The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Pigs => Topic started by: nancyscho on October 23, 2009, 01:50:54 pm

Title: wet land
Post by: nancyscho on October 23, 2009, 01:50:54 pm

Is it possible to keep pigs on a field that is wet in winter or a wet bog as long as their housing is on a dry area. I know they like to wallow but could it be too much of a good thing.

Title: Re: wet land
Post by: Hilarysmum on October 23, 2009, 02:08:01 pm

Personally I would avoid any field that was not at least half dry ground.  They can cause untold damage to boggy areas in winter.

Title: Re: wet land
Post by: nancyscho on October 23, 2009, 03:32:32 pm

Thanks Hilarysmum, 

That's what my husband Meirion thought about the fields, although it wouldn't matter too much if the bog was churned up. It's not a site of any particular importance having been drained at least once. Some years ago he did think of harvesting the peat for fuel. Think of the fun the pigs would have throwing the mud all over the place. For their next move we have found a site by a brook which I think they will enjoy.

Title: Re: wet land
Post by: Hilarysmum on October 24, 2009, 10:16:35 am

Before you go ahead, make very sure you will have a fair sized dry guaranteed dry area; as I knew some people whose pigs drowned in mud, even though they had thought the land was dry enough, a short sharp overnight storm was the culprit.