Construction of a utility block for keeping an animal house. Cattle barns - how to build correctly? Features of creating a barn

First of all, the barn for cows should be quite spacious, so that the animal can freely stand there, lie down and move to the feeding trough and to the sleeping area. The second requirement is that if you are going to build a housing for livestock with your own hands, do it from the best inexpensive materials, but immediately with high quality. Consider how the animals will spend the winter in this building, and also consider ventilation, heating, lighting, and water supply.

Dimensions

The average size of the barn should be calculated based on the number of cows. We provide area standards for one cow and one calf. For one adult cow you will need 6 square meters. meters of floor, and for a cow and calf - already 10 square meters. m. The width of the passage between the stalls should be at least 1.2-1.5 meters, and the height of the room should be at least 2.5 meters (and preferably higher). Floor slope - 2-3%.

The width of a modern stall is 1.1 m, length - 1.7 m. Feeders should not be adjacent to the front of the stall, otherwise dampness from the animal’s breath will settle on the stern. The passage to the feed must be at least 1 meter wide. The manure chute at the rear of the machine should be at least 20 cm wide and at least 10 cm deep, position the slope so that the waste flows to the slurry collector. Its depth is about 80 cm, width is about 1.2 meters. If cows are kept on deep bedding, no slurry collector is made.

Floor (foundation)

Cozy quarters for cows, built with your own hands, must have the right floor. And its creation is impossible without a properly laid foundation. On average, a barn is used for 10 years or more, which means it is better to make the base concrete. Firstly, it will withstand the weight of both an adult cow and a calf, and secondly, it will not become damp, absorb unpleasant odors and allow rodents to pass through.

The foundation of the barn can be strip, monolithic or columnar. Monolithic means that a hole is first dug, then formwork with reinforcement is placed, into which a layer of crushed stone or a dense layer of sand is placed. Next, concrete is poured. After it hardens, the surface of the future floor is covered with roofing felt and a layer of special mastic with waterproofing.

If your barn is made of brick, it is better to use a monolithic foundation, and if it is wooden, it is better to use a columnar one. It is made according to the same principle as monolithic, but with the foundation pillars poured into forms with reinforcement, insulated with roofing felt. The interval between pillars is no more than two meters.

The masonry cushion should be sandy. In general, the foundation can be made in a variety of ways, but take care of waterproofing and a water slope (for this, a waterproofing slope is made on the foundation) and a sand and crushed stone layer along the outer edge.

Walls

Wall materials can be varied. If you need a larger barn for cows, use inexpensive foam block or sand-lime brick. A large wooden structure will cost you more and will wear out faster over time. So, they begin to lay foam block walls on the waterproofed foundation, based on the drawing and the expected dimensions of the room (by the number of heads). If necessary, the walls and ceiling are insulated.

Walking pen

A barn for cows must have a walking pen; it is usually located outside the barn. Its area must be such that animals can roam freely. Small households, especially in villages, generally keep one or two cows, sometimes one or two calves. The total length of the walking path for cows and calves is at least 500 meters.

The area of ​​the walking pen should be covered with a canopy and two side partitions, as well as a log fence with a gate, so that the cows do not wander off in all directions. The material for the walls and fence of the pen is wood, timber, for the roof - tiles or flooring.

Houses

The calf houses inside the barn are a special structure made of lightweight white plastic, resembling a hollow tank with an open front side. In such a “dome” the calf feels more comfortable and protected. The house is easy to wash, disinfect, clean and move from place to place. These structures are sold ready-made; if you have one or two calves, you can buy them and use them for a very long time.

The houses for calves are blocked from the front with an iron mesh or a fence, the height of which should be at least half the height of the house itself. A bracket is attached to the wall to hold the drinker and feed container. In the next photo you can see the appearance of a modern calf box.

1 — plastic box, 2 — fence, 4 — drinking bowl, 5 — feed dispenser, 6 — feeder, 7 — entrance, 8 — hay compartment

Drinkers and feeders

An essential part of a cozy barn is drinking bowls and feeders. A cow barn with two rows of stalls must be equipped with external feed tanks. The length of one feeder should extend the entire width of the outer part of the stall, so the animal will be free to eat when it wants. The back side of the feeder (closer to the aisle) should be at least 75 cm high, and the front (which is closer to the cow) - about 30 cm. The width of the bottom is 40 cm, the width of the top part is 60 cm. Thus, the feeder will have an inverted shape pyramids, which is convenient for adding food and cleaning up food debris.

