The American Beagler Forum

Up until last winter I utilized 55 gal. plastic barrels for housing in my kennels. I really liked using the barrels for several reasons. 1) They are all-weather resistant, 2) waterproof, 3) will not rot. However I had a serious problem with using the barrels for housing.

I took the barrels and cut out a square doorway in one end. I also built a small stand to set the barrels on, to keep them stationary and keep them up off the concrete flooring about 2-3 inches. The barrels worked to perfection during the summer and fall. However, once winter and cold weather rolled around, I attached a wooden swinging door on the door opening to keep the wind and cold out and added straw to the barrels for bedding. The dogs just nudged the swinging door with their nose and pushed it up and walked on in and the door swung shut behind them. It worked very well.

While doing my daily kennel cleaning, I noticed the straw bedding in the barrels was damp. The temps were cold so I cleaned the old bedding out and replaced it with new straw. A few days later I checked the bedding again and it was again damp. The sides and top of the barrels has moisture condensed on them as well. My kennel setup has a complete roof over the concrete kennel runs, and even if it rains or snows not much gets on the houses. I determined that the moisture was coming from the hounds themselves, from their breath overnight in the barrels and no air circulation, causing the moisture to build up in the barrels. So I drilled several small holes around the barrels to aid in circulating a little air in the barrels to get rid of the moisture to no avail. So I broke down and build wooden boxes. I still would rather use the barrels for boxes but cannot figure out the moisture problem.

Anyone have any idea to still use the barrels and solve the moisture problem? Does anyone else utilize 55 gal plastic barrels for kennel houses? Any ideas or help would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

Try using insulation on the inside top of the barrel to create a barrier between the air and barrel top not sure it will work but it might keep the condensation down.

Why do you need to completely close off the barrels with the swing doors. I could see doing it if you lived way up north in severe weather but north carolina doesn't get that cold. I would just have an opening big enough for them to crawl and leave it at that. This would solve your problem

BigB, Anyone who has ever been to Mt. Mitchell during the winter months can tell you is does inded get quite cold here in the mountains of NC during cold months!

Take off the doors ,face your houses to the south. never face to the north that is the dominant wind in winter

I also use plastic barrels and have no problem with them. I don't have doors on them, however I have a wooden baffel in front to block wind, snow and rain from blowing directly into the barrel opening. Also I have a small drip hole at the lowest point the barrel to allow any moisture to escape. I use wood shaving for bedding rather than straw or hay.

Jim, I'm very interested in how you make "baffles" for your houses and how they work. Is it possible to elaborate on how you do this?

Thanks a bunch!

Straw when it gets wet never drys out completely and if it does it takes time. I use wood shavings work alot better will always dry out. Iltrapper

I would not ues barrels at all thats too easly to get cold and too thin!!!!i think thats CRAZY!!!!! use something thata a little more SELFinsulating like wood

[quote="mhousley]I would not ues barrels at all thats too easly to get cold and too thin!!!!i think thats CRAZY!!!!! use something thata a little more SELFinsulating like wood [/quote]

ML, I dont believe using the hard-plastic barrels is crazy at all, as you say!!

Think about it. The plastic is air-tight (except for the door opening, naturally). I have switched from using straw bedding to cedar shavings and the moisture problem seems to be gone. I place plenty of cedar chips in the barrels so the dogs never actually lay on the plastic, they lay on the several inches of shavings. The wind CANNOT penetrate the plastic, unlike any wooden box (which I use also). Without any cracks (even hairline), the wind doesnt penetrate nearly as much and the body heat stays in better as well. Rain, snow and any form of water does not penetrate the plastic, unlike wood.

Crazy? I dont think so.

i use plastic barrels with no doors dogs love them even on hot days dogs will lay in them but not my wood ones just put plenty of straw in winter, even with no door put you arm inside if dog is laying inside you can feel the warmth did have peice of rug over hole in winter, had same problem wet bedding and heavy frost on top when warmed up you could see water dripping