In the current difficult socio-economic conditions, creating your own farm is of interest to many. Although everyone has different goals - business, hobbies or the meaning of life - nevertheless, everyone wants to have environmentally friendly products on the table and for their subsidiary farming to also bring profit. There is nothing impossible about this. Today there is such a variety of building materials that you can easily build and equip a barn yourself in any region of the country, despite difficult climatic conditions.
Typical design device
First of all, remember one rule: the comfort of the cows comes first. This is the only way you will receive good quality meat and dairy products and recoup your costs. Regardless of the livestock, a convenient barn consists of the following sectors:
- stalls with feeding trough, drinking bowl and waste disposal;
- food storage room (kitchen);
- maternity area for newborn calves;
- area for walking animals;
- utility room for storing equipment;
- manure collection area;
- compartment for storing milk, as well as containing milk containers;
- boiler room for heating all rooms.
The stalls are arranged in rows depending on the number of heads. In individual farming, there are mainly single-row, two-row or three-row buildings.
There should be enough free space between stalls
The animals should not be crowded, so the passage between the rows is made moderately wide.
Types of barns
From the right choice The size of the barn depends on how productive the farm will be. Many factors are taken into account here: separate keeping of different-sex animals, the proportion of young animals, the number of heads, etc.
For small farms with a maximum capacity of 50 heads, as a rule, mini-barns are built - prefabricated frame hangars, well-lit and ventilated, which can be warm or cold. The latter are more suitable for cattle, since cows, calves and steers feel better in cool buildings (with outside temperatures). In such conditions, they get sick less, develop better and produce more milk.
It is more appropriate to build frame hangars in regions with year-round warm weather conditions
Unfortunately, in most regions of our country, harsh weather conditions do not allow keeping animals in cold barns. It is necessary to build insulated barns with a large number of windows, which are constantly kept open, which provides a suitable microclimate for the animals. However, when keeping more than 30 cows, you already need to take care of additional ventilation - install fans or polyurethane ventilation curtains, light aeration ridges or a Frivent DRW ventilation unit (if finances allow).
Additional ventilation helps to avoid excess moisture and regulate temperature conditions
Although there are many types of barns, any of them should be cool, light and cozy.
According to the materials used in the construction of barns, there are:
- in the form of buildings from metal profiles, with indoor temperatures close to outside;
- like buildings made of thermal insulating building materials;
- type of hangars made of sandwich panels.
According to basic design:
- 2+2-row cattle shed for free housing of animals (free-stall) with a high trapezoidal roof made of metal profiles with minimum quantity beams, which will ensure good air exchange;
- 3+3-row for the joint housing of dairy cows with calves and a separate milking parlor;
- 3-row barn, where the calf section and milking area are in the same room;
- A 4-row barn makes it possible to fully mechanize all work - milking, water and feed distribution, manure removal.
Video: supply and exhaust ventilation of a barn for 200 heads in the Irkutsk region
Preparing to build a barn
During the preparatory stage of building a barn, you need to solve a number of critical problems in order for your efforts to be crowned with success.
- Choose the direction of farming - do you plan to deal only with milk or meat, will you process the resulting products yourself, or sell the milk to dairies and hand over the cows by live weight. Will the young stock be purchased or produced locally? What is the size of the herd, how automated will labor be?
- Deciding on a place for construction - not only the terrain is important, but also the groundwater level. The predominant direction of winds, their intensity. Availability of convenient access roads and is it possible to organize pasture nearby.
- Choose a suitable barn design. Or, based on the standard one, do it yourself, taking into account all your desires and capabilities.
Standard standards for animal housing
Premises for keeping animals must meet certain standards:
- Free-stall housing - 6 m² per head of an adult and 4–4.5 m² per calf. If calves will be kept together with cows, the area should be 10 m².
Free-stall housing of cows is most often used on farms with a large number of livestock: animals are kept on a farm without stalls, with a milking parlor, and move freely both indoors and on walking areas
- Tethered housing is the construction of individual boxes, the size of which depends on the sex and age of the animals. An adult cow is given an area of 1–1.3 x 1.8–2.1 m, a bull will have 1.3 x 1.4 m, a calf will be comfortable in an area of 1 x 1.5 m, a cow with a calf 1.5 x 2 m.
Tethered housing of cows has its advantages - there will be no collisions between animals, this method of housing compared to loose housing increases milk productivity by 15%, and reduces feed costs by 10%
- Average dimensions of a stable: width 4 m, length 6 m and height 2.5 m. Dimensions utility rooms depend on the number of heads, and the sizes of stalls and stall equipment depend on the dimensions of the animals.
Table: sizes of stalls and stall equipment depending on the weight and dimensions of the livestock
| Size of cows | Stall dimensions | Restrictor height | Height of the front wall of the feeder, cm | ||||
| live weight, kg | oblique body length, cm | length, cm | width, cm | front, cm | lateral, cm | ||
| up to 450 | 139–143 | 140 | 105 | 118 | 75 | 16 | |
| 451–500 | 142–147 | 145 | 105 | 122 | 75 | 18 | |
| 501–550 | 146–152 | 150 | 110 | 125 | 80 | 20 | |
| 551–600 | 152–160 | 155 | 110 | 127 | 85 | 22 | |
| 601–650 | 157–163 | 160 | 120 | 130 | 90 | 24 | |
| 651–700 | 160–168 | 165 | 120 | 133 | 90 | 26 | |
Typical barn designs
A mini-farm involves keeping from 2 to 10 cows. For such a quantity, it is not difficult to draw up a barn plan yourself. The main thing is to adhere to the area standards for keeping animals.
