The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Pigs => Topic started by: mattjen on February 23, 2012, 09:56:42 pm
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Hi all,me agian,please could you all give me ur views on which is best for fencing my gos's,elctric wire or tape or anything else?many thanks matt and jen
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if ur going for non-electric, make sure the bottom strand is low enough and tight. our gos were expert at wriggling under the smallest gap :o :o
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if water can get through it pigs will as well :farmer:
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Hi Matt & Jen :wave:
Don't have a huge amount of experience with the "larger" breeds, but my KKs do really well with electrified horse tape. It's not as aesthetically pleasing as other fences, but it's easier for the short-sighted little porkies to see!
I start mine off by training them to it in an enclosed area, with live tape inside it, just for a couple of days. I've found that if you start them in an open area, they often get a shock & run forward through it!
They learn VERY quickly, even if it's only one of them that get a shock or two (clever little piggies). Mine totally respect the tape, even when it's shorted by a fallen tree they've stayed behind it & often won't walk through where the fence-line stood when I want to move them - lots of bribery with chopped apples & bananas required!
:pig: :love: :pig:
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We use white tape, but the one with 3 strands of metal wire through it - there is also a version with only 1 strand of metal wire run through the middle of the tape, which didn't work well enough. We start off with 3 lengths of tape very low to the ground (most people use only 2 for weaners but we really can't risk them escaping) then end up with only 1 or 2 lengths higher up the stakes once the pigs are bigger and we keep on expanding their field.
There's also green tape available which blends into their surroundings, but I think it's fairer on the pigs to use the white one as they can see it much more easily. It's also easier for us to quickly see if it's earthed somewhere if it's white (green grass or plants earthing white tape is easier to spot than green plants earthing green tape ;))
:wave:
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Remeber GOS are lop eared and for the most part can't see where they're going, mine crash and bang into all our fences, walls etc so i personally find electric fenceing for them useless as they just keep ploughing on oblivious!
Mandy :pig:
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10 coarses of breese block with 6 foot deep foundations and solid steel gates might, --just might--, keep them in
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10 coarses of breese block with 6 foot deep foundations and solid steel gates might, --just might--, keep them in
;D ;D ;D Agree pigs are best escape artists even at a few weeks old! They need good solid containment!
Mandy :pig:
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We have tensioned Pig Netting with a strand of tensioned barbed wire running round at ground level and its not given us any problems.
I have read that some people have a strand of barked wire around 18" / 2' up as well to prevent them rubbing against the fencing and loosening it but we haven't and as I said above, all is ok so far.
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so far?
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so far?
'So far' meaning we haven't had any problems with the fencing .... and hopefully we won't! :)
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P6te: "so far?" as in how long? Are you talking weeks or months? ;) One day they'll be out... ;)
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utter b*****ks eve we have our pig pens fenced with rylock and some have just rabbit netting but all with a scare wire along the bottom and they have been up for 20years with the first pen and over 10 years with the remainder
but then again the fence was done properly ;) :D :farmer:
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why is it "utter b.........s. I dont see why other people's opinions dont count - your fencing obviously works for you but dont discount others' opinions/experiences please. Jan
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i have posted this about the fencing already the rabbit netting has secured wild boar (iron age pigs)
a properly erected stockproof fence will not year after year keep pigs in without a scare wire at the bottom they go for the grass on the other side of the fence and undermine the fence this does not happen with a scare wire fitted i have not had one escape through the fence so far through gates yes (we have one pig than can open spring loaded bolts)
makeshift fencing is just that :farmer:
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utter b*****ks eve
Robert, how many times are we going to go through this?
Please consider this a final public warning. If you can't moderate your own language and interact politely with the other members on here we'll issue a permanent ban.
Thank you.
Dan
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the old saying good fences make good neighbours and saves you looking like the village idiot chasing pigs all over the countryside
also the breeze block wall is as much use as a chocolate watch it should be hollow blocks with re bar starter bar and concrete or solid concrete walls if only for the safety of the next door pigs when they knock it over
DAN it is infuriating when tosh is written with any job do it once the right way and enjoy your pigs any breed
i have shown amazing restraint in some of the posts written yes we all have an opinion but is it the right one >:( :farmer:
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DAN it is infuriating when tosh is written with any job do it once the right way and enjoy your pigs any breed
i have shown amazing restraint in some of the posts written yes we all have an opinion but is it the right one >:( :farmer:
Whether you're right or not in any matter, it doesn't give you the right to respond in what many consider to be an abusive manner. No-one is questioning whether your opinion is correct, the problem is, as in the past, your language and disdain for the opinions of others.