Nowadays, a lot of feed tanks are produced, mainly from artificial dense materials that are quite easy to clean and disinfect. In order for the liquid to drain after washing the feeder, there must be holes in its bottom. The level of the bottom of the feed tank should be at least 7 cm from the bed of the stall. The automatic drinker is placed above the feeder, closer to the far corner from the exit from the stall.

How to make a house?

Of course, you won’t be able to make plastic houses for calves with your own hands at home. For this we will need a wooden board (or timber) and fasteners, as well as a little patience and following an approximate diagram.

Tools and materials

  • hammer;
  • nails;
  • tongue and groove floor board;
  • coniferous timber;
  • saw;
  • blueprints;
  • roulette;
  • plastic lining - for exterior cladding (optional);
  • iron fence;
  • containers for water and drinking;
  • fastening elements for containers;
  • straw for bedding.

Manufacturing instructions

To make calf houses as environmentally friendly as possible, take the time to find and buy high-quality boards and timber. Take measurements according to the photo, and start marking and putting together the house with your own hands. First you need to calculate the amount of material, and then make a drawing. According to the drawing, mark the wood and saw off pieces of the required size.

Pin pieces of boards together so that you get a dome-shaped structure (a rectangular one is also quite suitable, but of the correct height, at least 180 cm, the height of an adult). Houses for calves have floors covered with hay and straw bedding. Since the structure is installed indoors, there is no need to insulate it. See our photo gallery for more detailed photos of finished structures.

Photo gallery

Video “Building a wooden shed”

A training video on how to build a small wooden shed with your own hands.

To build the right chicken coop, you first need to plan it. No expensive building materials are used here; the main thing is that it is dry and warm.

Shed layout and placement on the site

The chicken barn is located on a hill to ensure the drainage of rain and melt water, warming it up in warm weather. It should be located away from a residential building to limit the entry of unpleasant odors.

Decide on the number of individuals to calculate the area of ​​the future building - per 1 sq. m. place 4 chickens.

The length and width of the chicken coop depends on the free space on the site where the construction is planned. The main house is built in a rectangular shape and placed so that its windows face south, because the length of daylight hours affects the productivity of the bird. It definitely needs a walking area.

You can create a barn project yourself, or use ready-made diagrams and photos from agricultural magazines or the Internet.

Material and tools

The amount of materials directly depends on how thorough the construction is planned. Standard list of building materials:

  • a mixture of cement with sand and gravel;
  • edged and unedged boards, or brick;
  • roofing material - roofing felt or slate;
  • insulation (if the barn will be used in winter).

When choosing wall materials, arranging the ceiling, window and door openings, it is necessary to take into account the climate zone in order to ensure the indoor air temperature from -2° to +27°C. In these natural permissible fluctuations, it will be easier to maintain the optimal temperature regime.

No special tools are required; a regular construction kit will do.

Instructions. How to build a frame barn for chickens

Where to start construction, and in what sequence to proceed, we will look at the instructions.

How to build a foundation

Before making the foundation, you need to accurately determine the size of the chicken coop. Using a tape measure and 4 metal pegs, mark the selected area - drive rods into the corners of the future structure. After this, a thick thread is tied to them above the surface of the earth.

At the site of the future foundation, remove 25-30 cm of the top layer of soil, fill the hole with concrete. Such a foundation is not only strong, but will also serve as good protection from small predators that attack the bird. If it is not provided, the sheds should be upholstered with metal sheets on the outside.

Yulia Petrichenko, expert

How to make barn walls

A frame is constructed from wooden posts with a diameter of 10 cm. The frame is buried in the ground to a depth of 70 cm and the part that is under the ground is covered twice with a 50 cm layer of bitumen.

Bars with a cross section of 5*5 cm are nailed to the frame racks, resulting in a fairly strong and stable structure. Then they begin plating from the outside. If the barn will be used in the cold season, thick insulation is laid between the walls of the frame, if only in the summer - a layer of cardboard.

The gap between the skin is filled with sawdust or peat.

Make several windows in the walls to allow unhindered access to sunlight. At a height of 30-40 cm from the floor, make a hole under the window. Make the entrance to the barn on the south side, install a strong door that will close tightly.


The floor should not be left concrete; cover it with boards. In the summer, it should be covered with sawdust to remove excess moisture. To combat bacteria, the inside of the walls is whitewashed with lime.

