enough so the leg clears the muck

 

[Andyt880]

What’s your location @Stockwell

 

[Stockwell]

Thanks for the advice so far. What sort of depth would be needed for 3 months? We are in the welsh borders @Andyt880

 

[Bob]

Is there any firms who specialise in designing livestock buildings and draw detailed plans for tendering etc?

 

[Andyt880]

Thanks for the advice so far. What sort of depth would be needed for 3 months? We are in the welsh borders @Andyt880

Mine are 18 or 20 inches off the floor to the wire and I house at Christmas and lamb at the end of March so 3 months and more on the slats. The dung would be touching the wire in places when they are going out. Last year I actually cleaned a few pens out half way through for fear of it being up through at lambing time and leaving the pens dirty. So I’d say 20 to 24 inches would be safe enough for 3 Months