The main principle of mini farming is to make the most efficient use of available resources.
The average farm includes from 20 to 50 heads of cattle. The barn layout looks quite simple.
It is advisable to entrust the construction of a farm with 100 or more head of cattle to professionals.
If you are just starting to raise cows, it is better to start with keeping fewer heads.
Well, only a team of experienced craftsmen can handle the construction of large farms. It is impossible to do this on your own according to the rules and regulations.
Drawing up a project is not everything. We now need to obtain approval from the relevant authorities. This procedure is troublesome. If possible, consult a lawyer. Perhaps after such a consultation you will change the concept of your farm or select a different site for construction.
Selecting materials for building a barn
To build a farm with your own hands you will need:
- crushed stone;
- baked brick or durable concrete for the foundation;
- waterproofing material (roofing felt is most often used);
- wooden boards for flooring;
- covering material for the roof - slate, for example, or tiles;
- building material for the construction of walls.
Walls and floors are of great importance when building a barn, since barns, as a rule, are not heated even in harsh climatic regions. Well-insulated walls and floors will be sufficient.
Wooden structures have performed well in terms of thermal conductivity, but they are short-lived. Brick barns are widespread, but in the northwestern regions it is recommended to make a two-layer structure, laying insulation between the layers. And this increases the cost of construction. Therefore, barns made of foam blocks and sandwich panels deserve more and more attention - they are easy to assemble, durable and well maintain the required temperature in the room.
But adobe is considered the best building material. It retains heat in the barn, ensures sufficient dryness in the room and is relatively inexpensive. Lay adobe in 1.5 bricks (hollow in one) on a good cement mortar, the bottom is lined with ordinary brick. Inside, the walls are plastered, leveled and whitewashed.
The farm floor must be warm, dry, level and waterproof. Custom-fitted timber flooring is ideal for all these requirements. However, due to some properties of wood, it will have to be repaired every 3-4 years. Therefore, fired hollow bricks are more often chosen for the device, laid on edge on top of roofing felt or slag. Such a floor will last at least 14 years in an aggressive environment without repair. True, it is not too warm, which is why in the winter the floor in the barn is covered with a thick layer of bedding or rubber mats are used.
The floor in the barn should help maintain the health of animals and increase their productivity; for this purpose, rubber flooring is used
Video: cow stall equipment
Calculation of materials
The amount of material depends on the area of the barn, which, in turn, is directly related to the number of animals kept. We will show the calculation principle using the example of constructing walls from adobe, since this option is the most profitable. Moreover, it is quite possible to make adobe yourself from the straw of any cereals, clay and sand.
Adobe for a cowshed is a convenient, cheap building material that our ancestors have used for centuries
Calculation of wall A: wall length 6 m, height 2.2 m, one doorway measuring 1x1.8 m, total area 13.2 m², doorway area 1.8 m², wall area without doorway 11.4 m².
Calculation of wall B: wall length 6 m, height 2.2 m, 5 window openings with dimensions (0.8x0.6 m, 0.6x0.6 m, 0.6x0.6 m, 0.6x0.4 m, 0. 6x0.4 m), total area 13.2 m², area of all window openings 1.68 m², wall area without window openings 11.52 m².
In the barn it would be more practical to install PVC windows, which will be lift-and-section or hinged with colorless polycarbonate filling
Calculation of wall B: wall length 6 m, height 2.2 m, 4 window openings with dimensions (0.6x0.6 m, 0.8x0.6 m, 0.6x0.6 m, 0.6x0.6 m), total area 13.2 m², area of all window openings 1.56 m², wall area without window openings 11.64 m².
Depending on the climatic characteristics of the region, inflatable or roller blinds, as well as lift-and-section windows
Calculation of wall D: wall length 6 m, height 2.2 m, blank wall (without door and window openings), total wall area 13.2 m².
A blank wall without windows will protect cows from strong winds
Determine the amount of adobe to build a barn:
- Let's derive a single formula for calculation. The area of any wall is equal to the total area of the wall (height x length) minus the total area of all openings (windows, doors). The area of each opening is also equal to height x length. So: S total. = (S A + S B + S B + S D) – (S openings A + S openings B + S openings B + S openings D) = (13.2 + 13.2 +13.2 + 13.2) - (1.8 + 1.68 + 1.56) = 47.76 m².
- Find out the area of one adobe brick. S sk = W sk x H sk (usually 0.08 m²). If you make adobe brick yourself, its area may be different, depending on the size of the mold for production.
- We determine the amount of adobe that will be needed to build a barn. K c = S total. : S ck = 47.76: 0.08 = 597 pcs. Round up to 600 pcs.
Table: calculation of adobe blocks for the construction of a barn measuring (6x6x2.2) meters
| Wall | S walls, m² | Doorway, m² | Window opening, m² | Doors for manure removal, m² | Walking doors, m² | S calculated, m² | Adobe brick, pcs. |
| A | 13,2 | 1,8 | - | - | - | 11,4 | 142,5 |
| B | 13,2 | - | 0,72 | 0,48 | 0,48 | 11,52 | 144 |
| IN | 13,2 | - | 0,72 | 0,84 | - | 11,64 | 145,5 |
| G | 13,2 | - | - | - | - | 13,2 | 165 |
| Total | 597 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
To make 600 pieces of adobe blocks you will need:
- clay ≈ 4600 kg (2.8 m³);
- sand ≈ 1500 kg (1 m³);
- straw ≈ 230 kg (4 m³).
