The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Pigs => Topic started by: fairhaven on February 01, 2013, 08:07:13 pm

Title: Ditches as 'fencing'
Post by: fairhaven on February 01, 2013, 08:07:13 pm

Forgive me if this is silly... Would pigs keep away from a natural ditch, or are we right to have fenced them off?   We have a ditch around 3 sides of our field and it seems like such a waste of fencing if the ditches would be enough to stop the pigs escaping.   Large black youngsters & possibly Tamworths (For a short time only)

Title: Re: Ditches as 'fencing'
Post by: P6te on February 01, 2013, 08:19:55 pm

Hi Fairhavenfarm,

I don't have the answer for you but to assist others who may, what depth and width of ditch are you talking about? Are they (partially) filled with water?

Pete

Title: Re: Ditches as 'fencing'
Post by: hughesy on February 01, 2013, 09:18:50 pm

It would have to be a pretty steep sided and deep ditch to stop them I reckon. More of a moat than a ditch really.

Title: Re: Ditches as 'fencing'
Post by: Mrs Snoodles on February 01, 2013, 09:53:40 pm

I would wonder about the problem you would entail getting them out, if they got in.   pigs don't like being shoved about and well, are incredibly stubborn.  I wouldn't fancy trying to push a pig upwards onto land.

Title: Re: Ditches as 'fencing'
Post by: Berkshire Boy on February 01, 2013, 11:34:08 pm

They will walk straight through a ditch no problem. If it happens to fill with water they will swim across it. I'm afraid the only answer is fencing fixed or electric.

Title: Re: Ditches as 'fencing'
Post by: fairhaven on February 02, 2013, 07:58:54 am

Thank you for you replies - It's what we thought & I'm glad we fenced them off... Just a faint hope that we could have saved some money somewhere!

Title: Re: Ditches as 'fencing'
Post by: RaisinHall Tamworths on February 02, 2013, 02:28:11 pm

We have a stream that runs alongside our drive and along the bottom of the garden, it has steep sides going down to it and ususally flows about a foot or so deep and will be about 5 foot wide.  We've had porkers escape and get into the garden and they just jump in and wade along and scramble up the other side  ::)  or wade down stream to the neighbours garden  :o .  It's great fun trying to retrieve them when  its pitch black, you're not sure how many are out and you just keep hearing the splash of a pig jumping in! Not sure whose screams were loudest the pigs when they're caught or me screaming at the pigs  :P

Title: Re: Ditches as 'fencing'
Post by: Fowgill Farm on February 02, 2013, 02:40:51 pm

Quote from: RaisinHall Tamworths on February 02, 2013, 02:28:11 pm

  It's great fun trying to retrieve them when  its pitch black, you're not sure how many are out and you just keep hearing the splash of a pig jumping in! Not sure whose screams were loudest the pigs when they're caught or me screaming at the pigs  :P

Now that i would love to see ;D :roflanim: :roflanim:
mandy :pig: