How long does it take you???

[TanksHill]

Bee your self serve salad bar sounds interesting. I can't wait to see how it turns out.

Karen good for you on the sales. That's what it's all about right? Did you get any horses in that barn of yours yet??

Justusnak --- That's about 1 1/2 hours of work depending on how long you stop to play with the animals.

Dawn, your place, animals and remodel are obviously a full time gig. The way you move from chores to computer time to house stuff is like many we have around here. Including myself. Except I have a lot less animals. By the way

So what I am gathering is that the feed and water needs to be easily accessible at each individual animal pen. Depending on your weather and how far you want to trudge through the snow may determine how close your barn/ pens are to the house.

Start at one end and work your way though until all are fed and watered. Then do it again if necessary in the evening. Is it better to house all your animals in one big building or to split them up in their own spaces? Except for pigs of course. I think they need to bee up and away.

A 50 x 70 barn is huge right? Just trying to get a grip on what might fit.

Thanks, gina

 

[patandchickens]

Depending on your weather and how far you want to trudge through the snow may determine how close your barn/ pens are to the house.

Actually I think realistically it does not depend much on personal preference, it depends on the layout of the particular property. The barn needs to be on high (not low) ground, with as much high (not low) ground around it as possible, draining away from the house, with good solid all-season driveway access to the barn, preferably not excessively exposed to winter winds, and with a good place to store manure right near the barn. On a lot of properties, that does not give you a big lot of choice

Is it better to house all your animals in one big building or to split them up in their own spaces?

Sort of, up to a point.

The limitation you run into is that the larger the building is, the less "outside" it has right around it, so pen/paddock/pasture access becomes more limited for each animal and mud and punched-earth problems get much, much worse.

If you are going to keep your animals so that they have lots of outdoor space, and so that all the hoofstock has essentially 24/7 access to the outdoors, as is by far healthiest for them, it actually works better with the barn not being too big, and thus maybe having several separate structures rather than one big one (depending on how many and what kind of animals you'll have, of course).

A 50 x 70 barn is huge right? Just trying to get a grip on what might fit.

Well, if you want hoofed stock, remember that hay will soak up a substantial amount of space. And of course it depends on how you will be keeping your horses. For instance, I could keep a nearly infinite number of horses in a 50x70 barn, cuz I don't believe in keeping horses IN barns and the stalls are just there for emergency use or for waiting for the vet/farrier (They do need some run-in shed space, but an open area of, say, 20x50, with the long side being open, could comfortably shelter a dozen horses or more).

But, yeah, for typical backyard type purposes, 50x70 is good'n'big (although a longer narrower barn would be better, from the livestock's point of view anyhow)

JMHO, good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[TanksHill]

Very good information Pat. I really don't think horses will ever be on my list of animals to have. I am thinking more like goats, chickens etc..

I guess I need to remember that dh will be using this barn as well and take into account farming equipment as well.

I am starting to lean toward separate buildings for different purposes. I share a garage with him now and it really doesn't work.

gina

 

[Javamama]

I takes me less than 10 minutes. The chickens are about 25 feet from the house out the back door. Rabbit on the porch. Ducklings in the kitchen.
I'm sure I'll have to add another 5 minutes or so to take care of the ducks once they are outside. How am I gonna manage?

It's the garden and weed control that takes much more time.

 

[Javamama]

SKR8PN it looks like you interrupted a very important meeting in that photo. Gorgeous dogs!

 

[Wildsky]

The dogs live in the house with us, but the back yard is fenced in so they can be out in nice weather. If you ask them though, I BEAT them every day and FORCE them to live outside 24/7. Oh ya, I also NEVER feed them.


http://pic40.picturetrail.com/VOL264/2074170/7177437/379633055.jpg
(can you tell that I beat them every day?)


The chicken tractor is portable and the distance to the house varies........depending on WHERE I set them. I try to make it so they aren't more than 20-30 ft from the outside faucet.

The Beef, the Lamb and the Pork all live in the freezer.

We beat our dog too - and force her to keep the children warm and comfortable!

 

[bibliophile birds]

So what I am gathering is that the feed and water needs to be easily accessible at each individual animal pen.

definitely! i'd save a whole lot of time if i didn't have to open every gate i came to just to fill a waterer. it would also be a lot more convenient if my birds weren't so spread out.

Is it better to house all your animals in one big building or to split them up in their own spaces?

like pat said, it really depends on so many factors. one thing you have to remember and consider VERY SERIOUSLY is that the grass directly around barns that have a lot of traffic almost always turn to straight mud. i've been to barns that are ringed by mud weeks after it last rained. animals going in and out will conveniently pee and poop right outside the doors and constant walking will make it a muddy mess. so, if you are going with a big barn to house everyone, you maybe need to think about gravel. and don't figure that land in when you start calculating stocking rates.

personally, i'd go with a smallish central barn with good yards around it for bringing animals in as need be, but mostly keeping everyone out on their own. goats do well with movable little sheds, if you have the land to be able to move them about and my chickens are thriving in their movable chicken wagon. (although i HATE HATE HATE those dog panels. they were a temporary fix until the electric netting was available and they are a pain in the rear to move. stupid electric netting is STILL on back order.)

 

[FarmerChick]

LOL Gina
no horses yet but they sure are on the list of coming to the farm

I can't wait
I started "farming" for my love of horses and it went "into real farming" which took up time lol no the farm is scaling back big time and my "horse farming" is going to cme back full speed lol

gotta get up some cash cause I need all new "horsey stuff" lol

 

[TanksHill]

BB thank you for the advice, very sound. The info on the rain and mud I did not even consider.

FC you horses will be coming soon. You daughter must be close to what 5 now? She will be a riding fool like her Momma in no time.

And ooooo the shopping will be so much fun!!!!

 

[hwillm1977]

gotta get up some cash cause I need all new "horsey stuff" lol

I bought A LOT of my horsey stuff on Ebay... I'd sell crap I had around the house on Ebay, and get people to pay me with paypal... once I had enough for something fun I'd order it...

I got 3 english saddles for less than $100 each (including shipping), blankets, custom halters, show clothes, bridles, lots of bits, etc... for a fraction of the cost at a tack shop...

My chores are easy... about 45 minutes in the morning, and 45 minutes in the evening (but that includes 2-30 minute walks for the dogs)... I've only got 4 chickens, 2 dogs, 1 cat and one horse (but the horse is boarded at a stable, so no chores there for me... I just go and exercise, groom and ride her).