Shed design help?

Unless you have somewhere else for winter hay storage, I would make that area larger. And yes, ventilation is important so adding windows would be idea. More than 1 (one) window would allow for a cross ventilation, especially important during the summer months to keep the heat from building up on the inside. Maybe consider making that half wall a 3/4 high wall or floor to ceiling wall since the hay feeder will be mounted there. I would place the water somewhere other than beside where the hay is fed because hay gets strown when they eat, and the water bucket would constantly be filled with bits and pieces of hay.

I would do 12 feet out. That extra 2 feet really does help with wind, etc. Agree with above also.

I agree..and if you can provide an awning would be great. So when days are warm they can lay out but not be in direct sun.

Thanks so much! I hadn’t thought of an awning but I think we could just extend the roof pretty easily to give them more of an overhang. We can also do 12 ft instead of 10. That does sound better.

We do have a separate barn with a hay loft, but it’s pretty far away so I’d like to keep maybe 4-6 bales in the goat shed and restock as needed. Do you the storage area is big enough for that plus a few basic supplies? Just not sure how much to designate to the goats vs storage.

Are you going to have a door or doorway from barn into storage area? You are going to hate bringing things, especially hay around a corner, etc.

If you are really only going to store 4-6 bales, then your size storage should be fine. With having the goats as pets only, you don't need as much stuff. Plus you should always keep meds and wormers inside your house.

NDGnewbie said:

Thanks so much! I hadn’t thought of an awning but I think we could just extend the roof pretty easily to give them more of an overhang. We can also do 12 ft instead of 10. That does sound better.

We do have a separate barn with a hay loft, but it’s pretty far away so I’d like to keep maybe 4-6 bales in the goat shed and restock as needed. Do you the storage area is big enough for that plus a few basic supplies? Just not sure how much to designate to the goats vs storage.

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Should be enough room for that amount of hay stacked at least 3 (three) high.

happybleats said:

I agree..and if you can provide an awning would be great. So when days are warm they can lay out but not be in direct sun.

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Thats such a good idea, the goats here really enjoy their porch area.

ksalvagno said:

Are you going to have a door or doorway from barn into storage area? You are going to hate bringing things, especially hay around a corner, etc.

If you are really only going to store 4-6 bales, then your size storage should be fine. With having the goats as pets only, you don't need as much stuff. Plus you should always keep meds and wormers inside your house.

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Yes, we will have a gate in that half or three quarter wall so we can get in. Good thinking about the wormers and meds!

I mean a door into existing barn from storage area.

I agree with the others. It's always better to have larger if possible. Water away from hay will safe a lot of sorrow and struggles in the long run. The "half wall" you may want to think about doing wood half way up and then like a cattle panel or horse panel grid like material for top. This way you have good ventilation and don't have anyone jumping over a half wall. Minerals I would place closer to hay than water so you don't have water getting all in your mineral holder. Hope this helps.

ksalvagno said:

I mean a door into existing barn from storage area.

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Ooh, no the other side is used almost exclusively for a wood furnace and wood storage. I didn’t really include that in the drawing but there is a separate door into it right beside the top left hand door in the drawing. That door is the only entrance to the barn/shed. So the doors will be right next to each other but no doors between the wood shed area and the goat area.

So how are you going to bring the hay in from the barn to the storage room?

The hay is stored in another larger barn on another part of of property. Too far away for me to be comfortable with keeping goats there. We have a side by side so we will bring it up to the goat shed as we need to restock it on that. It won’t ever go into the wood shed

Don't make it too tall. And you can bring down an edge or if you've got a side where you can put it in with the 10 that faces the Sun that gray polycarbonate I think it's by suntuff that home Depot carries is great stuff the clear white is too flimsy but the grayish brown color works great. He can add light and it also can act as a source of heat in the winter time I opened up the eaves and the doors at the ends enough that it blows through well in the summertime but when that's all enclosed you'd be amazed how much heat that can generate to make that room much better.

Thanks for this info! I’m not sure where you are meaning we should put it? Like make a wall out of it? Or part of the roof maybe?

QUOTE="TripleShareNubians, post: 2599056, member: 54036"]
Don't make it too tall. And you can bring down an edge or if you've got a side where you can put it in with the 10 that faces the Sun that gray polycarbonate I think it's by suntuff that home Depot carries is great stuff the clear white is too flimsy but the grayish brown color works great. He can add light and it also can act as a source of heat in the winter time I opened up the eaves and the doors at the ends enough that it blows through well in the summertime but when that's all enclosed you'd be amazed how much heat that can generate to make that room much better.
[/QUOTE]

But make sure you can easily walk through anything. You don't want to be bending over all the time or hitting your head.

ksalvagno said:

But make sure you can easily walk through anything. You don't want to be bending over all the time or hitting your head.

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I agree you don't want it too short, though parts of it can be a little shorter. The main opening on the one I said the picture of is like that it's it's 8 ft at that board and it's 10 ft at the main part and it's 8 ft at the back corner but that little addition in the front is shorter it goes down to like five and a half feet from the eight foot so in the very edge it's a little short but they like it.
But you do have to be able to maneuver and clean.

ksalvagno said:

But make sure you can easily walk through anything. You don't want to be bending over all the time or hitting your head.

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I agree. The old farm he lived on had an existing barn and you had to bend to get in but it was taller once in it. It was a pain to clean and care for daily activities. You want to be able to at least stand up going in and while inside.