The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Pigs => Topic started by: GeorgeandPepper on October 13, 2013, 07:11:18 pm
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So the dreaded dark and wet weather is here. Their pen is a big muddy sludgy mess and I get home in the dark. Any tips on how to deal with wet pig poo? Wet straw? Wet piggies? :(
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As long as they've got somewhere warm and dry to kip, then they'll cope.
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So the dreaded dark and wet weather is here. Their pen is a big muddy sludgy mess and I get home in the dark. Any tips on how to deal with wet pig poo? Wet straw? Wet piggies? :(
Err move to Spain???
We are still in the mid 20's
My pigs are still pulling the pipes apart to get a BIG wallow to cool down, they aren't happy with a 5 foot round puddle, they want 10 feet ;)
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keep us up to date with what the weather/temperature does with you over the coming weeks :thumbsup:
What do you get down to in the winter, and how long does the cold weather hang around ???
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Oh dear don't know how to help but you have my sympathy, my last 2 are due to go off next week, just before they trash their pen. I think that if I was overwintering pigs I would have a slab of concrete laid that would let them get off the mud.but failing that I suppose lots of straw in a nice cosy bed.
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A well fitting pair of wellies, good waterproofs, neoprene gloves, a decent head torch etc. The stuff you need for winter is all about making it easier for you. The pigs will be fine.
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Ditto what Hughsey said for yourself. If you can rig up light on a pole it will make feeding & bedding up on dark days easier ( we have a cheap light from B&Q on an extension cable to the garage for one of our far flung paddocks)
For the pigs as long as they have a dry bed they will be fine, pull out any damp muddy bedding and use it to make a straw doormat outside their house and refresh with dry straw daily if necessary(use your bare hand to test for dampness), in very bad weather they can be fed on the doormat in troughs or trugs or washing up bowls to stop them churning up more mud as they forage for food fed on the ground.
If i remember rightly you keep a small breed of pig so they don't want to be upto their bellies in it making the doormat will help them have somewhere to keep out of it.
HTH
Mandy :pig:
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Yes the doormat thing is good. Saves carting the old bedding away to the compost heap too. Our native breeds are incredibly hardy and won't be bothered about the bad weather as long as they have food, water and somewhere dry to lie down.
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keep us up to date with what the weather/temperature does with you over the coming weeks :thumbsup:
What do you get down to in the winter, and how long does the cold weather hang around ???
31c yesterday, had to have my siesta in the pool :sunshine: