# Shop to Barn conversion Question



## TLassetter82 (Apr 7, 2014)

I have a 16' x 20' Shop that we are planning to convert into a barn. It is a tin shell with rigid Styrofoam insulation (4x8 sheets) With plywood walls. The cieling has also been closed in with insulation, but I can tear it down easy. No windows, Wood doors, and Concrete floor. I am unsure as to how much ventilation I need to provide. I was thinking a small window on each side wall toward the back of the barn.The doors will stay open and the Goats will have free access to come and go as they please. The only time the doors will be closed is during a bad storm. But it gets pretty hot here so, I was really wondering if I would need more ventilation.


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## giddysmom (Mar 12, 2014)

Our chicken coop is similar. We Iive in eastern va so it is hot humid in summer. We put small wire covered vents along bottom of bldg and put a fan in the window ( near top) blowing out. It pulls cool air in and out. Works well. Also give the goats an open shaded spot and they should be fine. Mine hang out in the shade on hot summer days


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## Chadwick (Jan 24, 2014)

As a carpenter with no shop I am against this, as a goat person I like it, I don't know how to feel!

You want some type of controllable vent up high to let the heat out. Controllable so that if it gets cold you can minimize the heat loss. I don't know where you are, this may be a mute point if you are in south FL or the like.


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## MsScamp (Feb 1, 2010)

You also need to remember that concrete conducts cold. Depending on where you live, that may or may not be a problem. I have a shed that is comparable in size to your's, but it is wood. Regardless of the season, it is always a good 10 degrees colder in that shed than outside - a good thing in the dog days of summer, not so much during January kidding.


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## TLassetter82 (Apr 7, 2014)

Chadwick said:


> As a carpenter with no shop I am against this, as a goat person I like it, I don't know how to feel!
> 
> You want some type of controllable vent up high to let the heat out. Controllable so that if it gets cold you can minimize the heat loss. I don't know where you are, this may be a mute point if you are in south FL or the like.


I am in North Alabama. It doesn't get very cold here, and we will keep clean hay for bedding. I'm thinking I could tear down the insulation from the cieling, and maybe install a couple of vents. That would leave the beams, and a tin roof. They will have a couple of shade trees in the pasture also.


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## MsScamp (Feb 1, 2010)

Something else you need to keep in mind is that, because the converted shop is enclosed, you will have to be careful if the bedding is dusty. Confined areas have a tendency to hold dust, and dusty hay/straw/wood shavings can cause dust pneumonia. When bedding my shed with dusty hay, I always shake the hell out of it and do not allow access for a couple of hours after re-bedding it. In my area the wind is usually blowing from the west at a pretty good clip, so it blows the dust out.


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## TLassetter82 (Apr 7, 2014)

MsScamp said:


> Something else you need to keep in mind is that, because the converted shop is enclosed, you will have to be careful if the bedding is dusty. Confined areas have a tendency to hold dust, and dusty hay/straw/wood shavings can cause dust pneumonia. When bedding my shed with dusty hay, I always shake the hell out of it and do not allow access for a couple of hours after re-bedding it. In my area the wind is usually blowing from the west at a pretty good clip, so it blows the dust out.


Now, I'm thinking maybe we can keep the shop as a multi purpose, food storage, etc. barn, and Just build the girls their own enclosure behind it. It actually seems like the most sure way not to have ventilation problems... Although it would be easier to convert the shop, it may be wiser to build new.


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## MsScamp (Feb 1, 2010)

That could be the wisest choice. You are going to have to weigh the pro's and con's of each and go from there. Building a simple 3-sided shed with temporary kidding pens and electricity is really not that difficult and has done very well for me for a lot of years. I've spent a good amount of time kidding in January with temps well below -18 and a wind chill of -25 to -35 degrees. Wiring it is going to be the hardest and most costly part unless you know an electrician that could help you out.

ETA: I really don't care for concrete floors. Granted, concrete is easier to disinfect than dirt, but they don't offer any advantage outside of ease of disinfecting IMHO. They are no easier to clean out unless they have a smooth finish and that can make them slippery under the right circumstances. They certainly don't provide any advantage to newborn kids in cold weather.


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## Chadwick (Jan 24, 2014)

If you take all the insulation off the roof the heat from the sun will be heating the barn more than if you remove just for vents


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

You are going to want to think about predators including dogs and people. If you do a 3 sided shelter, they are easy prey. I need to lock up my goats every night. I have to worry about local dogs and possible theft.


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## TLassetter82 (Apr 7, 2014)

Yeah, the more I hear, I think I am going to make plans to build a whole different barn. It seems like it would be better all around. 
We won't have to worry about anything getting to our goats, but I want to be able to lock them up. Our property is fenced, and the goat pens will be inside the main outer fence. Our dogs patrol around the property. Although they cant get into the goat enclosures, they can deter any predator, if one made it past the first fence. Or at least make enough noise to let us know something is up.


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