Any material is calculated in the same way - brick, sawdust concrete blocks, panels, wooden beams, flooring according to the floor area, roofing material according to the size of the roof, etc.
Tool set
The necessary tools depend on the building materials used, but in any case you will have to use:
- crowbar and shovel;
- building level;
- trowel, spatula and screws;
- rope;
- construction mixer or concrete mixer.
Building a barn with your own hands: step-by-step instructions
Cowsheds are built using two technologies - frame and frameless. The frame method is considered more promising. Its main advantage is the speed of construction and ease of laying communications - ventilation, water supply, manure removal, etc. The construction of a small utility block consists of several stages:
- Laying the foundation. Any - columnar for small wooden outbuildings, strip or monolithic for heavy buildings. Remove the top layer of soil from the area. They usually deepen it to 50–70 cm and fill it with crushed stone. At frame construction This is where the laying of the foundation ends. To build a brick barn, a solid foundation is made - strip or monolithic. A trench is dug to a depth of 1 m, formwork and reinforcement cage are installed, the bottom is covered with crushed stone and filled with concrete. Roofing felt is laid on top as a waterproofing material.
The foundation of the barn must be strong and able to withstand heavy loads
- Lay out the walls using a trowel and a building level, not forgetting to leave openings. To ensure that the walls retain heat, they provide good thermal insulation.
Since the barns do not need heating, the walls need to be well insulated: the adobe masonry underneath is lined with brick, laying polystyrene foam insulation
- The roof is being installed. Install at the top of the walls wooden joists and make the sheathing. Then covered with roofing material. Slate is usually used as it is more accessible and cheaper. The ceiling is usually covered with reed slabs and plastered with clay. It is advisable to have an attic - this is additional insulation; hay and other feed can be stored there. The roof of a barn without an attic must be insulated.
For the slate roof of the barn, a grid is installed with a pitch calculated for the slate sheets
- Install windows and doors.
- Execute interior work. Special attention are given to the floors. Compact the soil, make a layer of roofing felt or slag and lay the floor with small gaps and a slope so that animal excrement flows into drain hole. A layer of straw or sawdust is placed on top, to which peat can be added.
Cows will rest comfortably on straw bedding
Cowsheds for a large number of livestock are built in a similar way, equipping each stall with a feeder 1 m long and 0.65 m high.
Barn ventilation
The simplest diagram of a barn ventilation system: an exhaust pipe made of boards is installed on the roof of the building. One or more, depending on the length of the room, equipped with a fan and a damper in case of bad weather. Fresh air enters the barn through the window openings. If there are none, then intake openings with dampers are created to allow air to enter at the bottom of the walls almost at the very foundation. Stale air is removed through an exhaust pipe.
Air exchange occurs by itself: warm air exits through exhaust shafts on the roof of the building, and cold air enters the room through special openings in the walls of the barn
To reduce the penetration of infections from the street, a box of sawdust is placed in front of the entrance, which is periodically moistened with creolin. In barns housing 200 or more animals, additional ventilation is provided in the form of a canopy on the roof.
Manure removal system
- hydraulic wash or self-alloy;
- delta scraper or belt conveyor.
More often, farmers use a self-fusing system for cleaning the premises. To do this, pipes wrapped in slippery material with plugs are laid at an angle across the entire area of the barn, and when opened, manure flows into special tanks.
Self-alloying manure removal system is made of PVC pipes Ø 250 mm
Lighting in the barn
There are certain requirements for barn lighting that must be adhered to:
- lighting standards - in the stalls 50 lux, in the feeding area - 75, in the entire barn - 200 lux and no more, otherwise production rates will decrease;
- must be used led lamps, since fluorescent lamps emit low-intensity light when the standard temperature drops to 20–25 °C;
- When arranging lighting in the barn, it is important to correctly calculate the duration of daylight hours and gradually change the lighting during this period - from 4.00–4.30 to 8.00–8.30 the illumination is increased, and from 16.00–16.30 to 20.00–20.30 it is gradually reduced.
For the normal development of animals in the barn, it is necessary to provide high-quality lighting - with daylight cows give more milk, and calves eat better and grow faster
Absolute darkness in the barn is unacceptable to avoid injury to animals. For night lighting, red spectrum lamps with a power of 10 W are used.
A selection of videos: life on the farm - building a barn with your own hands
Start of construction. Preparing and laying out the area for a barn. Welding of frame elements.
Video: building a barn - the beginning
Laying the foundation and erecting the frame. The foundation is made of strips, formwork is installed, into which previously made frame elements are installed level and secured. The trench is then concreted.
Video: foundation and frame for a barn
Continued construction. Another video report in real time - what we did during the week.
Video: we continue to build a barn
Roof arrangement. The barn design determines the materials that will be used to cover the roof. Inexpensive options are slate and tiles.
Video: barn roof
Laying water pipes. The water supply in the barn begins with a Ø 32 mm riser, to which is connected the main ring main made of Ø 25 mm pipes. Automatic drinking bowls, watering and water taps are installed in the premises.
Video: water supply for a barn
The final stage of setting up the water supply and septic tank. It is necessary to adhere to sanitary standards - when laying water and sewer pipes with a diameter of up to 200 mm in parallel, the distance between them must be at least 1.5 m. It is advisable to lay water pipes in a protective case.
