Working pen/chute

[Kell-inKY]

The location I want to build my permanent working pen still has about 12" of muck, but

I really need to get a headgate setup quickly, the simplest one I have found is below, I plan on building this by using an existing post, and put another one in beside it. I will utilize the existing fence for one side, then build the rest with coral panels (as few as possible since I am on a budget). I will fit this in the back corner of a horse corral attached to a barn that came with our property. I won't work the cattle here permanently because I have a better location centrally located.

Any thoughts on this simple design? any trouble getting them to go through the chute that you can see? They are pretty well behaved, and only 5 heifers and 1 bull, but this is 64' wide and I don't want to have to buy too many panels.

this is the corral

 

[Lucky_P]

Google up 'Bud Box'. Figure out how to incorporate one into your plans.

 

[greybeard]

problems--or potential problems anyway..
It's good that you are putting it somewhere that has some slope to it so the rain can drain off, but the rain runoff from that building roof is going to keep your cowpen a quagmire forever, especially if you have many hooves tromping around in there. You might want to consider a rain gutter.
The boards on your corral are on the wrong side of the posts.

 

[Caustic Burno]

The location I want to build my permanent working pen still has about 12" of muck, but

I really need to get a headgate setup quickly, the simplest one I have found is below, I plan on building this by using an existing post, and put another one in beside it. I will utilize the existing fence for one side, then build the rest with coral panels (as few as possible since I am on a budget). I will fit this in the back corner of a horse corral attached to a barn that came with our property. I won't work the cattle here permanently because I have a better location centrally located.

Any thoughts on this simple design? any trouble getting them to go through the chute that you can see? They are pretty well behaved, and only 5 heifers and 1 bull, but this is 64' wide and I don't want to have to buy too many panels.

this is the corral

I modified that design when I rebuilt my pens years ago for 40 head.
Did away with the side chute also made it in an octagon shape.
Made the head gate to swing as a regular gate as well and added a gate to cut one back in the pen.
There is a series of three gate's that load the cows on the trailer by the head gate.
If there is a blow up the only place they can go is back in the pen or trailer.
I left part of the old pen as a drive through lane like at the salebarn for new arrivals to go straight into the pen.
No backing or turning drive in close the gates let the out only place to go is the pen.
It is wide enough when I open the gate on the trailer it hits the pen on a 45 no way can they blow by that gate.

 

[Kell-inKY]

Thanks CB, pictures help. I don't know why I am struggling with this, just over thinking it I guess. I am going to try and build this out of some corral panels and just have to set one post. Looks easy enough, trying to not have to buy too many panels and use the existing pen for 2 sides. That looks great. The Bud Box idea seems simple as well and nearly the same layout.

Greybeard, you are right on the gutters, this is not permanent though, and the boards are only wrong on that side because it is visible from the house and needs to look good I suppose (I didn't build it, but I would have done the same).

If I could figure out what to do inside the stables/barn then I would put it there, it just seems narrow.

 

[Caustic Burno]

Thanks CB, pictures help. I don't know why I am struggling with this, just over thinking it I guess. I am going to try and build this out of some corral panels and just have to set one post. Looks easy enough, trying to not have to buy too many panels and use the existing pen for 2 sides. That looks great. The Bud Box idea seems simple as well and nearly the same layout.

Greybeard, you are right on the gutters, this is not permanent though, and the boards are only wrong on that side because it is visible from the house and needs to look good I suppose (I didn't build it, but I would have done the same).

If I could figure out what to do inside the stables/barn then I would put it there, it just seems narrow.

Battery on my camera went dead yesterday. Got it on the charger.
I will try and get you elevated views it is much easier to understand.
I came back and put a couple of corral panels up against it on the inside in strategic locations.
The wire panel had got to much for old folks to climb.
There are 11 gates in that pen it needs one more and I would never be on the same side as a cow.
When I cut them to the sweep area a crazy could get behind me that is the reason for the panel.
My mind still says I can run like Bob Hayes that is not reality.
Up until I was 40 I could still run a 4.4 or 4.5 40 now I don't want to run 40 inches.

Another thing on the gates the real pressure point ones are super heavy duty or homemade heavy duty.
The one that closes off the alley is solid steel the one off the alley back into the pen or trailer are self locking as
well. The alley has headache bars welded across the top to keep one from flipping over on her back.

That did happen once and was quite a rodeo until I got her aced enough to put chains on her legs
and lift her back into the pen with the FEL.
That was in my younger days and I could load anything with hair.
That cow was bat shyt crazy thought I was going to have to put a 45 acp between her eyes to get her in the trailer.
It had got to point I was coming down the drive with a 1911 and my neighbor stopped by and said lets give it one more try.
We were in a down cycle I got 320 dollars for a 1200 cow. I should have shot her and drug her off for the buzzards
I would have gotten more satisfaction watching them gnaw or her sorry hide.
She kicked the tractor one day when it got close and broke her back leg.
After I got her doctored back up and raised a couple more calves out of her was fed up with attitude.
It was bad before the leg incident and went to terrible after.

 

[Kell-inKY]

I think your pics are plenty clear, I'll just put that in the back left corner of the existing pen and try it out. I hear you on the after 40 thing, I felt awesome all the time until I hit that. Used to love to work out, now it's a chore when I actually get to it.

But your stories are not inspiring confidence, sounds like I can't over build. Wish I knew what the heck I was doing, I could really enjoy this if I had the infrastructure complete.

I drug out my craigslist headgate last night and I am really wondering how big bertha is going to fit through that little thing...

thanks

 

[Caustic Burno]

You don't build a pen for the gentle ones.
If you think that Ole Belle can't loose her mind and go bat shyt crazy in a heartbeat your education
is on it's way. One get sick and they will fight you try to kill you while trying to save her life.
Have to remember your dealing with an animal that's stomach is thirty times larger
than their brain.

 

[Caustic Burno]

Great info here guys...I appreciate it all! I am building a working pen/chute as well. This design is the one I am going to go with as well. CB...I would love to see some elevated views! Thank you for taking the time to do that! Thanks for this thread Kell!!!

Tim

I will get some tomorrow.
My back is hollering calf rope right now.

 

[Bigfoot]

I like a big post or two in the middle of mine. Gives you a place to get away from one that's bad.

 

[Kell-inKY]

Hey, do I need to put a gate right behind them in the chute on my temporary one? The one that I usually see right behind them when they are in the headgate. Also, the lane should be 3' wide correct? I have an extra 4' metal gate but not sure how to incorporate that if I need to since it needs to be narrower.

 

[Bigfoot]

Hey, do I need to put a gate right behind them in the chute on my temporary one? The one that I usually see right behind them when they are in the headgate. Also, the lane should be 3' wide correct? I have an extra 4' metal gate but not sure how to incorporate that if I need to since it needs to be narrower.

3' is way too wide for an alley going to a chute. Surprise you how many things can turn around, or atleast try to in a 3' alley.

 

[Caustic Burno]

Great info here guys...I appreciate it all! I am building a working pen/chute as well. This design is the one I am going to go with as well. CB...I would love to see some elevated views! Thank you for taking the time to do that! Thanks for this thread Kell!!!

Tim

Here goes

Palpation gate


Load out


Drive through unloading



Sweep and alley gate this is where one can get behind me so I added corral panel to climb
I am going to put another gate in so one can't get behind me when cutting out calves.


Head, palpation, cut back to pen and load out gate system.


Elevated

 

[Kell-inKY]

Looks good.

I looked it up and the chart says 24" wide for the working chute. That seems like a tight fit if I have to run a pregnant heifer in there if she runs into trouble. I measured the headgate and it measures out close to the same, man a couple of those gals look HUGE!

 

[Caustic Burno]

My chute is 28" I want them dragging hair when they come down it.
I have a corral panel I drop in on calves to keep them from turning around in the Chute.

 

[Bez__]

I personally do not care what setup you or anyone uses for their pen/chute/squeeze/load out ramp - simply because everyone does it different. What works for you might not work for me and vice versa.

What drives me crazy - and there are now a couple of places I will not go to help work cattle - is the ground people put their systems on.

