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u/Disappearinger

r/homestead r/fermentation
Image 1 — Shelter design for 6 Skudden sheep, enough space with 2 pregnant ewes?
Image 2 — Shelter design for 6 Skudden sheep, enough space with 2 pregnant ewes?
Image 3 — Shelter design for 6 Skudden sheep, enough space with 2 pregnant ewes?
Image 4 — Shelter design for 6 Skudden sheep, enough space with 2 pregnant ewes?
▲ 9 r/homestead

Shelter design for 6 Skudden sheep, enough space with 2 pregnant ewes?

Hi everyone,

I’m planning to build a winter shelter for my small flock of Skudden sheep and would really appreciate some feedback or improvement ideas.

I currently have 6 Skudden sheep, and 2 of the ewes are pregnant. The sheep will stay on pasture during winter, so the shelter should mainly protect them from wind, rain, snow and wet ground.

My current plan is:

  • 3-sided shelter, open front
  • Size: 4.0 m wide × 3.0 m deep = 12 m²
  • Front height: about 1.90 m
  • Rear height: about 1.60 m, with a sloped roof
  • Open front ideally facing south/southeast, away from the main weather side
  • Hay rack inside
  • Minerals/water area inside or close to the shelter

For the floor, I’m thinking about laying large stone slabs/pavers inside the shelter, with wider gaps between them for drainage. I would also extend the paved area about 2 meters in front of the entrance to avoid mud and heavy trampling damage.

Inside the shelter I want to use a thick bedding layer, probably straw, so the sheep have a dry and warmer lying area.

My main questions are:

  1. Is 12 m² enough for 6 Skudden sheep, especially considering that 2 ewes are pregnant and lambs may come later?
  2. Does the 1.90 m front height make sense, or would you change it?
  3. Is the stone slab/paver floor a good idea, or would you recommend another floor construction?
  4. Should I leave wider gaps between the slabs for drainage, or could that cause hoof/leg issues?
  5. Would you add anything else to improve wind protection, drainage, bedding, or general winter comfort?

I attached a sketch of the planned shelter.

Thanks a lot for any advice or practical experience!

u/Disappearinger — 17 days ago
▲ 1 r/fermentation

Water in airlock shifts when I insert it into the demijohn, is this normal?

Hi everyone,

I’m using a demijohn with a rubber bung and an S-shaped airlock. Before inserting it into the demijohn, the water level in both chambers was just below the MAX line.

But when I push the bung/airlock into the neck of the demijohn, the water inside the airlock gets pushed strongly to one side and rises unevenly.

I assume it happens because I’m creating pressure inside the demijohn when inserting the bung, but I’m not sure if this is a problem.

Is this normal and safe, or should I be worried about water being sucked back into the wine/must?

How can I prevent this from happening? Should I insert the bung first and then fill the airlock afterwards?

I attached a photo so you can see what I mean.

Thanks for any advice!

u/Disappearinger — 18 days ago