Barn Basics & Alpaca Shed #1

jenifleur wrote:
Any chance you'd show us a picture of their sheds? Our barn is a shambles and we're kind of curious as to how it should be laid out for our as yet unpurchased alpacas.

I started out writing a very long entry all about barns. It's really too long for one sitting and I only have pictures of the first shed -- something about digital camera batteries. Today's entry is going to discuss what we call Alpaca Shed #1. I'm planning future entries to talk about our other shelters, our hay shed, our wish list, and other things to think about when building barns for alpacas.

There are two major aspects of barns. The first is how much protection from the elements the barn offers. This is the first thing people think about when they think about barns. The second aspect is the layout of the barn and how it functions for you and the alpacas. This includes how well you, the farmer, are able to function in the shelter with the animals and how well the alpacas are able to maintain a comfortable social and herd dynamic while utilizing the shelter. A million dollar shed is useless to the alpacas if herd dynamics force half the herd to remain out in the weather or if feed bin layout causes social starvation. Not only does the barn have to provide adequate shelter for your climate, but you and the alpacas have to be comfortable and productive using the barn.

We are finding major flaws in our sheds from both perspectives and I will discuss those shortcomings as well.

Our barns are an example of minimalist/budget shelters that can function in Western Oregon. Three sided sheds are perfectly adequate for alpacas in our area. They may not be right for your situation. Our primary sheds are 10x20' three-sided structures open to the east with an additional five to eight foot overhang on the east. This provides shelter from the winter wind, winter rain, and summer sun.

Alpaca Shed #1
Our first shed is a basic pole barn with metal siding. The shed is 10x20 with the long sides oriented north/south. The shed is open to the east with a 5' additional overhang to the east. The floor is raised with 3/4 minus rock topped with sand. The front porch is raised with sand.

I like this shed the best of our sheds, but there are several things I would do differently.

The biggest issue with this shed is drainage. We raised the floor with gravel and then put sand on top of the gravel. Water pools against the uphill side of the shed and then seeps through the gravel to dampen the sand. We've spent a lot of time digging trenches to carry the water away from this shed. This shed really needs to have several french drains constructed to carry the water away from it. One drain needs to be on the uphill side and extend the length of the front porch and around the back of the shed. In addition, one, and preferably two drains should be placed under the porch area with an additional drain under the shed proper.

We thought four inches of gravel would be enough, but it's not. The floor needs more gravel. In addition, we should have put weed fabric between the gravel and the sand to prevent the two from mixing and we should have put more sand on the floor. As it is, the alpacas have rolled and pawed at the sand to the point they're down to the gravel in places. Others have suggested pea gravel or decomposed granite in place of sand.

I like using coarse sand for bedding because it allows water to drain and it shakes readily from the fleece. If the alpacas have a good place to roll in sand, they are less likely to roll in mud and burrs. It's a nice theory, but the good sandy area has to be maintained.

The other issue we have had with our primary shed is the metal siding. We recently had an alpaca kick her foot between the metal panels, and then slice most of the pad of her foot off when she pulled her leg back. She's in recovery. We're running up vet bills. This shed probably should have all-weather plywood nailed inside up to about four feet tall to prevent a repeat of the foot incident.

I have spoken with breeders who prefer plywood to fencing or any metal siding in area where alpacas roll because they tend to kick and catch their feet on things when they roll. Since this shed is a primary rolling area, we probably need to provide more protection for feet.

This shed is very noisy in the rain. Rain just drums on the tin roof. I often think the noise bothers the alpacas, but they go into the shed because it is the only place to get out of the rain. Shingles over plywood as we have on our other sheds are much quieter in the rain. There are trade-offs in terms of expense and durability, but I think I prefer the shingle over plywood roofs.

My final complaint about the metal siding is that it gets very hot in direct sun. Our summers are very hot and dry -- daytime temperatures over 100 degrees farenheight are not uncommon. Because of our location, we get very strong, hot, dry afternoon canyon winds in the summer. The metal of the shed gets too hot to touch and radiates heat decreasing the value of the shed for summer shade. Our wooden sheds don't seem to collect and radiate so much heat in the summer.


Alpaca Shed #1 looking into the shed from the east. Note the basic pole barn construction. The roof and siding are metal. This is inexpensive and durable construction, particularly if pressure treated lumber is used in the construction. The chain-link gate in the left foreground is the catch pen I will talk about in later posts.


Alpaca Shed #1 from the downhill side. Note the slope and raised floor. Water ponding against the uphill side of the shed was a major problem until drainage was added and this water continues to be a problem. You can also see the "porch" area extending under the overhang to enlarge the effective area of the shed.



Alpaca Shed #1 showing the sand over gravel floor and a small area at the back of the shed cordoned off for feed and hay storage.



Alpaca shed #1 showing the roof. This roof is noisy in the rain and hot in the summer.