The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Pigs => Topic started by: tirdu on February 22, 2009, 07:07:42 pm
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Hi ther guys, any advice on electric fencing for pigs would be helpful if possible regarding types of stuff needed and what not else.
thanks
Keith
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We use blue ribbon. You need a sender unit, either mains or electric. Most people say two strands are fine.
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Well i've got an electric battery unit, but would you say that the nylon single stran wire would do the same job as good as ribbon?
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We use the orange electric "string" and it's fine for pigs. Like any electric fence they have to be trained to it or they'll run straight through it. Watch out for the one (there's always one!) who figures out that you can short the fence out by piling soil on the bottom wire though.
Dave
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How many strands would you be using for sows then and at what spaces from each other?. Thanks for that valuable advice crofter. ;D
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hi, we use single tape about 1/2 inch wide had no problems with escapees at all. 9" off the ground well tensioned. if your using a portable fencer a caravan leisure battery will last for months on it. neil
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I don't think a battery unit will cut it. At least if you go mains it will always be live, and you won't have to worry about the charge getting weaker or dying altogether. I picked up a substantial mains set for about 120 euro, and it gives a good solid jag. If your pigs have never been trained to an electric fence please read my post 'the one that got away', it will save you loads of hardship....and a mini-marathon! I also read once that pigs see the tape better than wire. Best of luck! :farmer:
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Thanks all so far for the great advice for a newbie to pigs like myself. If anone needs advice with anything to do with sheep then just come to me. thanks all ;D :D
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Might just take you up on that...someone recommended that I buy 'suffolks', what do you think? :farmer:
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O my god no!!!!!. I went down that route last year and bought five yearling ewes which have been a total disaster. They're just terrible things. They only eat eat eat. When they lambed they didnt really care much for their lambs, and when the lambs are born they are extrememly doppy and arent sure if to live or not really. The best sheep we've ever had and still breed for us have been the polled dorset, just magnifient sheep to work and live with. ;D ;D
p.s. dont care what anyone tells you just please leave the suffolk alone!!!! :-\
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Pigs need a good ping..... :o they know if the fence is not up to the job even if 2 or 3 strands!!!
Once pinged a bit they generally leave it alone.....I back it up with stock fencing, pigs do a lot of damage left unattended!!!
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I'll take that advice gladly. You saved me a bundle, and a load of wasted time! What type of pig have you opted for? :farmer:
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Bundle?. Leave them seriously. Well talked to a breeder and good customer of ours who buys hay and straw and its either GOS or saddleback. Thought on these choices gladly appreciated :)
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ours were gos cross berkshire produced superb meat very lean carcass, docile easy to keep pigs. portable fencers are fine, the trick is to keep a spare battery charged up to maintain a good shock............neil
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Believe you me neil theres plenty of them here laying about of all these old tractors we've had over the years :D
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IMHO Gos are great. Even the boar will wander along just behind a small bucket of pig nuts. The sows are so gentle, have never been tossed back over the fence by a Gos sow.
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i have had gos ( wonderful pigs) and now gos x berkshires ( lovely also and nearly ready to go). I have ended up with just a single strand of stripey cord run off a decent mains zapper. They don't go near it, but can tell when it's off due to the noise from the unit. Luckily i also have livestock fencing as well. this weekend was a strange one. wild and windy overnight, which spooked everything. i had a squirrel in the sheds looking for food, which when I chased it off set off a chain of events. it knoked over some timber, which flipped up a length of banister I was saving, this knocked the fencing power unit off its mountings and must have stretched the wire further along. the connection came away, but I did not notice. that night something spooked next doors sheep and all 130 of them stampeded through the gate and up our track, round and round the garden,. another neighbour returned from celebrating a 50th and saw all this happening. The chap had had a few and went to bed, the lady was left trying to raise people to help, but could not be heard anove the noise of sheep and the wind.sunday morning left me wondering where all the footprints and poo had come from. who had eaten all my broccolli?The farmer denied all knowledge, his sheep were back in the field and the poo was too small? my neighbours were still asleep, both sides. my chickens were all fine and the one who was missing the day before was waiting to be let back into the run. The pigs had noticed the lack of zap ( eventually) and were bulldozing round the perimeter. They did not quite escape but were close. Pigs are strong, intelligent and adventurous, maximum security required.
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I'm still laughing (sorry!), great post. If ya' saw it in a hollywood movie, you wouldn't believe it could happen! Sometimes life is stranger than fiction. :farmer:
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I can well imagine the chaos.
Have just had a quick look out into back garden, there in the bird feeder are 7 small tammie cross gos, and mum. The affronted chickens are throwing murderous looks, the big cockerel is preening up his feathers prepared to go in to battle. I have to go rescue her before he draws himself up to his full height and goes and taps her on the ankle with his beak.
She is only returning the compliment as this morning he led a full on raid into her field standing on tip toes to get his head down inside her bucket and running off with her prize titbit a large piece of fresh french stick!
Oh well at least its not Hilary!!!
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animals have a brilliant sense for adventure when allowed and make great entertainment when left to their own devices. The smallest of our cockerels are always the bravest, and are full of amusement. the geese are just daft and the pigs are wonderful, like big scruffy puppies. my neighbour ,kay says she was petrified as armed with just a torch she gamely got them all back in the field. she is about 8 stone and five foot nothing. she says they all flocked to the torchlight and when back in they still swirled round and round in circles.I was very glad she did get stuck in, as she is quite a townie and just coming to terms with living out here.when she moved in they inherited two goats, but got rid sharpish as they scared her. also @ a dozen hens which had to go as she struggled to cope. after she saw my menagerie and me letting her family interact she has now got stuck in. she has 14 chickens in a run her husband made, and with a bit of encouragement from me and the guy the otherside of them, she is coping well. Though her ferets proved a mistake, especially when the male knocked off 8 turkeys from our little flock.Good neighbours are important, especially helpful and tolerant ones.