The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Community => Coffee Lounge => Topic started by: mrsthomo on August 16, 2017, 02:14:06 pm
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So two months ago I rescued a 2 year old cob who was in a very bad way, granted he isn't at my house and I pay for grazing locally, as an experienced horse owner who has been missing one from my life for the last 10 years I couldn't say no :horse:
But anyway, we have at our house 4 chickens, 3 dogs, 2 cats, a ewe (rescued), a pygmy goat (rescued) and also this week we are getting a 12 week old pig (also a rescue)
We are busy building the pen which will be 20m x 10m, split into 2 for rotation purposes. Her breed has been checked by the rescue and she will not get any bigger than a medium sized dog and said the space she needs is around 5m x 5m so we are ensuring she has twice that space.
Questions being, what is the most cost effective way to build an ark for her?
Will she feed from the floor or shall I get a purpose built trough?
Do they drink from shallow water buckets or will I need to get a purpose made pig drinker?
I am fully aware on the laws regarding feeding pigs waste from the kitchen, so will definitely be steering away from that, but am I able to purchase fruit and veg from the likes of Tesco to give to her along with her daily feed? Pigs love variety but I don't want to be punished or putting anyone at risk by feeding banned foods!!! pig veg/fruit will be stored in the pets cupboard, along with the sheep feed and goat feed and dog feed. :pig: :pig: :pig:
any advice on pig keeping much appreciated, this is very new to me!
Also, please no negative comments, I am a newbie here and I have recently ditched the H&H forum for people being so nasty! hoping you guys are nicer ;)
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Hi and welcome to the group, I'm sure you'll find us a friendly bunch, occasionally differing opinions but you get that among friends :) .
We tend to have rescues as well, often used to have things that turned up and just stayed, which is how I got my first sheep, then animal health man turned up, presume I'd been reported, told him it had strayed here, no tag, and he said "well it looks like you now own a sheep", and filled all the forms in for me .
I'd get a trough, both for feed and water, less wastage and from what I remember of my dad's pigs any buckets will be soon upside down.
I think dog food should be stored separate to your animal feeds.
I've heard of arks being made of pallets, making an 'A' frame, or 8x4 sheets of marine plywood, seen plans somewhere on the net for that.
Ime sure there will soon be lots more advice from others.
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Yup people on here are generally nice but of course there can be different views on how to do things and what really matters. Some like floors in the pig arks, some don't. I've got mine direct onto dirt and that works well here as not too wet. Pallets should work especially if you use a few fence posts to support the sides. Look up the defra information on keeping pigs. You are fine on fruit and veg as long as it hasn't been through a kitchen so direct from Tescos is ok but pricey! You will need some pig nuts though for main part of the diet I think.
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When storing animal feeds make sure that there is no chance of cross contamination as any surprise Defra visits will not like them being kept together. I like floors in the shelter as we soon turn to mud round here. I have used an old wooden wendy house as a shelter in the past, the stable doors were great for those occaisions when the pig had to be shut inside.
We are a far nicer lot than H&H forum.
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Would she maybe like a pig friend?
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Don't know if this might help....
https://www.accidentalsmallholder.net/forum/index.php?topic=84822.0 (https://www.accidentalsmallholder.net/forum/index.php?topic=84822.0)
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Hi,
I dont know anything about keeping pigs sadly however welcome to the forum - its a terrific site full of very knowledgeable folk who help when they can. I have found it invaluable. Well done for rescuing the cob.
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Sacks of pony carrots from your local horsey supplier should be a lot cheaper than Tesco; also windfall apples etc. Beech nuts if you happen to have to clear some off a lawn!
I know little about pigs, but they are very intelligent and ideally have a friend for company. Do you have a large animal vet who can guide you on health matters, local disease risks, and so on?
Re. food and inspections it's about avoiding confusion and giving the wrong food to the wrong species with harmful results. I'd keep everything separated in bins in a feed store, if possible.
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Welcome :wave:
I assume you have a CPH as you have a goat. You will need to register with eAML2 for the movement licence. You will then need a herd number. The details for that will come with the pig movement licence when you get the pig. A reputable breeder would not sell a pig of that age on its own. What breed is she?
Someone else mentioned food storage. Separate bins a must.
Pigs tip up water/feed containers for fun. Carrying water is not fun. You can feed on the floor. You can make a shelter if you are DIY minded. Pigs chew wood. If you have a floor make sure non slip.
She will root. Especially on ground that has never been rooted up. I think the 5m square pen is way too small. Get the ark in and whats left will soon be rooted up. If you are having two areas have an ark accessible from both pens. In a wet spell and depending on your ground 10m by 5m wont fair much better.
Has she been wormed?
Impossible to cover everything and properly in a message like this.
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Welcome from me too. :wave: I most certainly will never criticise someone who resues an animal.
I'm a fake smallholder :eyelashes: I'm retired with a decent pension, so don't need to make it pay. I have tropical fish, rescue chickens, pure bred ducks because I like them and have a pond, veg and fruit which grow despite me :innocent: beautiful dogs which I show, and a couthy mouse killing cat - some produce I sell to friends or neighbours, some I give away or trade produce and brain power for other stuff I need.
I've always been told that one of a species is incredibly lonely a life :'( (I can choose to be alone or not but animals can't), so if your animals all have to be kept separate, perhaps you could consider getting friends of their own species for them. :sofa: