The field shelter we built for our sheep has proved very popular with them. They especially like it when they seek out shade. We are planning to plant some trees to provide more shady area for them in the summer, but for now the shelter works well.
However, in the winter it can get a bit wet here. And the patter of multiple sheep hooves can soon turn wet ground into mud. So, we had a conference and decided that what was needed was a patio. It was also suggested that redirecting the water from the roof away would help.
So, multiple slabs were transported. And I mean a lot. Fortunately, I had help from Matt, my brother-in-law. for most of them. To be honest, we didn’t lay a flat base, we just put them down on the ground. That said, we did ensure they sloped away from the shelter itself. The hay feeders also have slabs on both sides. We have, in the past, tried hard standing, but that just gets trampled in. Slabs are a better bet.
I also installed guttering all around the roof so as to catch all the water. I also installed a water trough and tank and an underground pipe to take all the extra water well away into the woodlands.
This means that in the worst of the weather, the sheep will be able to reach food and water without getting their feet wet. This is especially important, as it turns out, as some of our sheep are becoming senior citizens and one, poor Sarka, has developed arthritis. She’s getting supplements to help, but being able to reach food and water without having to wade through mud will be a great help to her.