Chicken barn roof

Install ceiling beams on top of the frame. They should protrude 40-50 cm beyond the building. It is insulated with dry reeds, straw or fiberglass. Don't forget about ventilation in the ceiling. It is better to construct it from boards, they will not cause condensation. The wooden pipe should be well sealed for the winter.

Cover the roof with slate or roofing felt to eliminate the possibility of leakage.

Video. Building a barn for chickens

We suggest watching how to build a chicken coop with your own hands in the following video.

When buying pork at the market, we often take risks - we don’t know what the pig ate, what it was injected with and what additives it was fed with. If you want to be sure of the quality of the meat, raise your own pig. First of all, start arranging a home for her.

Layout and location of the barn on the site

In order for the piglets to grow strong and not get sick, the pigsty must consist of two parts. The first building is a permanent one, where the pigs will live in winter, and the second one is for summer housing. Choose a place for its location away from the house so that the unpleasant odors emitted by pigs do not reach it.

What is the best material to build a barn for piglets from?

It is best to build pigsties from brick or additionally cover the inside with a thick layer of wood. Pigs have a habit of constantly chewing holes in walls, no matter what it is made of.

Before starting construction, prepare all the necessary materials:

  • cement, crushed stone, sand for pouring the foundation;
  • lining or plank;
  • slate;
  • thermal insulation coatings.

If you have everything at hand, you can safely start building a pigsty.

How to build a pig barn

Building a pig shed is a painstaking task, but the results are worth it. Follow the sequence of actions, and the pigsty will turn out warm and cozy.

Foundation and floor construction

When calculating the area, remember that there should be at least 5 square meters per head. m. A boar and a sow cannot be in the same pen, this is also worth taking into account.

At the beginning of the construction of a permanent barn for winter housing of animals, a good foundation should be poured. Its contours are marked with stakes and rope.

For such heavy living creatures, a strip foundation is suitable, for which it is necessary to make a frame from reinforcement. It is installed at a depth of about 70 cm and rises 30 cm above the soil.


The floor in the pig shed should not be damaged by sewage or excrement. Wood flooring, which is often used, is a poor option. It absorbs all the moisture, pigs constantly chew it off. Therefore, it is better to leave the floor concrete. It must be poured at an angle to ensure the drainage of all waste. To keep the pig from freezing, you can install several pallets or straw flooring around the perimeter of the barn.

Often a trough of bricks is laid out on the floor. If you want to use this in your pigsty, fill the bricks with mortar and rub the protrusions well, otherwise the pig will take it apart.

Walling

The walls need to be made of cinder block or brick; wooden ones will be chewed up very quickly by piglets. Experts advise protecting the internal walls with wooden panels - they can be easily replaced, and the walls will remain intact.

Walls are also built from bricks made from straw and clay. This mixture is formed into blocks and dried in the sun. After the walls are erected, such material is covered with reinforcement and a cement coating is applied on top. Such walls do not require insulation.

It is not necessary to build high walls, the main thing is that there is free access to the room for cleaning and necessary repairs.

Don't forget about windows for ventilation of the building. They are placed in such a way that there is no draft in the pigsty, to which pigs are very sensitive. Don't make them too big - pigs don't like bright light.

Roof and ceiling of the barn

The ceiling in a winter room can be insulated with fiberglass or polystyrene foam; these are fairly lightweight materials - they will not create a load on the foundation, but will retain heat well.

The roof is made of a pitched roof, it is simple to implement and reliably protects the pigsty from leaks. It is not necessary to build an attic, since due to the increased humidity in the shed, all of it will settle in the attic, which will lead to unnecessary rotting. Be sure to make an vent or ventilation system.

Pig pen

A summer fence for pigs is built from thick planks, which are stuffed onto poles dug in around the perimeter. There should be no cracks in it so that animals cannot chew them further. A strong metal mesh is also used for the walls of the pen.

In good weather, pigs can spend there around the clock. Fresh air is good for their health and allows them to get quality meat.

Video. How to make a barn for pigs We bring to your attention an interesting video about how you can build a pigsty with your own hands

DIY animal shed equipment

Pets and birds require not only a warm and comfortable room, but also some adaptations for normal functioning. Setting up a shed to suit the needs of its inhabitants is quite simple.

How to make chicken roosts

Install rectangular perches inside the coop. They need to be placed along the walls, preferably near a window. If there is insufficient natural light, place sources of artificial light above the perches. 40-60 W will be enough for one light bulb.

