Containers as homes for animals: shelters, stables and henhouses

Nowadays, we are increasingly considering modern and sustainable solutions for the growing needs of the breeding and animal care industry. One trend that is gaining more and more popularity in this field is the use of containers residential as an alternative houses for animals, such as shelters, stables and hen houses. This concept combines functionality and dynamic operation, while allowing for cost optimization.

An extremely important aspect that has contributed to the development of this trend is the growing number of animals in need of care and shelter. Data from the Veterinary Inspection show that there are approximately 230 animal shelters in Poland. These are primarily places for dogs and cats, but also for farm animals and horses (rescued from being slaughtered or working beyond their strength). The number of dogs and cats in shelters is alarming: well over 100, although it is difficult to determine precisely because new ones are added every day. All this constitutes a huge challenge for animal care organizations, which are forced to look for new, more effective and adapted solutions to the needs of animals.

What influences the popularity of containers as animal homes?

The first important phenomenon influencing the growing interest in using containers as, for example, animal shelters is the increasing urbanization and with it the limitation of available space. Urban areas are becoming more and more crowded, and the accompanying limitations on places that can be used to care for animals make it difficult to build traditional breeding buildings. In such a context, containers become an attractive option, allowing you to optimize the available space while ensuring comfort and security for animals.

The economy

Another factor that makes animal care organizations lean towards containers, is to look for economical solutions. Both private individuals, local government organizations and farmers often struggle with financial problems resulting from small available sources of financing. Any solution that allows you to maintain functionality and comfort while reducing expenses is extremely attractive to them. The cost of building a facility from containers is much lower than the cost construction traditional building from scratch. Containers are easily available and can be quickly delivered to the destination, shortening the project implementation time and thus lowering the price of labor. Importantly, such objects are fully manufactured in the factory and delivered to the investment site as ready-made elements for assembly. All these factors make the final price of container buildings extremely favorable compared to other solutions.

Delivery time and possibility of changes

One of the main advantages of using containers as shelters, stables or hen houses is the implementation time: much shorter than in the case of classic construction. Constructing a small facility using this technology is often a matter of several weeks, sometimes even days, which is really quick compared to the construction of a brick building that takes many months. The longest stage of the entire process is the design - subsequent assembly at the target location is quick. All you need to do is prepare the foundation from ready-made foundation blocks and adapt the necessary electrical and water installations. The containers are placed in the designated place using a crane or HDS, which takes literally several minutes. Of course, for larger facilities consisting of several or even several dozen containers, this process may take longer, but it is still much faster than building traditional using bricks.

This "construction" process also makes it possible to easily change the location if necessary, as well as rearrange the space where the animals stay. This is important both in the case of shelters and buildings intended for breeding purposes. When the number of animals increases or there is a need to allocate space, for example for foals, the containers can be easily moved to another place and operate efficiently without incurring significant costs.

Containers as animal shelters

Shelters play a key role in ensuring the safety and care of animals in need. Therefore, it is important that these facilities are not only functional, but also durable and adapted to changing conditions. Modern shelters must face challenges such as the constantly growing number of admitted animals, difficult weather conditions and the health needs of the animals under their care. Thanks to their design, containers perfectly meet all these needs. Initially, they were intended as a solution for sea transport, i.e. they had to be resistant to the most difficult weather conditions when traveling across the ocean. Made of high-quality steel, they will last for many years intact, providing solid shelter for animals in need. They do not require frequent maintenance, which in turn translates into lower operating costs of buildings constructed from them.

In addition, containers produced by renowned manufacturers are properly insulated to provide animals with comfortable conditions all year round. Suitable insulation it is about 100 mm of mineral wool with a vapor barrier foil, both for walls and roof. An important issue related to building insulation is ventilation - it must be adapted to the number of animals staying in a given facility. In this respect, it is worth working with an experienced manufacturer who will advise and install optimal solutions.

Importantly, thanks to their universal structure, the containers can be used not only as rooms for animals, but also as warehouses for food and other necessary materials, and as veterinary offices within the shelter. Everyone container residential it can be equipped with functional facilities sanitary with bathrooms adapted to the specific needs of a veterinarian. It can also provide operating rooms and areas for patient recovery.

Container stables for horses

Horse stables are places where care, training and a place to rest are provided. In the breeding and equestrian industries, stable conditions are of great importance. Traditionally, horse facilities were built from materials such as wood or brick. However, now more and more people are paying attention to residential containers as an alternative option to the stables. It is possible to easily adapt them to your needs, both in terms of size and interior equipment. Containers can be arranged into comfortable and functional boxes for horses, thus ensuring appropriate conditions at an optimal budget. Apart from low purchase and maintenance costs, what other advantages do containers have as horse stables?

1. Mobility. The containers can be easily transported from place to place, allowing them to be moved to different grazing areas. This allows for rotation, which has a positive impact on the maintenance of green areas.
2. Modularity, which allows for easy expansion or modification of the stable, adapting it to the number of horses or other needs of the breeder.
3. Thermal isolation. Containers from renowned manufacturers are properly insulated, which helps maintain optimal temperature inside, protecting horses against extreme weather conditions.
4. Easy to keep clean. The steel walls of the containers and the possibility of covering the floor with easy-to-clean materials allow you to keep the stable clean without much effort.

Chicken coops in containers

In recent years, the topic of poultry farming and egg farms has been raised mainly due to the conditions in which the animals live there. Traditional poultry houses often do not provide optimal conditions for poultry or meet hygiene and safety requirements. More and more often, farm owners and breeders are realizing the advantages of using containers as an inexpensive alternative to traditional construction. 

First, objects container they allow maintaining better hygiene standards, which is crucial for the health of poultry and the quality of products. Moreover, thanks to appropriate modifications, such as ventilation systems and modern lighting, they create comfortable conditions for hens. Additionally, the containers are easy to clean and disinfect, which is extremely important in poultry farming due to the high risk of diseases and infections.

The second important aspect is mobility, i.e. the ease of changing the location of the hen house. This allows you to rotate the "pasture" areas for the hens. This is extremely important because the areas where chickens eat and stay quickly become sterile, so it is worth changing such places as often as possible.

The small dimensions of the containers make it possible to breed them even in urban conditions. Combined with vertical farms inside containers or gardens on their roofs, this is an ecological option for running farms in cities.

The future of containers as animal homes

Future prospects for the use of containers as animal homes seem promising. As more shelters, stables and breeders discover the benefits of this solution, we can expect this trend to continue to grow. Thanks to increasingly new technologies, such as intelligent air conditioning systems or solar panels, it will be possible to improve the functionality and comfort of such facilities. Containers are not only an economic solution, but also an ethical one that allows you to increase the standards of care for animals and improve their living conditions.