Video: finishing the water supply and septic tank for the barn
Building a barn yourself will take more time than installing a ready-made structure or construction by a team of professionals. But this is perhaps the only drawback. But mansions for little cows, warm, solid, cozy, made with your own hands, will cost much less. We hope that with the knowledge you have acquired, you will build a barn that will serve you faithfully for many years.
Cattle breeding is a labor-intensive and costly process. The quality of life and productivity of cattle depends on many factors - proper nutrition, comfort of maintenance and care. Despite the fact that cattle are not known for their cleanliness, they need to be provided with comfortable housing. A barn for bulls and cows must comply with all norms and standards for keeping cattle. Today we will tell you what and how such a building can be made from.
Before starting such a grandiose construction, it is necessary to design future housing and draw up an estimate. A competent and correctly drawn up project is necessary so that the outbuilding for keeping livestock is strong, durable and does not require major repairs and alterations in the future.
The calculation and layout of the structure is made taking into account the number of heads that will be accommodated in it. Farmers use different materials as building materials, depending on the region where cattle are kept, weather and climatic conditions.
In our case, this will be a barn not only for summer, but also for winter keeping of livestock.
One bull will require an area of 6 m2, a cow with a calf will require a stall of 10 m2. Young animals require less space. The area of the stall with the calf should be 7-8 m2. For calves aged from a week to six months, you can use a common room at the rate of 7 m2 per individual. Then each stall is separated by partitions so that the grown cattle stand in line.
Each stall in a bull barn should be separated by partitions. The optimal dimensions of one place are 1.2x2.6 m.
The height of the barn for bulls and cows is at least 2 m.
Construction stages
The process of constructing a structure for housing bulls and cows consists of several stages. Let's look at how to build a barn for bulls step by step.
Foundation
In any structure, laying the foundation is a top priority. A strong and high-quality foundation for a livestock shed will be the key to the longevity of your future home. There are three ways to build a foundation:
- columnar;
- tape;
- monolithic.
The choice of one or another foundation construction method depends on the type of soil on which the building will stand. The second factor that determines the method of constructing the foundation is the number of cattle that are planned to be populated. After all, the more bulls there are in the barn, the greater the load on the base of the structure will be. An important factor is the material from which you plan to build the barn.
The first method of building a foundation is economical, simple and fast. But it's not meant for heavy load therefore cannot be used to contain large quantity bulls The columnar method is ideal for sheds built from wood.
A monolithic foundation requires large costs, both financial and labor. Its construction will require special equipment. This foundation for a bull barn is strong and durable.
The most optimal and universal option is the strip method of constructing a foundation.
When laying the foundation for a cattle shed with your own hands, it is important to provide it high-quality waterproofing. You can use sand or crushed stone as a waterproofing layer.
Floor
According to experienced farmers, using wooden flooring is not rational. This floor will not last long. Under the weight of the cattle, the tree will sag, then rot and deteriorate.
How to make durable flooring? The ideal option is to fill it with cement. Such a strong and durable fabric will not absorb unpleasant odors. In addition, the cement floor can support any weight of livestock, regardless of the number of livestock.
The concrete floor is cold. Therefore, it is advisable to install removable wood panels on top of it. If ventilation is necessary, they can be easily removed.
To make cleaning the barn easier, the floors are laid at an angle (inclination angle is about 5%). This is necessary so that animal feces flow to one side.
Walls
They can be made of either wood or brick. For a herd of no more than twenty heads, wood is suitable as a building material. If you are planning to acquire a large farm, it is better to use brick for laying walls.
Many people build walls from foam blocks. This is a great alternative to brick. This material is cheaper, and working with it is easy and convenient.
During the construction of walls, it is important to take care of ventilation. Small holes in the walls are located at a height of 2 meters from the floor. With the onset of cold weather, the holes are covered.
The walls are equipped with windows at a height of 1.2 m from the flooring. It is important that the windows open. This way you can always provide your pets with fresh air and good ventilation.
Roof
Slate can be used as roofing material. This material is reasonably priced and long term operation. If you want to make your bull barn warm enough with your own hands, you need to build the roof in two rows. Make a shed with an attic. It will always be warm in such a room. Plus, the attic can be used to store household equipment.
What to equip
The barn must be equipped with feeders and drinking bowls in a place accessible to the cattle. They are usually installed on the outside of the stall.
You can make a manger for food with your own hands from boards. First, the building material is sanded to eliminate the risk of injury to the bulls. Then they begin directly making the feeders.
The optimal height of the sides is 70 cm. The height of the side towards the stall should be lower than the outer side (about 40 cm). This way the animal can easily get food. The width of the feeder is 40 cm, the distance between the sides at the top is 60 cm.
We arrange the drinking bowl and feeder at a height of 10 cm from the floor. Many farmers use automatic drinkers. Their convenience lies in the fact that livestock always have access to clean and fresh water. The arrangement of the drinking bowl is carried out in a remote place from the feeder.
Conclusion
As you can see, building a structure such as a bull barn is not particularly difficult. All that is required of you is to determine the dimensions of the barn, its competent design and drawing up an estimate. Using the same technology, you can build a barn for a cow with your own hands.
Sheds for animals and poultry are a necessity, because it is best to keep farm animals and birds in specially designated premises. It is not very convenient to adapt existing buildings, for example, former warehouses or industrial workshops, to the needs of pets. Sometimes remodeling takes as much time as new construction. Therefore, it is advisable to immediately take up the construction of a separate poultry house or barn, which will initially meet all the necessary requirements. This is what our article is about today.
