Barns

[Nickermaker]

I know that several on here have built new barns lately, or remodeled ones that they have. I think I've looked at all and drooled over them all, as they are all pretty nice. My question is now that you have done these, is there anything that you see now that you would have liked to have added but didn't? Or is there anything you would have done differently? Just curious - since ours is still in the planning stage, right now trying to figure out how to remodel an existing barn, but in time plan on a new one. I thinK I know what we want and need but was curious on my part in case I am overlooking something.

Thanks

 

[Bluerocket]

Well - ours is not finished yet -- still to be done:

1) electricity with a meter just for the barn - in case we decide to do this as a business instead of a hobby. I will have 6 lights and 8 receptacles to start with and a huge fuse box planning on expansion later. Eventually would like to have a receptacle and light at each stall - so I can "vacuum groom" and "body clip" in the stalls.

2) real running water at the barn - not in each stall - just one no freeze faucet with a hose.

3) ceiling fans - at least 3 of them

4) A real tack room and carriage storage room - probably have to add on OUTSIDE the building - would love to have a people bathroom -- and a WASH RACK for the horses with cold/hot water.

5) A separate building for hay storage - only want to keep a couple of bales in the barn at one time. Want this big enough to hold 200 bales at one time.

6) mats to cover the barn aisle as well --- would love to have mats for the entire barn -- but this probably will not happen

Don't know if we will EVER do all those things -- but they are the wish list.

I am sure there will be more things we want to do over time --

JJay

 

[Nickermaker]

Thanks Bluerocket!! Do you prefer mats over other types of flooring? I've actually thought of a stall with some kind of heat too (like for foaling during the cold) - but haven't come up with the ideal answer on this - does anyone feel this is a good idea or not?

And no one else out there that has redone or built a new barn has anything they wished they had added but didn't? Or wish they would have done something differently than they did? If not, this is Great - as I keep thinking of what I want in a barn - then think no - then again maybe. I know once it's done, it's done, but there can always be the "I should have added or done this differently" phrase. This is what I'm looking for in case I'm missing something in my own thinking.

 

[Marty]

Ok I"ll take a try at this:

You said re-model an old barn. Well ok good. Love old barns but many of them are eaten up badly with so much termite damage that it's just not feasible to even try. So do look closely at this situation before you do anything at all to it. Many are not worth it and the money you dump into a termite damaged barn is just like burning it. So be very careful about the extent of the damage.

I think location is very important. We had to move our fences 5 stupid times during construction. Our barn is centrally located to all our fields. I don't have to go very far to get to any of them at all. That's good cause I hate to have to walk a long way to get to a gate. I can see every field easily from the barn and also from my house. The barn is also located only some 70 feet from my back door making it very easy for me to get there in bad weather.

As far as doing anything differently in my new barn, you kidden? I'm so happy and just so greatful that my horses are warm and dry with a good roof over them. I am not happy about the loft that is over them though. It's just going to be a catch-all for all kinds of crap. I also want windows put in for more natural light but Jerry seems to think there is plenty enough when the doors are opened. He's probably right, but I'd still like windows.

I do love my flooring, although I do not have mats. I am very happy with the flooring that we did.

I do have a separate place for hay storage that holds about 200 bails of hay away from the horse barn. I like that because I am very scared of fires and always was taught not to keep hay in a barn stored where the horses are. I only keep one bail in there at a time. I also will not have a refridgerator in there for the same reason. The less stuff like that I have the less fire possiblities I'll have too, so unlike a lot of folk here, I do not have a lot of outlets in the barn nor do I want a lot of them. That makes for extra running of electric wires and it's just not necessary for my little insignificant set up. I have one on each end and that is enough for me. Call me paranoid but I don't even keep the radio plugged in the barn when I am not at home.

My water spiket is inside the barn. It will not freeze and my buckets don't freeze. We have insullated the barn. No breaking ice for me anymore. We will be putting in hot water too. Heating a barn for me just isn't something I want to do. I don't think it's very healthy for the horses and can be dangerous too. That's why we insullated. Warm in the winter and cool in the summer. Save on running a thousand box fans like I used to. It's very cozy in there. The coldest it should get inside the barn would be about 40 degrees. If you are worried about foaling, just be sure you don't have anyone bred that late in the year so you don't get a winter foal.

I did get sliding doors and I am very surprised that I love them! They are on tracks, look good and work well. Jerry built them and did a really good job.

I can say that I do hate tin roofs or metal barns. I've been in them for way too many years and it's a personal preference that I just don't care for them. I'd rather have wood or concrete any day.

Maybe if you post pictures of your old barn, we can better give you some ideas for it.

Good luck with your barn.

 

[backwoodsnanny]

The only change I would make to our barn after two years is the aisle should have been about 2 feet wider as I take the tractor down the middle to clean out and it would have been nice to have had more than the foot or so I have to play with to get on and off the tractor.

I also would have exterior doors to each stall that would allow me to let certain horses in and out at will during the day.now they are either in or out as my stall doors face the aisle.

I love my metal roof we put fiberglass panels every 3 sections that are white so barn is very light even when it is a dark day. I wouldnt have anything but metal but I live in snow country and this lets the snow slide off.