Perches should be located at the same level, 50-60 cm from the floor. The distance between them should be at least half a meter. The length of the crossbar depends on the number of chickens - 20 cm is allotted for each. A perch is made from a bar with a cross-section of 5*5 cm or 4*6 cm. The edges of the bar are rounded so that the chicken does not injure its paws.


To make a roost for chickens you need:

  • Fasten 4 boards of a certain size into a rectangle;
  • hem the bottom with a sheet of metal or any wooden panel;
  • attach the mesh that will collect droppings with thin bars around the entire perimeter;
  • attach a stand for a removable perch to the pallet (such a crossbar is easier to wash and clean);
  • Sawdust should be poured into the box.

Choose a strong and large mesh so that the chicken foot cannot get tangled there. It is recommended to clean the box once a week; for longer the sawdust will not be able to contain the smell.

We equip nests for laying hens

To do this you will need:

  • wooden sheet 10 mm thick;
  • screwdriver and jigsaw;
  • wooden beam 2.5*2.5 cm;
  • nails.

The nest for a laying hen should be 25x35x30-35 cm.

  1. Using a jigsaw, cut out rectangular pieces measuring 40*15 cm. This will be the basis for the 4 walls of the nest. To determine the required number of rectangles, you need to decide how many nests are needed and multiply this figure by 4.
  2. Then you should assemble the rectangles into a single nest.
  3. The bottom for the box is made from a 40*40 cm square. It is attached to the bottom.
  4. Carefully monitor the fastening in the corners, in these places it is most vulnerable.

Several hens can lay eggs in one place, but their number should not exceed 4.

Fill the nest with spruce or oak sawdust, less often with straw, 1/3. Such sawdust is heavier than straw and it is more difficult for the chicken to throw it out of the box.


The nests are mounted on special stands or on the wall. They cannot be attached to the bare wall of the chicken coop, otherwise they will soon become unusable. Screw the board and secure the finished places for the hens on it.

We make feeders and drinking bowls for pigs

In order for piglets to grow quickly and get stronger, their feeding area must be well equipped. You can make a feeder and drinker yourself using materials that you have on hand.

You can make a feeder that will last a long time from a metal pipe:

  • cut a piece of the required length from a wide metal pipe;
  • using a tool, divide it into 2 halves lengthwise;
  • weld 2 plates at both ends of the segment;
  • For stability of the structure, you can attach legs or dig it a little into the ground.

A pig will not be able to chew such a feeder, so it can be used indefinitely.


Drinking regime is also the basis for the development of pigs. The liquid must be supplied to them constantly and without interruption to avoid overheating and digestive problems.

There are two types of drinkers:

  • nipple, nipple - have a complex design that includes a water supply unit, filter, pressure regulator and pipes for water supply;
  • cup ones are simpler, they use water sparingly, but they are more prone to constant contamination with waste.

Proper care and feeding, ensuring comfortable living ensure that your pets and birds will be healthy, and you will be rewarded with the products you receive from them.

What breeds of chickens or pigs do you raise? Or you have a secret on how to increase egg production in chickens or fatten a pig faster - share with us in the comments!

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 begin building 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. The outbuilding should be separated from the residential premises 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 should be kept away from wells and wells with drinking water, because waste can get into them. 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 barn 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

DimensionsThey 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 spaceFor 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 a very small area can be fenced off near their barn to expand their living space - physical activity helps increase appetite, and the piglets grow faster.
Windows and doorsThere 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 insulationAll 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 layoutA sufficient number of drinking bowls and feeders must be installed for all animals and birds. 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 mixing 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. Lightweight frame-and-plank structures are an excellent option for southern regions where severe frosts do not occur. You can use this type of building in the middle zone, but then you will need to provide 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 ones. 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 for them. 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?

A poultry barn is usually built without capital construction and without heating. But the temperature inside should be quite high 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 is not harmful to poultry 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 using a frame-and-plank structure. Such a barn is not large in size, 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 installed 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, a permanent building made of brick, concrete or gas-foam concrete blocks is better suited. 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 works well for 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 that 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 shed is suitable, 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. It is not advisable to set up stalls for cows close to residential buildings or 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 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, the construction of a monolithic foundation is a rather expensive process. 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, this is easy to do at home.

Barn equipment

The cattle shed is equipped with special feeders and drinkers. Feeders and drinking bowls are located 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 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.

You can easily build a room for keeping animals with your own hands if you know what materials to use and what features distinguish such buildings. To do this, you will need building materials, tools and, of course, drawings and diagrams for the construction of walls and interior design.