The location for the poultry house or barn should be chosen so that it is located on a slight hill. There should be a flat area for walking nearby. From residential premises economic building should be separated by at least 15 m. It is advisable that the windows of the future barn face south - this way they will receive more sunlight. The building for animals and poultry must be removed from wells and wells with drinking water, because they may contain waste products. Also, there should be no cesspools or toilets nearby - pets will probably not like their smell, and such objects can become sources of infectious diseases.
Sheds for animals and poultry should be placed so that it is convenient to approach them and bring loads. And also so that manure and garbage can be quickly and easily removed from utility rooms. Above the main buildings it is worth equipping a dry attic for storing hay and other feed - this is an excellent solution for saving space.
Planning nuances
For construction, you can use ready-made drawings, although their presence is not mandatory. The design of any shed for domestic animals is not particularly complicated, the main thing is to choose the right dimensions and outline the location inside the necessary devices: stalls for livestock, perches for birds, feeders, drinking bowls, etc. You can draw a roughly approximate plan by hand, but it is necessary mark on it the necessary requirements officially imposed on such buildings.
Table 1. Basic requirements for sheds for livestock
| Dimensions | They are determined individually, depending on the number of individuals. For 10 chickens you will need an area of 3-4 square meters. One goat needs approximately 2-4 sq. m., per cow - 7-9 sq. m. You also need to consider space for feeders and other equipment. The height of the premises can also be different: for a barn - at least 2 m, for a goat barn and pigsty - 1.5 m. |
| Availability of walking space | For chickens and rabbits, a walking area is not necessary if they are kept in cages. Otherwise, it can be made very small. For goats, sheep and cows, you need to fence at least 10 square meters. Pigs most often do not need a pasture either, but near their barn you can fence off a very small area to expand the living space - motor activity helps increase appetite and piglets grow faster. |
| Windows and doors | There should be enough windows to keep the room light. It is advisable to make them glazed, with detachable transoms. Most of the window openings should be located on the south side. Doors can be made on the opposite side. The openings should be wide so that waste can be easily carried out through them and food can be brought inside. It makes sense to have bi-fold doors in the barn. |
| Ventilation and insulation | All cracks in the walls are carefully sealed - there should be no drafts in the room. But at the same time, the barn must have good ventilation. The barn and poultry house must be additionally insulated; if we are talking about regions with harsh winters, then it makes sense to also install heating. Even in the most extreme cold, the indoor temperature cannot drop below 8-10 degrees. |
| Internal layout | For all animals and birds, you need to install a sufficient number of drinking bowls and feeders. In the goat shed and barn, it is advisable to make separate stalls for each individual, and in addition, fence off corners for keeping females with cubs. The same must be done for sows with piglets. Low perches must be made for chickens, nests must be built for laying hens, as well as for ducks and geese laying eggs. |
What materials and tools to use
For utility rooms, remnants of building materials that have been in stock for a long time and are waiting in the wings are suitable. You can buy the missing parts and it will be inexpensive. You will also need the most standard tools, which are usually found on any farm: saws, hammers, nail pullers, containers for stirring mortars, brushes and rollers for painting, tape measure and slopes for measurements, etc.
Most often, sheds for domestic animals are made of wood or brick/cinder blocks. Light frame and plank structures - great option for southern regions where there are no severe frosts. This type of building can also be used in middle lane, but then you will need to make insulation. For areas with a more severe climate, permanent sheds made of brick and similar materials are optimal.
Wooden structures are erected faster, but do not last as long as stone-brick structures. A wooden shed must be well strengthened, the walls must be primed and painted. It can be insulated from the outside and inside using a suspended profile, shingles, etc. Capital buildings for animals are erected on a columnar foundation, for which it is most convenient to use aerated foam concrete blocks, held together not with concrete, but with a special construction adhesive.
How to build a poultry barn
The farm may contain chickens, quails, turkeys, geese and ducks. Premises for different types of birds generally differ only in size. Turkeys and waterfowl, as well as broilers, will need larger sheds. Although there are a number of other nuances. For example, turkeys are thermophilic, so it is necessary to maintain a high temperature in the poultry house. Chickens need roosts, but ducks and geese do not need such an interior detail.
It is better to make the foundation for the poultry house a strip type - from concrete, so that mice, rats and small predators such as ferrets cannot penetrate under the floor. The depth of the base may not be too large - 25 cm is enough.
Important point! It is permissible to make the floor earthen or clay, but you can fill it with concrete and make a boardwalk on top.
Wooden beams are erected at the corners of the future building, and horizontal partitions made of narrow boards are made between them. Then the building is sheathed with plywood. On the south side, two or three windows should be cut under the ceiling. The door is not made too wide and high. For the birds themselves, you can arrange a separate hole. The roof is made in one slope; it can be covered with reeds or straw, and roofing material or slate can be placed on top. Be sure to take the pipes outside for ventilation.
How to insulate a poultry house?
Shed for poultry Usually the construction is not capital and does not provide for heating. But the temperature inside should be high enough even in winter cold. This is achieved through additional insulation. First of all, all cracks in the walls are carefully sealed: drafts are the most common cause of heat loss.
For the winter, window frames are sealed with sealant or usually with plastic film on sealant. Doorways are also carefully insulated. A layer of straw, hay or large wood shavings is placed on the floor (small sawdust will not work). Ceilings can be insulated for the season with foam plastic or film.
