Mark-- Another advantage of portable housing is this-- IT IS NOT REAL ESTATE! therefore-- it cannot be taxed as an "improvement" on the property. Many of the local Alpaca peole here use the design for their males or specific breeding groups. It permits the housing to also be in the pasture that is being grazed, rather than having top herd the animals from barn to pasture--
Terry --- The Wintermutes <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Hi Terry, > > I only bed my sheep down when it is very cold, wet > or when they have > newborns. I personally don't like ammonia build-up > or moisture of any kind > inside my barns. I wouldn't worry too much about > heat loss to the ground > unless the ground is wet. I feel a solid wind break > is needed especially > for babies. An idea for you, I have found my sheep > absolutely love to jump > up on an old tool bench counter to lie down. Maybe > some simple benches > would keep them dry. I like the idea of "portable" > housing. It would be > nice to be able to hook up a tractor and move the > barn rather than clean it > out! > > Mark Wintermute > > -----Original Message----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > On Behalf Of Terry > Wereb > Sent: Sunday, January 08, 2006 11:21 PM > To: blackbelly@lists.blackbellysheep.info > Subject: [blackbelly] Flooring for housing > > I have a decision to make, and I need some serious > input-- > I will be using portable housing for my flock in > order to best utilize intensive grazing methods. the > plans can be made so that the housing is made with > or > without a wood floor. either way I go-- the housing > will be set on raised "beds" of crushed stone in > orer > to keep moisture away from the frame and "skids" of > the building. This will also prevent the floor from > getting flooded when it does rain. > If I go no wood floor, the skids will be an issue > for > MY footing- I may have difficulty stepping over the > skids on some days- I am sure the sheep will have no > problem with it. If I use a floor, I will need to > seal > it against moisture from the normal animal waste > process. Either way-- there will be deep bedding to > prevent pressure sores. By deep-- I like to see > horses > knee deep when straw is just put in, so I figure > sheep > can be proportionately as deep, with a layer of corn > cob bedding underneath for absorption of liquid > waste. > > Is there an advantage to having a wood floor that > anyone has noticed? I am looking at considerations > of > heat loss ( body to ground) in the winter, > opportunities for "unfriendly" critters to set up > housekeeping, and, of course, cost. I can originally > build with no floor and add later-- the wall frames > on > the plans go up before the floor is laid down. > I am located in NE Ohio- in the snow belt, so to > speak. I will be building a floored building for my > rabbits for the winter, as they won't pasture well > then, and their building will also hold feed and > medical supplies for the whole farm. But do I need > it > for the sheep? > > Terry > > _______________________________________________ > This message is from the blackbelly mailing list > Visit the list's homepage at > blackbelly@lists.blackbellysheep.info > http://lists.blackbellysheep.info/listinfo.cgi/blackbelly-blackbellysheep.in > fo > > _______________________________________________ > This message is from the blackbelly mailing list > Visit the list's homepage at > blackbelly@lists.blackbellysheep.info > http://lists.blackbellysheep.info/listinfo.cgi/blackbelly-blackbellysheep.info > _______________________________________________ This message is from the blackbelly mailing list Visit the list's homepage at blackbelly@lists.blackbellysheep.info http://lists.blackbellysheep.info/listinfo.cgi/blackbelly-blackbellysheep.info
