Ideals for Barrells as Houses

[jfields]

For those of you who have barrells as houses , How high off the ground do they need to be and what type of structure do you have to keep them in place? Pictures would be nice if you have any.

[Dale Pea]

Can't post pictures. I put mine on a wooden pallet. That raise them about 2 or 3 inches up from the concret slab. I also put a piece of wood across the inside cut in a half moon shape, and screwed it down. When it goets cold I fill up the barrell with hay and put two dogs to a barrel. The wood helps keep the hay from coming out when the dogs climb out.

[Aaron Bartlett]

Depends on if your using a whole barrel or cutting them in half. For a whole barrel I have always just built a rectangle frame out of either 2x4's or 2x6's stood on edge. I build them just a little longer than the barrel and just wide enough for the barrel to sit on it so it wont roll off. I then just screw the barrel down to the frame from the inside of the barrel. I always drill a couple holes in the bottom of the barrel so any water can drain out.
If cutting a barrel in half so you can get two houses out of one barrel I always use a piece of plywood for a floor and then screw some scrap pieces of 2x's underneath so the plywood is off the ground/floor.

[rabbitsmoker]

I always thought barrels was good just used them one winter and my dogs act like they couldnt stay warm i put a temp gauge in them and the temp was as cold as it was outside so i quit using them JMO

[KyBeagleGuy09]

the best way i used barrells is i burried them back in a bank warm all winter cool all summer worked well for me

[billfosburgh]

i dont lay mine down, i cut a hole 12" from the bottom & my dogs jump in the hole. iv`e used them laying down & they get alot more moisture in them. in winter i fill them with straw & my dogs do fine. i can email pics but not able to post them.

[KILLNTM]

I use white oak boards cut to form a cradle for the barrels to sit on. I use two per barrel, one on the front and one on the back. I use a stainless steel rod to connect the two in the center and then bolt two aluminum rails on the bottom of the boards (front to back) to keep them off the concrete. The aluminum rails helps make the wood last longer and allows for cleaning under the barrel. A picture will explain it better than words, I'll see if I can post one in the near future.

BiL

[hogbody]

I saw once where a guy put a smaller barrel inside of a larger barrel and then stuffed insulation in the space between the two barrels. He then attached a round piece of plywood on the end with a flap door. Though that was a good idea.

[Bobby Vest]

If you can get used wooden whiskey barrels from a distillery they are really good. Fleas and ticks either get drunk and start partying and run off or they just don't like the whiskey smell. Seriously they don't like the smell and they won't bother a dog in these houses. You can take a piece of plywood amd attach it to the outside of one end and take a sawsall and cut a hole in the center of the barrel just big enough for the dogs to get in. You won't have to use beddding unless you want to becaose the wood is thick and it will keep them warm. I used these for years and they worked great. I had a friend that used plastic barrels and he made half moon stands like Killintm is talking about to keep them off the ground. when the weather got real bad he would pack bales of hay all around and over the barrels and he never had any problems.

[Bobby Vest]

If you can get used wooden whiskey barrels from a distillery they are really good. Fleas and ticks either get drunk and start partying and run off or they just don't like the whiskey smell. Seriously they don't like the smell and they won't bother a dog in these houses. You can take a piece of plywood amd attach it to the outside of one end and take a sawsall and cut a hole in the center of the barrel just big enough for the dogs to get in. You won't have to use beddding unless you want to becaose the wood is thick and it will keep them warm. I used these for years and they worked great. I had a friend that used plastic barrels and he made half moon stands like Killintm is talking about to keep them off the ground. when the weather got real bad he would pack bales of hay all around and over the barrels and he never had any problems.

[DRamey]

I have the plastic ones and cut them in half in the middle (around) to make two houses. I put the half on a piece of plywood and cut out a bottom and fasten it with screws. I keep it off the ground by screwing two short pieces of landscape timber to the plywood to elevate it. Works good, and simple as can be.

[KILLNTM]

Here's several pics of mine, if I remember how to post pics. BiL

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