# Improving My Barn



## FoxRidge (Aug 26, 2016)

I am aiming at buying 2-3 Nigerian Dwarfs in the spring and in the mean time I am sort of remodeling the barn. What I have currently is a 24'x32'-2 story barn. The Loft has the same square footage as the first floor, both have 12' high ceilings. There aren't any actual doors on the exterior, making it pretty drafty in the colder months. I am really hoping to build sliding doors but am not sure how to go about it. I'm not much of architect. On the main floor there are 4-8'x8' stalls for kidding/ill goats, an 8'x8' milking room with a separate 8'x8' storage/tool room, there is one 8'x8' kid escape stall and an open area at the end that is also 8'x8'. The aisle is also 8' wide running down the middle. I'll post a quick, silly looking diagram of the barn. Some things I would like to add or change:

Add Sliding doors! I would really like to have sliding doors in addition to the gates that fold inward already in the barn. The wind whips through pretty good sometimes during the winter and if I can help it I'd like to close off the flow. Each door would have to cover an 8'x10' opening and with the loft there are 4 of them. How hard are sliding doors to build? 

I would like to change from florescent lights to plain light bulb sockets so I can use LEDs. At the moment the lights if at all cool, do not light up hardly at all. They stay pretty dim and are not really any help. I would almost like to put a socket about each stall but this might be a bit overkill on the lighting? Currently there isn't any lighting in the loft :/

Also I need to fix my milk stand stanchion, its really crappy at the moment, so simple, safe ideas for that as well would be wonderful 

For their outdoor area aside from their pasture I have a few of those huge cable wheels, I could make a playground of it. What are some other simple designs to keep them happy?

I have had goats before and have most everything ready, but you know if when you can tweak something a little more and you have the time before the area is occupied and busy, its nice to get it done in advance. What are somethings you guys can think of off hand to improve my little barn? I'll add a few pictures that I took while cleaning it up the other day. I have modified a few things already that aren't in the pictures, the exterior gates are much lower now and will be fenced over so they can't amble through the rungs, I adjusted some of the stall doors so they are more even.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

I would put lights in every stall and down the center. Have a light switch for each row. I'd put lights in the loft too. Hopefully someone can help you with all this installing as you will probably need a new breaker box if you add all that lighting.


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## FoxRidge (Aug 26, 2016)

Speaking of the breaker box...my ex had wired the outlets that are in there and if you have the fencer plugged in one outlet and try to plug in a phone charger on the other side of the barn it throws the breakers! I need an electrician to take a look at that barn for safety sake. I forgot to post the diagram pic....


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## Goats Rock (Jun 20, 2011)

Do you belong to any organizations? 4-H, church, PTA etc? Maybe someone can help you out with the sliding doors or electrical etc.


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## SalteyLove (Jun 18, 2011)

The sliding doors are the easiest part of the list to me!

Check what is at the top of the door opening now for a header - is there a 4x4 or 6x6 beam behind the siding at the top of the doors?

Buy the hangers and rails like these: https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/catalog/door-hardware

You need rail TWICE as wide as the opening, because the door has to be able to slide completely out of the way.

The simplest door will be a Z-brace which is basically your vertical boards all butted together and then a nailer across the top, bottom, and diagonal between to hold them together. I believe mine are made from 1"x10" rough cut (cheapest from a local lumber mill yard if you have one). Most lumber yards will even cut them to length for you if you ask! You don't need planed lumber like from Home Depot etc. for this project.

I will try to remember to take a few photos of our sliding barn doors tonight for you.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

All good advice.


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## FoxRidge (Aug 26, 2016)

I don't belong to any organizations but my brother used to be in construction but we don't see each other very often. My cousin loves to help, he'll come and stay for 3-4 days and we plow through projects together as long as we have the materials ready . 

I went out and measured, we have doubled up 2"x9"s going horizontally and there is a 6"x6" beam on either side of the opening that travels all the way to the roof.


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## Goats Rock (Jun 20, 2011)

Another idea, there are auctions around here that sell garage and barn doors. They also sell used (re-purposed) doors. Maybe you could buy doors, then all you have to do is put them up!


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## WhiteFeatherFarms (Jun 29, 2017)

Another idea, our local high school will do things in their ag department as long as you provide the supplies. This winter they're taking an old wood swing-set I have to start with, I bought a bunch of lumber & plywood & their making a 'goat playground' that will be delivered in the spring! My son is in the program but they do lots of things for folks in the community! Might be worth checking out


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