The MOST IMPORTANT issue to me is the ground. If you are serious about cows - you can be sure it will be important for you too - especially after you realize you could have built somewhere other than a mud bog.

So - pick a place that has good drainage, does not have water running into it and has sand or a stone dust base and definitely something OTHER than black dirt. I get tired of working cows in ankle deep mud, and I guarandamntee you that you will as well. You will find it easier to get help to come to work cattle at a good facility than it is to get them to come to a crap facility. And someday you WILL need that help - no matter how independent you think you are today.

Make sure your cattle are not in the mud either - put a bottom on their side of the pens, chute, squeeze and ramps as well. That makes their walking easier when it is wet and muddy, or worse, when it is ripped up and torn and lumped up and frozen so rough even you have a tough time walking in there in the winter.

Pick some high ground, well drained, out of the wind, good road access and more. Put some tile through it if you need to help it drain better.

Plan to be working at the worst times - just because you think you will never work them during spring thaw, heavy snow, heavy rain or nut busting deep freezing cold - does not mean you won't. Over time you will be running them in the system at all times of day and night - any day of the year - put power and lights and plug-ins around the system.

I worked two cows in the rain last Friday night with the veterinarian - we started at about 2200 and finished at around midnight. No shelter - but well drained ground, good lights and lots of electrical plugins for clippers and burners and such. Be sure to use the outdoor weather capable electrical stuff - do not cheap out - do it right and it will still work long after they bury you.

When your truck pulls up to the ramp to load out your 30 cows he does not want to be getting stuck - that also applies to your neighbour when he rolls in to pick up your one calf that is going to market. Make sure the road is a good one. And wide enough it is an easy turn to get to the ramp or gates.

Put it in a place that has too much room for the truck. That has a darned good base for the road so no one gets stuck or ruts up your field. That has some decent wind protection. And look a few years down the road - you might want to have enough room to put up a shelter around the squeeze so you can stay dry. That is one we did not do and regretted it every time it pizzed rain while we worked cattle. You will too.

Lots of things you can think on above that few seldom do - but you want a decent set up, it has to work well in all weather and all conditions - and it has to work for both you and the cows. And most of the time the issues are always ground related. Lots of times folks do not think on that very much.

Good luck to you.

Bez__

 

[bball]

Hey Kell, don't know if you have already bought your panels for pen but just in case you havent..... www.jlgate.com has pretty decent prices on stuff...seems to hold up pretty good so far. And they are in Kentucky...free delivery. I have had them bring a few loads of panels to me over the years. Good luck with your handling facility.

 

[Caustic Burno]

Neighbor bought a real impressive ready made system for a small operation.
I will try and get the name. We laid it out and concreted pipe in the ground with clips welded on it.
The ready made panels pin right to the pipe making it super stout and if one gets tore up easy to replace.
I will try and get you a picture of that one as well.
The only thing I didn't like was there was no way to cut a sick or injured cow back into the pen without
backing down the chute. It could be easily fixed with a couple pieces of pipe and 2 gates.

 

[Bigfoot]

Looks good.

I looked it up and the chart says 24" wide for the working chute. That seems like a tight fit if I have to run a pregnant heifer in there if she runs into trouble. I measured the headgate and it measures out close to the same, man a couple of those gals look HUGE!

Better they squeez thru, than be able to try and turn around. I wouldn't go much wider than that.

 

[greybeard]

My alley is the same width as the headgate. No sense making it any wider. Even that narrow, I've had trouble with some liteweights and calves turning around or trying to. I don't have a gate leading right up to the headgate--I just stick a pipe in behind them. I don't have any full pics of my pen and won't till I get a new camera, but here's a sketch of it. It's changed some since I drew this----there's a sliding gate just after the 45°offset and just before the 3way sort gate, which is right after where the sweep ends. It's a tight fit getting a mature heavy bred cow or bull thru the sort gate, but they'll go.

Be carefull with preformed panels that pin or chain together. If you have no posts on the outside, a rambunctious one will deform your pen into a diamond shape or even stick their head under and pick the whole thing up. Use the heaviest panels your budget allows for.

I thought I had mine in a good place, but this wet winter and spring has proven otherwise.