I also would have liked to have outlets at each stall but also am scared of fire so have power at each end only. Maybe someday when Im not such a scaredycat.

 

[wpsellwood]

Bigger I should of went bigger. Its 25x40 with an attached round pen of 40x40. I wish I would of went 30x50 with 50x50. Im not turning my indoor round pen into stalls nope not doing it

 

[xxs]

I just have a little shed type barn..but, if I ever can afford a big one, it will probably be like one I worked at that I just LOVED! The stalls were back to back down the center, and then you had a working arena on the outside of the stalls! Awesome! In the center of the stall row, there was a saddleing area that was heated...great place for grooming, vaccuming, etc. ...this also served as a tack room, and was large enough to store a couple of carts..And, it had an office, and another room that could be made into a wash rack..that would be nice! Water hydrants on each side of the stall rows...recessed so they were out of the way. The hay storage was over the stalls..but I can understand not wanting all that hay in the barn.

I had a hay shed put up last year. It will hold approx. 350 bales. What it is, is one of those portable car ports. It is a 2 car size, and I had it built 2 ft. higher...it was only $100 to go the extra 2'. Then I used tarps on the sides last year. Well,the tarps were wearing out, so I got lucky!! I did a good deed for one of my neighbors. They moved, and the house hadn't sold yet, so I mowed for them. They gave me a STACK of metal siding ..about 30 sheets 16' long plus some shorter peices, for the mowing. We put the siding on this fall, and it is so nice! It only took 12 sheets plus the pieces to do the job.

The sides for the shed were available, but they wanted$350 to do both sides...not bad..But, they wanted over $500 to do EACH end!! I am glad I waited and got it done for the cost of the 2x4s and screws . Now I just wonder what I can do with the rest of that siding?

 

[Nickermaker]

Thanks for the replies - Marty I love your barn

I thought of a loft over the center about 1/2 the length of the barn. The one we are redoing is just until we have the plans for a new one, which is probably a couple of years away yet. Thinking about sky lights over the stalls in the new one. The loft would be a catch all for us too, but at least we could have our garage back (hopefully).

We won't store hay in it as we put up over 1000 bales a year - approx 35-40 tons. So we tarp it for right now but are planning a hay shed separately for this.

I've thought of going with removable walls/panels in between the stalls. This way smaller stalls could be made into bigger ones like for foaling.

Thought of the heated stall also was for kidding out my goats, as they usually don't kid when it is nice. Also had a full size mare foal January 29th of 04, which we had not planned on this at all - actually a neighbor let me borrow their barn for this foaling since it was blizzarding here around that time. She was there for about a week before foaling, which was the pits having to get up and drive over there to check on her 3 or 4 times a night in subzero temps. Thought I could have the heat available but not use it unless needed, as I hate/despise heat lamps - they are my major fear of fire. Anyway it would be available this way if needed and I think easier to put in during construction than adding on later. But wanted your thoughts on this, as this is still an iffy thing.

I love the idea of water inside the barn instead of out - no freezing would be great.

I have thought of having stall doors both on the aisle and the outside to runs. Which their runs would lead to turn out areas/pasture.

I just want to have all my thoughts together before we come up with the final plans as I don't want to have to keep redoing them. As for remodeling the barn we have - Marty you are so right about the money. We are not going to put a whole lot of bucks into it, just enough to get by for right now. As the dollars I sink into it could very well be spent on my new one, and getting it done sooner.

Anyway thank you all - I would also need the wide aisle as we have a tractor. Knew I wanted it big enough for truck/trailer but hadn't thought of our tractor, which would help with cleaning tremendously.

Thanks again

 

[Bluerocket]

Nickermaker/Vickie:

I LOVE mats for floors - -for stalls and aisleways -- easy to sweep and easy on bedding -- and not as tough for injuries as concrete or asphalt -- and you can pull one up here or there if you need to --- they are a bit pricey however!!

Oh--- if I could have had the barn of my dreams.. it would have been a concrete block barn with insulated ceiling and with dutch doors from each stall to individual runs -- with a HIGH ceiling and celing fans over each stall -- and a electrical receptacle and individual light in each stall (turn/on off from outside the stall) -- I would have a heated tackroom and a separated carriage storage room -- and a people bathroom and a room for sleeping/foal watch with one way mirror into foaling stall (with video and sound from barn to that room and to the house for the same reason) with a phone installed (for waiting for the vet to return your call) with a hot water heater, a real enclosed wash/dry stall - also a shower for people and a huge sink and a washer/dryer -- and refridgerator and a microwave -- not to mention fire extinguishers all over the place..... AND close enough to get to - but far enough away for fire protection-- a separate HAY barn -- and another garage for all the equipment (tractor, manure spreader, bush hog etc..) --- and of course an indoor ring large enough to truly drive in -- like at the horse shows...

We just can't even begin to afford all that! But it is fun to dream about.

Good luck with yours.

JJay

 

[Relic]

l love our barn but 2 things l would have done different is made lower ceilings ours now are 16' tall l'd prefer them 12' tall and the outside sliding doors instead of 10' wide l would have them be 12 wide because it's real touchy backing the trailer throgh only 10 ' without having to go at it about 30 times.