The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Community => Introduce yourself => Topic started by: hayleyedwardsuk on December 16, 2017, 05:09:41 pm

Title: Mud, mud and more mud!
Post by: hayleyedwardsuk on December 16, 2017, 05:09:41 pm

Hi everyone,

I’ve been keeping GOS for nearly a year now and as it has been raining for about 4 months the mud in their paddock is now almost knee deep! The pigs seem fairly happy but I’m worried it’s not good to keep them in such conditions? Does anyone have any suggestions for keeping the mud under control or is it OK for them and I just accept that is how it will be in the winter months?

Thanks very much.

Hayley

Title: Re: Mud, mud and more mud!
Post by: devonlady on December 18, 2017, 12:29:50 pm

The first pigs  kept, Berkshires, were in much the same state as yours and for pity's sake I put them, with an ark in a top, sloping paddock.Of course they wrecked it but I got a good farming friend to roll and harrow it and reseed and it was as good as new. I dare say other folk can offer other ideas.
Welcome to the friendliest of forums!

Title: Re: Mud, mud and more mud!
Post by: harmony on December 18, 2017, 01:38:04 pm

Hi there  :wave:


There isn't much you can do to keep the mud under control with the wet time we have been having.


Putting old bedding in the doorway will help to clean them off before they go into their ark and spoil their bedding. Road plannings in gateways help keep those areas harder making it easier for you to get in and out. As devonlady says rolling and reseeding in the Spring. Do you have somewhere to move them too?


What are your plans for them long term? Once paddocks get that bad they will need rest at some point to recover.

Title: Re: Mud, mud and more mud!
Post by: Lesley Silvester on December 18, 2017, 11:36:45 pm

 :wave: hi Hayley and welcome to the forum.

Title: Re: Mud, mud and more mud!
Post by: honeyend on December 22, 2017, 07:07:46 pm

If you can buy some large rounds of straw, they should cost £10- 15 make a mat rolling out in the driest part. They will eat some of it. Add a small bale of straw before it gets really muddy and keep adding to it. I would also put their trough or feed on there.
  You could make them a shelter out of pallets tied together with tarpaulin over the top.
 I have used the straw mat for ponies, it gives them somewhere to get out of the mud and dry their feet out. In spring you just harrow it or rake up the worst and burn it.
 

Title: Re: Mud, mud and more mud!
Post by: hayleyedwardsuk on December 23, 2017, 07:11:16 pm

Thank you so much for all your advice. I have put a lot of straw in which has helped with feeding time and I’ve made a ramp out of stones and old bedding at the entrance to their arks which has helped keep the mud out of there as they go in and out as well. I’m looking forward to a good frost!

Definitely going to build a hard standing area for the next winter though and rotate round the paddock to rest the land. I’ve nearly fallen in several times!  :D