This article provides tips, diagrams and drawings for building a barn for livestock with your own hands, and photos and videos will help you learn the basic skills for building a barn for animals.

Features of the premises for keeping livestock

To make a livestock barn comfortable, you need to calculate in advance how many animals will be kept in the room. This is necessary to calculate the size of the building, since the main requirement for such buildings is the comfort of animals and the ease of their maintenance (Figure 1).

Note: The interior of the room should be spacious enough so that animals can move freely to feeding and resting areas.

It is also necessary to include in the calculations the free space required for the movement of maintenance personnel. In addition, you need to choose the right materials: they should be inexpensive, but of sufficient quality so that the life of the barn is long.


Figure 1. Options for arranging a barn for keeping livestock

If you plan to keep animals not only in summer, but also in winter, the premises must be provided with a heating, ventilation, lighting and water supply system.

Preparation for construction

The main stage of preparation for construction is choosing the right place to place the building. First of all, consider the distance to a residential building. Since keeping animals is inextricably linked with an unpleasant odor, the minimum distance between the barn and a residential building should be 15-20 meters.

It is also necessary to place it at a distance from water sources: wells or boreholes. Animal waste products entering drinking water can cause severe poisoning or outbreaks of infectious diseases.

When planning to place a barn on a site, it is better to immediately provide a place for construction next to the feed storage room. In addition, the selected area should have enough free space to arrange an open range.

After the site has been selected, you can begin to draw up a plan and calculate the necessary building materials.

In order to correctly calculate the size of the room, it is necessary to determine in advance how many animals will be kept in it. For example, when breeding cows, 18 square meters of area per adult animal is considered optimal. The same area is enough to keep a cow and calf. Figure 2 shows several options for shed plans for keeping livestock.


Figure 2. Schemes for building a barn for livestock with your own hands

However, for maintaining large livestock, other standards have been adopted: 6 square meters per individual, and 9 square meters for a cow and calf. In addition, when making calculations, you need to take into account that a certain space will be allocated to partitions between stalls, passages, feeders and drinking bowls, so it is better to provide a small amount of free space in advance.

Stall dimensions

Since barns are usually built to house cattle or other animals that require a lot of space, let's look at the classic stall dimensions (Figure 3).


Figure 3. Drawings for building a stall with your own hands

As mentioned above, one cow will require 6 square meters of flooring, and if she is kept with a calf, then 9 square meters. In this case, you need to leave a passage between the stalls, up to 2 meters wide. It is advisable to make the floor with a slight slope (no more than 3%) so that slurry does not accumulate in the stalls and is discharged by gravity into special gutters.

Note: The optimal height of the barn is 2.5 meters, but if space and building materials allow, the ceilings can be made higher.

A standard stall has the following dimensions: width 1.1 meters, length 1.7 meters. In this case, it is advisable that the feeders are not located directly in the front of the stall, since the warm breath of the animals can spoil the feed. To prevent this from happening, leave a space of one meter between the front of the stall and the feeder.

DIY cattle barn: construction process

The construction of a cattle shed is carried out according to a specific algorithm, each stage of which has its own characteristics.

Let's take a closer look at the main stages of building a barn for animals with your own hands.

Construction of the foundation

The construction of any building begins with pouring the foundation, and an animal shed is no exception. In order for the room to be used for several years, you need to make a strong and reliable foundation (Figure 4).

It is better to make the base of the stable from concrete. This material is inexpensive, yet it is quite durable and can withstand the weight of several animals. In addition, such a foundation does not allow unpleasant odors and moisture to pass through, and is also not damaged by rodents.

You can choose any foundation: monolithic, strip or columnar. In the first case, they first dig a hole into which formwork with reinforcement is installed and a layer of crushed stone or coarse sand is poured onto the bottom. The top is poured with concrete.


Figure 4. Technology for building a foundation in a barn

If the building is wooden, it is better to build a columnar foundation rather than a monolithic one. The principle of its construction is approximately the same as in a monolithic one, but the difference is that pillars with reinforcement are installed in the pit, on which the base will rest. The distance between the pillars should be an average of two meters.

A waterproofing layer is laid on the outer layer of the foundation and a slight slope is made to drain excess moisture (for example, rainwater) from the base of the building.

Floor arrangement

The floor in the barn needs to be given a lot of attention, since not only the living comfort of the animals, but also the duration of operation of the building will depend on this (Figure 5).