But it is better to treat plank walls immediately during construction. They can be insulated with different materials. One of the most economical and simplest is the “old-fashioned method” - clay shingles on a sheathing. This is an environmentally friendly material that does not harm the birds and creates an optimal microclimate in the room. It is easy to install shingles, it does not last very long, but it is easy to replace it with a new one without high costs.
Instructions for installing shingles on walls
Step 1
Thin slats are used for the frame, which can be purchased at any building materials store.
Step 2
Thin slats are nailed from the inside to the walls of the barn in a diagonal order.
Step 4
The solution is applied in a thick layer to the sheathing using a trowel. You need to start from the bottom of the wall, gradually moving up and carefully leveling the surface.
Step 5
After drying, the wall is rubbed down and painted with diluted lime. Whitewashing is necessary because it serves as a sanitary measure.
Interior arrangement
To provide the feathered residents with normal comfort, it is necessary to make perches and nests inside the barn, install drinking bowls and feeders. In this case, a number of rules should be observed:
How to build a rabbitry
Housing for long-eared pets can be created as a frame-and-plank structure. This barn is no different. large sizes, but inside it should be divided into zones or separate cages for furry animals should be installed. It is better to keep rabbits one at a time to control the breeding process. For females with cubs and ungrown young animals, a more spacious corner with insulation and artificial light is allocated.
Video - Construction of a rabbitry
In general, the construction of a wooden rabbitry resembles the process of constructing a poultry house described above. But in this case the room should be larger and higher. It is more convenient to arrange the cages inside in two rows to save space. Therefore, for 10 animals you need a barn with dimensions of 3x5 m and a height of 2-2.5 m. The building needs a stable foundation on a reinforced frame filled with concrete. A timber structure covered with edged boards is installed on it.
Shred cages are mounted inside the rabbitry: adjacent cells with a front mesh wall. Most often they are installed in several tiers - two or three. Feeders and drinking bowls are hung on the front part.
How to build a barn for pigs, large and small livestock
For larger pets would be better suited a permanent building made of brick, concrete or gas-foam concrete blocks. The barn should be made spacious so that it is comfortable for the livestock and the people caring for them. Cows, goats and sheep are milked regularly, so there must be enough space inside to carry out such a procedure. Six square meters are provided for one cow, two to four square meters for goats and sheep. m. The room should have wide passages and large doors to make it convenient to remove manure and bring in feed every day.
Video - Animal barn
First, a foundation is made from bricks or blocks, lined with concrete. The base is laid in a pre-dug trench about 0.6 m deep. Next, corners are made from the blocks, they are aligned using a level and plumb line. After that, guides are installed - vertical bars that are attached to the blocks using brackets. A cord is stretched between them in order to see how to make even laying. Now you need to build walls - approximately 2-2.5 m high. It is then recommended to putty the seams on the inside to avoid drafts.
The roof is made gable. The floor is poured with concrete; grooves must be made to drain urine and liquid waste. A boardwalk made of individual panels, which can be replaced, is laid on top. The internal space is delimited by separate stalls, each with a personal feeder and drinking bowl. It is worth installing electricity into the barn, and running water into the large barn and pigsty. Running water Helps well with daily cleaning.
Conclusion
For the proper maintenance of farm animals and poultry, separate premises are required. Building a shed with your own hands is not so difficult; you can use leftover building materials and the most common tools. The main thing is to choose the right place for the building, determine the type and size of the structure.
For feathered pets and small animals, in particular rabbits, a small wooden frame barn, which will need to be well insulated. For larger livestock, it is worth erecting a spacious, solid brick or block building with separate stalls inside.
For livestock, the barn is their home. And the health of the animals depends on how comfortable it is there. And if we talk about cows and bulls, then their maintenance affects the amount of milk given by the cow and weight gain. There are standards regarding livestock housing. Let's figure out how to build a barn for bulls with your own hands.
Bulls and cows are not clean animals, so the room must be arranged in such a way that it is easy to clean. It is worth taking into account the characteristics of the site on which you are planning to build a barn for a cow or bull. You should not start construction in a place where water accumulates in the spring. Make sure there are no drafts in the shed. Close to residential buildings It is not advisable to equip cow stalls with water wells.
Separately, it is worth mentioning the material that should be used when arranging stalls for cows and bulls. It must be durable and designed for a long period of use. Due to the fact that there will be cattle in the barn, it is not possible to build it from material that emits substances hazardous to health. Opt for wood or other environmentally friendly pure material. To prevent cattle from getting sick, you need to build a stall using material that has good thermal insulation properties.
Preparation for construction
Any construction, and the construction of utility rooms is no exception, begins with the creation of a project. This stage is sometimes more important than the actual action. Any building built according to a well-designed design will serve for a long period of time, and nothing will have to be altered during operation.
Factors influencing construction
When creating a project, you need to think about how many livestock the barn should accommodate. When thinking about this question, count not only the currently available livestock, but also those planned in the future. Expanding or reducing the premises will require money and time, so decide on the exact number of livestock that will fit in the barn before building it. Also decide on the type of cattle keeping (tethered or loose).
Stall dimensions
The dimensions of the stall for bull calves are specified in existing standards. One cow or one bull should have at least 6 square meters. m. area. If a calf grows near a cow, then they need an area of at least 10 sq.m. The stall itself involves dividing the spaces inside the room with partitions. Each seat must be at least 125 cm wide and 260 cm long. These are the optimal parameters for keeping cattle.
As for the height of the room, there are no strict requirements. The height of the room can be from 2.5 m or more. Since cows and bulls are short animals, this ceiling height will be quite enough for their comfortable maintenance.
Construction process
The construction process includes several stages:
- foundation construction;
- floor arrangement;
- walling;
- roof arrangement;
- barn equipment.
Construction of the foundation
Construction of a cow stall begins with laying out the foundation. The foundation is the basis of any building. The stronger the foundation, the more durable the building will be. Currently, there are 3 methods of arranging a foundation: monolithic, columnar and strip. When choosing a foundation construction method, you need to take into account the type of soil. The choice of foundation type is also influenced by the number of livestock that will be kept in the barn. The more livestock there are in the room, the greater the load on the foundation.
The cheapest option is to build a columnar foundation. This type of construction is easy to implement. In addition, the construction of a columnar foundation will not take much time. However, such a foundation is not able to withstand heavy loads. But it will be suitable if the barn is made of wood. It is not worth keeping a large number of livestock in such a building.
The strongest is a monolithic foundation. Its construction involves the use of special equipment. In addition, construction monolithic foundation- the process is quite expensive. It is advisable to choose this type of foundation if the stall will be built of brick. The golden mean is the strip type of foundation.
After building the foundation, you need to take care of its waterproofing. There is a large selection of waterproofing materials on the market, each of which can be used to waterproof a foundation. On creeping soils, it would be a good idea to build a cushion of crushed stone and sand.
Floor arrangement
When choosing material for arranging the floor in a barn for cows and bulls, take into account that their weight is quite large. A wooden flooring will not be able to withstand such loads for a long period of time, so it is advisable to give preference to concrete floors. In addition, concrete does not absorb odors, which are not always pleasant in utility rooms.
To prevent animals from freezing while lying on concrete, it is advisable to cover it with wooden shields. There is no need to make them stationary. Removable wooden panels are easier to remove. In addition, they can be ventilated. Straw is laid on top of any covering.
The floors should be slightly raised and at a slope of 2-4% to the main surface of the bull stall. This will ensure that the excrement excreted by the livestock drains away. If we are talking about building a farm, then it is equipped with a slurry collector. But this requirement is relevant if the cow stall is not lined with straw.
Walling
Depending on the size of the room, the walls can be made of brick or wood. The last option is acceptable only if we are talking about a small building. Since wood is not a wear-resistant material, a wooden barn is not suitable for keeping a large number of livestock. In addition, such construction will be very expensive. An alternative to brick, which is used to build large-scale farms, is foam blocks.
You need to make several small holes in the walls for ventilation of the room. Ventilation is needed in order to maintain a comfortable temperature in the barn in summer, not exceeding 200°C. In winter, ventilation openings should be closed. They are located no lower than 2.5 m from the floor.
To ensure comfortable tethering of cows in a stall, proper lighting must be provided. The windows, the sizes of which depend on the size of the barn, are located at a height of 120 cm from the floor. They need to be made openable so that fresh air can flow into the barn if necessary.
Roof arrangement
As a rule, slate is used to cover the roof. This material has the lowest price policy and a long service life. It is advisable to equip the barn with an attic. It is needed so that heat leaves the room more slowly in winter. It is also convenient to store livestock feed and hay.
If there is no attic in the barn, you will have to insulate the roof. Using modern materials It's easy to do this at home.
Barn equipment
The cattle shed is equipped with special feeders and drinkers. Feeders and drinking bowls are placed in such a way that bulls and cows always have free access to them. Most often, feeders are located on the outside of the stall. You can build a feeder with your own hands. It is most convenient to feed the animal if its length and width of the stall are equal.
The easiest way to care for feeders is those made in the form of a trapezoid. And it’s convenient for animals to eat from such containers. You can make such a feeder with your own hands. The height of the opposite sides of the feeder is 75 and 30 cm, respectively. The smaller side of the feeder is located towards the stall. In this case, it will be easier for the animal to get to food. The width of the bottom of the feeder is 40 cm. The distance between the sides at the top is 60 cm.
It is not advisable to place feeders, like drinking bowls, on the floor. They should be placed at a height of 7-10 cm from the floor. When making bird feeders from wood, sand each board well. Otherwise, the animal may get injured while eating.
As for keeping calves, they are more whimsical than cows or bulls. If calves were born in winter, then houses are built for them that protect the animals from the cold. At home, you can build a calf house from straw bales. In such a house the animal will be warm and comfortable. This way he will be able to endure the harshest winter.
Specific points
When equipping a stall for bulls with your own hands, you need to take into account the fact that bulls and cows can be of different sizes, so you initially need to think about what breed of bulls and cows you will be working with.
Since the size of animals will periodically change, it is advisable to make stalls from wooden boards or metal pipes. At home, it is advisable to use any available means. Such structures are movable. Accordingly, less space can be allocated for housing calves. And as they grow, it will be enough to change the position of the stall. In addition, if the barn contains cattle of different sizes, you can always swap small animals with large ones. To do this, simply change the location of each stall.
The dimensions of the stall for a cow when kept in a stall must clearly correspond to the dimensions of the animal and be comfortable for her. If the stall is narrow, the animal will not be able to fully rest and sleep normally at night. And sleep is very important when fattening livestock and affects the amount of milk given by the cow. If the stall is too wide, then the animal will be able to calmly turn around and will periodically defecate near the feeder, which is unacceptable from the point of view of hygiene and sanitary standards. The width of the stall should be convenient for milking cows.
