New Pasture Shelter

Run in shelter is important for animals like sheep and cows. Not only do these shelters give them a place to get out of rain and snow, but they also provide shade on hot days. For the last year or so our sheep have had a cobbled together shelter or a large tent - neither of which were intended to be permanent shelters. But lumber and roofing materials cost money, and I could always put them in one of the other barns if the weather was truly horrid, so their shelter kept getting pushed back on the list of priorities.

Unfortunately this spring/summer weather has been brutal. High winds and hail irreparably damaged the tent shelter, and moving Grady to the barn is nearly impossible because of his size. So as soon as DJ had a few days off, he started construction on our new pasture run in. This shelter will eventually be walled on 3 sides to provide protection from wind in the winter, but for now it's enough just to have a roof for shade and shelter.

I am fortunate that my husband likes to build things. Not only does he enjoy it - he's good at it. It seems something on the homestead is always needed repaired or built, and having my own in-house handyman saves us a lot of money and frustration. I admit I have very little knowledge on how building construction works. I just followed directions, mostly cutting boards to size on the saw. The shelter is 10' wide by 20' long and features a cantilevered overhang on one side of the fence so I can feed from outside the fence. The roof panels are metal except in the middle, where he used SunTuf panels which will provide natural, filtered light so it stays easy to see inside the barn.

Isn't she a lovely shelter? Still a little work to do - and of course the walls need to be put up and gates put on the sides. I want the option of locking the sheep in the barn for maintenance (shots, hoof trimming, etc) and easy catching when it comes time to shear again.