Figure 5. Installation and insulation of the floor in a livestock barn

If you plan to keep animals not only in summer, but also in winter, you need to make sure that the floor is warm. To do this, make a concrete or cement screed that is resistant to rodents and moisture, on top of which logs, a layer of waterproofing and insulation are laid, and covered with boards. It is advisable to treat the plank floor with oil impregnation and paint it so that the wood does not become saturated with moisture and does not rot.

Walling

For the construction of walls, you can use any materials: sand-lime brick, foam block or ordinary bricks. It is not recommended to build a shed from wooden planks, since such buildings wear out quickly, and their construction will require more time and money than a similar brick structure.

The selected material for the construction of walls begins to be laid on the foundation, which must be covered in advance with a layer of rolled waterproofing material (for example, roofing felt). If necessary, the outer part of the walls and ceiling can be additionally insulated.

Roof arrangement

A gable roof with an attic, which can be used for storing feed, is considered optimal for a barn. To mount the roof, you need to install the ceiling elements - joists, on which the flooring of wooden boards is laid (Figure 6).


Figure 6. Technology for constructing a gable roof

The top of the deck is covered with any roofing material: slate, roofing felt or metal tiles. In this case, you should focus on financial possibilities, since the hydro- and thermal insulation properties of most inexpensive roofing materials are the same.

Barn equipment

The interior arrangement of the barn plays just as important a role as the construction of the room itself. First of all, you need to provide several opening windows or ventilation holes through which fresh air will flow inside. To determine the optimal number of windows, you need to calculate the floor area. The total area of ​​the windows should be 10 times less than this figure.

Note: It is advisable to place windows or openings for ventilation on one side of the room and at the maximum possible distance from the floor so that there are no drafts inside.

In addition to fresh air, windows also provide optimal lighting. However, for winter maintenance it is necessary to install electricity in the barn and install several light bulbs to extend daylight hours. It is also necessary to install heating devices, positioning them so that animals do not have access to the devices.

After electricity, ventilation and heating are installed in the barn, and the floor is covered with boards, it is necessary to make and install additional equipment: feeders for liquid and dry food, drinking bowls, stalls and separate compartments for keeping calves, as well as a chute for discharging slurry.

All stages of building a cattle shed are shown in detail in the video.

To prevent animals from freezing in winter, it is necessary to arrange the floor technologically correctly, and after the walls are fully erected, insulate their outer part. Windows and ventilation openings should also be insulated.

Construction technology

The technology for constructing a warm shed requires high-quality insulation of all structural elements of the building. First of all, the floor is insulated. To do this, logs are installed on the concrete screed, and a layer of insulation is laid in the free space between them.

To insulate the floor, you can use any thermal insulation materials: polystyrene foam, mineral wool or polyurethane foam. But preference should be given to the latter, since foam plastic is easily damaged by rodents, and mineral wool easily absorbs moisture penetrating through the floorboards.

To insulate the walls, the outer sheathing is done with foam plastic or mineral wool. The same is done with the roof. Additionally, the front door and windows are insulated by placing a thin layer of insulating material in the cracks between them.

Scheme of a warm barn for livestock

The design of a summer and winter barn for livestock is practically the same. But, so that you can insulate the room yourself, we recommend that you familiarize yourself with the diagrams and drawings of the thermal insulation of the barn shown in Figure 7.

Stey for bulls

The building for keeping bull calves is practically no different from a conventional barn in design. But, since the weight of adult animals is quite large, key attention should be paid to gender.

It should be located above ground level so that during the cold season or during rains cold air and moisture do not penetrate into the room. In addition, the floor must be insulated, and it is better to build it from materials that can be conveniently cleaned of manure in the future.

Note: The floor in the bull barn should have a slight slope towards the slurry collection tank.

As a rule, plank flooring based on concrete or cement screed is used as flooring in a steer barn. This flooring can withstand the weight of animals well and has a long service life.

From the video you will learn how to build and equip a barn for summer and winter housing of livestock.

Cow barn

If you plan to keep only one or two cows and calves on your homestead, you can build a barn from any available material: foam blocks, bricks, cinder blocks, shell rock or wood. A wooden barn is considered the least suitable option, since a lot of time and money need to be spent on its construction, and the structure itself will not have a long service life.


Figure 7. Scheme of construction and insulation of the barn

As in the case of a room for keeping bulls, the floor is made above ground level, and for insulation, the floor covering, walls and ceiling are sheathed with thermal insulation materials. The inside of the barn walls should be whitewashed with lime to prevent the spread of fungi and mold.