Wooden sheep slats

[irish dom]

So I have just bought a wee farm and I am looking to kit out a hashed with wooden slats. I would make them up myself. Just curious what size sections people use and how high off the ground would they want to be. Planning to build a large solid floor shed next year to house all the flock for two to three months them turn out to lamb. Thinking raised wooden slats for this too with the central passage built up 2 ft higher than the floor so slats would sit level with passage. Hoping to lift them out in sections and use the shed for storage and possibly some calves rest of the year.
Not gone on spending a fortune on mesh or plastic slats as only used for small part of the year.
Any tips tricks or people's experience greatly appreciated. The price of straw is mental here this year and that's what has me thinking

 

[bobajob]

@will6910

 

[GTB]

Farm near here made 8x4 panels using expanded mesh sheets and a home made wooden frame. They then put an 18" breeze block on end at every panel corner. Not sure if they still use them though but the 18" depth under the slat was easily enough for one winter.

 

[will6910]

We have two houses with mesh. One used to be set on blocks and all lifted out. Then heard of cutting that orange sewer pipe to right size and setting on that. Much easier to lift out and set up. Iv some Mesh panels here that's least 10 years old. Had to put couple new staples in here and there and odd nail in frame boards but still good

 

[MJT]

Have a mixture of wooden, metal and plastic slats here, slowly moving to all plastic . The wooden slats are 8x4 , set on a concrete ledges with a 3 and half foot pit underneath. Be careful what you make the wooden slats from as some cheaper wooden slats don't last any time at all, ours are a redwood type, last well enough but now replacing everything to plastic .

 

[irish dom]

We have two houses with mesh. One used to be set on blocks and all lifted out. Then heard of cutting that orange sewer pipe to right size and setting on that. Much easier to lift out and set up. Iv some Mesh panels here that's least 10 years old. Had to put couple new staples in here and there and odd nail in frame boards but still good

Would be afraid of plastic pipes. Do you just put them on their end at each corner. How do they stand steady enough for you to set mesh on? Sorry for all the questions just can't picture it in my head

 

[irish dom]

Have a mixture of wooden, metal and plastic slats here, slowly moving to all plastic . The wooden slats are 8x4 , set on a concrete ledges with a 3 and half foot pit underneath. Be careful what you make the wooden slats from as some cheaper wooden slats don't last any time at all, ours are a redwood type, last well enough but now replacing everything to plastic .
Roughly what are plastic slats costing per square metre? Remember hearing a quote for a small shed years ago and put me right off. Might consider as I can claim grant on them. Also why would you not put downs sumps and agitate without lifting slats if you have that deep a pit?

View attachment 557674

 

[irish dom]

Sorry messed that up

 

[will6910]

Would be afraid of plastic pipes. Do you just put them on their end at each corner. How do they stand steady enough for you to set mesh on? Sorry for all the questions just can't picture it in my head

Can set 4 section cornered on one pipe. Long as floor level they sit no prob. Mine have walk through troughs separate so sections have wall at back and troughs made that sections sit on and same at front barrier. All sits steady and doesn't move when all together. Tried the twin wall black pipe but they just buckled when I stood on mesh to test

 

[Old Tip]

Chap near here has expanded metal on 8x4 frames hinged to the wall and the central passage so he can swing them up out of the way to clean out. So 16' pens either side of a 12' central passage, been in a fair while and still going strong, think he must have a block or something where the two sections join but not seen it empty

 

[irish dom]

Glad you tested before the sheep went on them! Very interesting will. Would be a lot easier than digging blocks out of shite. Thanks for that

 

[will6910]

Dug blocks out for while and wasn't pleasant. Other shed doesn't need the mesh taken out at all. It's old silo so floor slopes towards lagoon and have a wee pump and just flushes all the muck out into the lagoon

 

[irish dom]

Chap near here has expanded metal on 8x4 frames hinged to the wall and the central passage so he can swing them up out of the way to clean out. So 16' pens either side of a 12' central passage, been in a fair while and still going strong, think he must have a block or something where the two sections join but not seen it empty

That's exactly size I was planning. Is he using steel frames? Sounds a very neat idea. Would take a lot of work out of it

 

[Old Tip]

Agree with @MJT wooden Ines need to be made out of red wood or they wear very quickly, we got 2" by 1" then cut them through the middle on a slight diagonal then nailed them on with the wide bit at the top and the narrow bit at the bottom so the sh!t dropped through easier

 

[Old Tip]

That's exactly size I was planning. Is he using steel frames? Sounds a very neat idea. Would take a lot of work out of it

Yeah steel frames with extra bar through the middle

 

[irish dom]

Yeah steel frames with extra bar through the middle

Was thinking timber would be too cumbersome to hinge. Love to see that shed. It sounds ideal for my job

 

[Old Tip]

Was thinking timber would be too cumbersome to hinge. Love to see that shed. It sounds ideal for my job

Yeah I just have my wooden ones sat on ash logs, but his shed is a proper set up and he will finish hundreds of lambs through it every winter. Sheared when they go in and on ad lib feed they grow like mushrooms and keep relatively clean as well. sh!t that comes out is like glue though and needs mixing with some strawy FYM or putting in a slurry tank or it's a devil to spread

 

[irish dom]

Yeah I just have my wooden ones sat on ash logs, but his shed is a proper set up and he will finish hundreds of lambs through it every winter. Sheared when they go in and on ad lib feed they grow like mushrooms and keep relatively clean as well. sh!t that comes out is like glue though and needs mixing with some strawy FYM or putting in a slurry tank or it's a devil to spread

It would be fecking rocket fuel for tired land. Most years over here we would have to house lambs to finish them properly because they would be into their bellies in muck. If the facility was here I would be using it to get them gone and save the land. You have gave me lots of food for thought. Thanks old tip

 

[Old Tip]

It would be fecking rocket fuel for tired land. Most years over here we would have to house lambs to finish them properly because they would be into their bellies in muck. If the facility was here I would be using it to get them gone and save the land. You have gave me lots of food for thought. Thanks old tip

No worries, that chap feeds a high fibre nut and no straw or hay as it blocks the grids up something rotten. Maybe ok chopped real fine but he says it's not worth the hassle and as you say straw is dear stuff

 

[irish dom]

No worries, that chap feeds a high fibre nut and no straw or hay as it blocks the grids up something rotten. Maybe ok chopped real fine but he says it's not worth the hassle and as you say straw is dear stuff

Hay will be cheaper in the west of Ireland this year than straw. Lot of men looking at slats for this year