# Cattle Panel/Hoop shelters anyone?



## HoosierShadow (Apr 20, 2010)

We built one last fall, nothing fancy at all & a bit eye sore, but wow has it exceeded my expectations! We built it so we could keep a roll bale in it for the goats through the winter, but they got to where they preferred to sleep in there all the time vs. sleeping in the barn.

This is what it looked like right after we built it <I put blue tarps on the sides & ends afterwards>. The only differences now - we dont' allow goats in front of the barn or gate anymore, so the front of the shelter is blocked off, and we have a cattle panel that goes from the left side of the shelter to the left of the gate.









I want to tear down the shelter, and rebuild it.
The floor stays moist especially with all the rain, so I want to move it a little further from the barn, can't go far and there is no where else we can put it <we built a new pen behind the barn so it can't go back there - you can see how far out it comes from the barn - post in front of the goats in middle of pic>.

I want to use new pallets, and mount OSB or plywood so I don't have to fool with tarps on the sides. 
Basically something similar to this:









Any ideas on making something somewhat permanent on the ends for doorways? 
The part I am definitely stumped on is the front - need to be able to get a roll bale in there! I want something that can be closed up during bad/cold/wet weather, but otherwise open up to allow good air flow.

I was thinking maybe double doors on the front? it can have hooks to hold them open and just run a cattle panel across the open doorway to keep goats from getting in front of the barn/gate?

The backside I was thinking a double dutch door, nothing fancy, something like we put on the front of the barn:









I'd also like to add an escape door on the side facing the barn just big enough for a goat to get in/out to get away from bullies.

I'm sorry I am not great at explaining this, or am dragging this post out lol I just know I want to get started on this soon, and trying to figure out the best way to do it. My husband doesn't want to add onto the barn this year, so redoing this shelter will be my only option.

I don't have a big budget, I just figured I'd get some sheets of OSB or plywood, pallets are free, and I can get some 1x4's and 2x4's  
The expensive part will be getting a new heavy duty tarp unless my friend can get me a couple more of the billboard signs like the one we have on there right now.

Any thoughts, or ideas are welcome! If you've done one of these shelters and want to share, please do so!  Doesn't matter if it's simple or fancy, it could help others out on the forum 

P.S. the hard part I think is making a wooden frame on the ends that is 'rounded' lol


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## Frosty (Feb 13, 2010)

We just built a small chicken coop out of pallets. Nothing fancy. But what we did is using a sawsall cut the pallets apart for extra wood and using the pallets for sides we used the ones we cut apart to fill in the spaces. I am not good at explaining either. will take a couple pictures and show you. Right now its done except for something on the roof to keep rain out right now I have a tarp on it..Good luck with your project.


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## Ryann (May 29, 2013)

Barbara we might have some left over metal roofing scraps... Let me ask my mom how big is it? We use it on all our barns easy to rake the snow off in the winter!


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## Frosty (Feb 13, 2010)

I will have to measure it not sure. Thanks that would be a great help.


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## HoosierShadow (Apr 20, 2010)

Frosty said:


> We just built a small chicken coop out of pallets. Nothing fancy. But what we did is using a sawsall cut the pallets apart for extra wood and using the pallets for sides we used the ones we cut apart to fill in the spaces. I am not good at explaining either. will take a couple pictures and show you. Right now its done except for something on the roof to keep rain out right now I have a tarp on it..Good luck with your project.


Thanks  We actually did build our barn out of pallets. We built it back in 2010, and is holding up well. Originally we'd only planned to have a few goats, so we made it 16'x12'. Then.. we added on a back section 16'x7', then the next year we added onto the front east side of the barn another 12'x7' section lol Pallets, with OSB siding. We put a really good roof on the original barn, but had to use metal on the other parts.

I wanted to add onto the barn, but with how it's set up & the way I wanted to add on, just can't do it now. 
So... redoing the cattle panel shelter & painting the barn is at the top of the agenda


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## Chadwick (Jan 24, 2014)

I would build a wall to match the shape, then use posts to support it as was done on the red one... One side a solid wall one side a door in the wall....or both door walls!


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## Naunnie (Jul 4, 2014)

Here is one I had bookmarked a while back. It's not exactly what your looking for. It's a Permanent Hoop Coop. I thought the way they did the door might be some inspiration...  The link has full instructions and materials list. http://www.backyardchickens.com/a/permanent-hoop-coop-guide


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## Naunnie (Jul 4, 2014)

Oh! I forgot I had this bookmarked too.Still tarps and no pallets but, several different doors. http://www.valhalla-project.com/2013/09/valhallas-quick-and-easy-arched-cattle.html


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## Frosty (Feb 13, 2010)

Here is the coop we just built. I thought I posted it but guess it didn't take..Still need to cover the roof.


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## HoosierShadow (Apr 20, 2010)

Thanks for all of the ideas! I love the coops, those are nice! They even have me wanting chickens even more lol 

Frosty yours has turned out really nice! Are you going to put a metal roof on? For our barn, we used something at Lowe's called 'Ondura' <spelling?>, it's asphalt I believe, I think it comes in 4'x6' sheets, really good stuff! We used metal on the rest of the barn additions, but if I had the $$ when we did those I would definitely have gotten the Ondura.

I'm hoping to pick up pallets on Monday, start measuring, and planning where to put the new shelter. I think before we take the old one down, we can get the pallet walls up for the new one, so all we have to do is transfer the cattle panels/cover over to the new one.
Then once I have the $$ for the new cover, etc. We can get it all done 
I have an idea from all the pictures posted for door/end ideas, but to hard to write it/explain it. So if it happens I'll post pics!


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