Homemade Dairy Calf Huts
- 1). Cut lumber into the necessary pieces for construction using the circular saw. Cut two 4-by-4-foot squares from the plywood. Cut three 4-by-8-foot rectangles of plywood. Cut eight sections of 2-by-4-inch board, 4 feet long. Cut six sections of 2-by-2 inch board, 4 feet long.
- 2). Build a u-shaped frame to form the bottom of the hut. Lay out two of the 8-foot 2-by-4 inch boards, and one of the 4-foot long 2-by-4 inch boards in a U pattern and nail them together with 2-inch galvanized nails.
- 3). Frame the door of the calf hutch. Create a u-shape from three of the 2-by-4-inch boards that are 4 feet long. Nail them together using the 2-inch nails. Stand the door frame up at the front of the front of the floor frame and nail the 2-by-4-inch boards on the floor and the 2-by-4-inch boards that form the door together.
- 4). Create a second u-shaped form from 4-foot long 2-by-4-inch boards. Set the u at the back of the floor frame and nail it into position to frame the back wall of the hut.
- 5). Stabilize the frame but nailing 8 foot long 2-by-4-inch boards between the door frame and back wall frame. These boards should be nailed to the top of the frame, to form the huts ceiling.
- 6). Nail 2-by-2-inch boards into the frame for reinforcement. Nail two boards into each side of the hut, and two into the roof. 2-by-2 inch boards should be nailed into the frame 31.6 inches from the door, and 31.6 inches from the rear.
- 7). Nail 4-by-8-foot rectangles of plywood on the top and sides of the of the hut. These form the main outer body of the hut.
- 8). Nail the 4-by-4-foot square of plywood on the back of the hut.
- 9). Cut two right triangles with 6-inch long sides from the plywood scraps using a circular saw.
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Nail the triangles of plywood into the top corners of the door. This will stabilize the door frame, and prevent it from changing shape. - 11
Screw eye bolts into all four corners of the roof. Ropes can be tied to these eye bolts to lift and move the calf hut with a tractor. A calf halter and lead can also be fastened to one of the front eye bolts to tie a calf out if you do not want to build individual fenced yards at each hut. - 12
Use tie down stakes to anchor the hut firmly to the ground at each of the four corners. This will prevent the calf and the wind from turning it over.