Conclusion
It is not difficult to build a bull barn with your own hands. What to build a barn from, everyone chooses for themselves. The main thing is that the material is durable. You can start construction only by making drawings, which should clearly define the location for the feeders, the dimensions of each stall, and the layout of the ventilation holes, windows and doors. You need to think through every little detail (number of heads, whether the animals will be kept on a leash or not, etc.). If you don’t know how to make a drawing correctly, you can ask a specialist for help, watch photo and video lessons on creating drawings for the construction of utility rooms.
When keeping cattle indoors, it is necessary to provide the animals good conditions. The bull stall must have standard sizes, therefore, before building it, it is necessary to obtain certain knowledge. The compartment for each individual is made convenient and safe, because the milk and meat productivity of cows depends on it. It’s not difficult to build a stall with your own hands if you follow the rules, follow all the dimensions exactly and have certain building skills.
Beginning farmers do not know how to make a barn for bulls as comfortable as possible, both for living animals and for cleaning, feeding and other care activities. The room should be located in a dry place where melt or rain water does not collect. The internal arrangement should help reduce the process of cleaning manure. When making a barn, you need to take care of its temperature inside, which will meet the requirements of the bulls. The room should not be blown through, and it should be located away from wells and residential buildings.
It is important to choose a safe and durable material to build your barn and stalls in. When choosing it, it is recommended to pay attention to thermal insulation.
Advice! Wooden raw materials are ideal for constructing cattle housing.
When starting to draw up a project for construction, you need to immediately take into account additional heating, if required, a lighting and ventilation system. The dimensions of the space in the stall, the stalls between each other, as well as the location of the feeders and drinkers must correspond to the average parameters of the bull so that he can move comfortably.
Stall dimensions
In order to understand how to correctly determine the height, width and length of the stall, you should refer to special tables. They indicate that at least six square meters must be designed for one bull. For a cow with a calf, four square meters more are allocated. The normalized average parameters for one individual cattle are 260 centimeters in length, 125 centimeters in width and can be more than three meters in length (unlimited). For double-sided sections, one and a half meters of passage width between them is sufficient. If a farmer is breeding bulls, then the premises are built taking into account that there will be young animals in the barn. Before building, a livestock breeder must take into account the specifics of his future activities, since the parameters of some breeds and the number of individuals are best taken into account in advance.
Laying the foundation
The durability and reliability of the building will depend on the strength of the foundation. The basis happens three types and the choice of one of them must be correlated with the type of soil. With a large number of bulls, which increases the load, the foundation is made more dense. Columnar view suitable for wooden premises, and it is easy to build, although it does not withstand much pressure. The monolith base is the most durable, but it requires specialized equipment and a large amount of investment cash. Strip foundation– average option of strength and cost. The waterproofing process is the last step after pouring.
Construction of the floor
Concrete is most often used to cover the foundation. This material is more durable than others and is not saturated with odors of manure and other waste. In order to build the floor, you will also need wood. It is used to construct shields that cover the concrete surface. This is necessary to avoid the bulls freezing to the floor during the onset of frost. Shields must be dismountable for drying and cleaning. They must be covered with straw on top.
Wall arrangement
For a small room, wooden walls are suitable, but a large building is better built from brick or foam blocks. To keep the barn cool in the summer, you need to make small holes in the walls. They are located approximately 3 meters higher from the base of the floor. With the onset of cold weather, the holes are sealed to maintain the temperature inside the building (about twenty degrees Celsius).
Roof installation
Typically, roof installation is carried out with slate, since this material has a low price, but is characterized by high strength. You can insulate with any available materials as thermal insulation. To maintain heat in a room for animals, you can build an attic, which also serves as a warehouse for hay and feed.
Barn equipment
Each stall is equipped with feeders and drinkers. Bulls should be tied so that they can reach feed and water. They are located mainly outside the stall, the parameters of which must match the length of the feeder. The food container is made in the shape of a trapezoid, so that it is convenient for the farmer to clean it and for the cows to receive food.
Place the feeders at a distance of about 10 centimeters from the floor. If wood is used as a material, it should be well processed so that there are no nicks and the bull cannot be injured when eating food.
It is better to keep fattened cattle in a stall on a leash than in stalls, since they need to move less in order to gain weight faster. Bulls are usually tied with a rope or chain, the length of which should not interfere with feeding or taking a lying position.
Equipping a place for young animals
Dairy calves are kept separately, so they need to have their own housing. Cages or special houses are used as stalls. Young animals must be able to move in such a structure so that the development of muscles and skeleton occurs without deviations. Separate calf pens help keep track of each calf.
The winter offspring of cows must be provided with sufficient heat, so newborn calves are placed in hutches. Such boxes are commercially available, and they are made of white polyethylene film and have a dome shape with a one-way entrance. The boxes are easy to move from place to place, but at the same time they consist of a dense structure. Young bulls can consume food and water directly in them.
Specifics of premises
There are a number of specific points when arranging a stall or a room as a whole that are worth paying attention to during construction.
Important points to ensure comfort in the barn:
- equip movable and expanding stall structures, due to the variability in the size of a fattening bull;
- isolate violent cattle, as well as males left for procreation;
- provide separate housing for calves;
- the stall should not be expanded too much to avoid the animals defecating in the feeders and drinking bowls;
- create comfortable conditions for milking cows;
- If possible, you can build a paddock for walking.
Mobility of the structure of the stall itself can be ensured by constructing wooden or metal partitions that are easy to expand, reduce and move.
Advice! Correct location The bull should have its head towards the feeder and its back towards the waste pit.