The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Pigs => Topic started by: arusse23 on May 12, 2011, 01:40:22 pm

Title: Pig Ark Sizing
Post by: arusse23 on May 12, 2011, 01:40:22 pm

Is there a rule of thumb when it comes to sizing a pig ark....when building it yourself? We have built our own which was very easy and cheaper than buying however it is too big for the GOS piglets which are starting to use it as an ensuite too. I can shut part of it off to reduce the space until they are bigger, but dont know what size to make it.

Title: Re: Pig Ark Sizing
Post by: loosey on May 12, 2011, 02:59:23 pm

We make ours 8x8 foot and if we need to make it smaller (for the same reasons as you!) we just pack out the back with a few bales of straw  ;D

Title: Re: Pig Ark Sizing
Post by: arusse23 on May 12, 2011, 03:11:45 pm

I made my ark 8 x 8 which, according to the mess in the back corner is too big for them lol. Ill get some bales in there later tonight

Title: Re: Pig Ark Sizing
Post by: oaklandspigs on May 12, 2011, 07:04:27 pm

Pigs will get up from their bed, take a few paces and then pee/poo as they have "left their bed".  for puglets, they are still in their. Once older are larger, they will tend to leave the ark, so Lossey's comments are exactly right - use straw bales to make the ark smaller in the early days.

Title: Re: Pig Ark Sizing
Post by: ambriel on May 12, 2011, 08:22:39 pm

I built ours 8ft x 4ft which was fine for our three Kunes at first but now they're getting bigger I'm going to have to build them a larger one.

Title: Re: Pig Ark Sizing
Post by: mattjen on May 12, 2011, 11:03:10 pm

i know this sounds daft but could you put some pics on of your afks please?im thinking of making a couple myself so would like to pick brains and pics etc
many thanks matt :pig: :wave: :pig:

Title: Re: Pig Ark Sizing
Post by: loosey on May 13, 2011, 10:04:09 am

Hi Mattjen :wave: This is one of our summer ones (our winter ones have floors in the them). You'll have to excuse the rather eccentric looking models ... we had some friends helping that weekend!!

(http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n317/looseyb-22/untitled-12.jpg)

(http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n317/looseyb-22/34340_412468377325_603607325_5262215_321884_n.jpg)

I have to admit that I tend to have the supervisors role in the huilding projects and am just called on the the filthy jobs! ;) ;D

Title: Re: Pig Ark Sizing
Post by: arusse23 on May 13, 2011, 12:49:43 pm

(http://)

Title: Re: Pig Ark Sizing
Post by: arusse23 on May 13, 2011, 01:12:04 pm

Sorry guys not sure how to make the image bigger, can someone explain.

Title: Re: Pig Ark Sizing
Post by: robert waddell on May 13, 2011, 01:18:42 pm

how big do you want it           it comes up bigger when you click on it :pig: :farmer:

Title: Re: Pig Ark Sizing
Post by: Mo on May 13, 2011, 01:56:12 pm

Our 8x4 housed 2 GOS - this was taken just before they 'went'

Title: Re: Pig Ark Sizing
Post by: Mo on May 13, 2011, 01:58:16 pm

With 4 pigs this year we've upgraded to this

Title: Re: Pig Ark Sizing
Post by: benkt on May 13, 2011, 09:33:01 pm

Our last ark was an 8x8 home built job. Drove in fence posts for the corners, lengths of 2x2 run along the top between them and screwed OSB to it all to make the walls. Finally, roofed with some corrogated sheets. Quick, simple and cheap.
Pictures are of a couple of our members building it.

Title: Re: Pig Ark Sizing
Post by: ambriel on May 15, 2011, 10:16:29 pm

Quote from: Mo on May 13, 2011, 01:56:12 pm

Our 8x4 housed 2 GOS - this was taken just before they 'went'

Yes that's pretty close to identical to the one I built. I''' keep it for when we have smaller ones again but the tenants are starting to complain :)