The final warning stands, it's not acceptable to respond to other members in the way you have above.
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the vast majority look for guidance and assistance you are a computer whizz kid and well versed on the rubbish in rubbish out saying just the same as an apprentice if trained under a skilled and proud to do the job old sage the apprentice will inherit that mans skills (if he can be bothered) train under somebody that could not care less about the job or repercussions then that will be passed on fencing is a skill as well but by all means have fences made from rickety old pallets and luck its not me and never has been :farmer:
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Are you really not getting this Robert, or just having a laugh?!
Let me spell it out: this has got nothing to do with fencing. You need to show *even more* restraint. :o
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Robert, what do you mean by a scare wire, barbed wire at the bottom of the fence or an electric strand? :pig:
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a single wire connected to the electric fence unit but insulated if any pigs get caught in it it will break barbed wire well it can cause a lot of damage but you have to remember that anything that gets caught on the wire is dead within 20 minutes frogs hedgehogs snails etc if i had the computer skills of Dan i would post pics :farmer:
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i had a dead hedgehog trapped in electric fenceing,,,,,,,,,,, i also have a scare wire about 6" in and 1 foot up to stop pigs chargeing the non electic fence over especially into the neighbours lawn though his wooden fenceing, trouble is it gets buried with pigs bulldozing dirt into it so its now 18 inches up from the ground.... my solution is, i have a load of intolocking barries the type you see in the street when theres an event on, with a strand of electic wire along the inside 9 inches in and 18 inches up,,,,, so i think i cracked it......... RUBBISH ON FORUMS,, get used to it i jioned a forum for a make of car ie surf owners club,,,,what a load of rubbish opinions and advice i got from that by no idea members but there was also the odd expert about.
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Here are photos of our fencing. As previously mentioned, it is tensioned Pig Netting secured on posts that are well rammed (rammed by a ramming rod on back of a tractor) into the ground. The corner posts have as much in the ground as above. The gates all have small square mesh in the bottom to keep weaners in place.
I did consider running an electric wire just above ground level but the problem is that as soon as any earth is mounded onto the wire it is shorted out and all electric fencing on that circuit stops working. (In my case electrics run around the chicken run but that's another debate)
The single barbed wire has stopped the pigs routing under the pig netting, without it I am sure they would have pushed their way out under the pig netting.
We haven't been keeping pigs that long (since last summer) but took good advise and aimed to install the best we could.
I hope this is useful - views on it welcome!
(http://i1140.photobucket.com/albums/n578/P6te/SouthDerbyshire-20120226-00119.jpg)
(http://i1140.photobucket.com/albums/n578/P6te/SouthDerbyshire-20120226-00118.jpg)
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Looks good to me, p6te. If your pigs are like mine, they'll erode where the barbed wire is at the bottom and in time you'll need another strand of barbed wire lower down. But remember, I haven't been keeping pigs for long and don't have many, so haven't anything like the experience of many other forum members.
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looks like you spent a few £££££s so why not buy another energiser just for the pigs they almost last forever. ive got 5 just in case, one new and the rest from auctions for £15 or less.
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Hello Harry
Do you mean that you only use electric fencing to confine your pigs? If so, what kind is it? I am hoping to keep some weaners for the first time this year and electric fencing sounds quite good to start with. However, there seem to be quite a lot of people who think that permanent fencing is the only safe option!
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love the pig ;D :love:
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looks like you spent a few £££££s so why not buy another energiser just for the pigs they almost last forever. ive got 5 just in case, one new and the rest from auctions for £15 or less.
Harry, that sounds a good idea. Something to do this summer!
Looks good to me, p6te. If your pigs are like mine, they'll erode where the barbed wire is at the bottom and in time you'll need another strand of barbed wire lower down. But remember, I haven't been keeping pigs for long and don't have many, so haven't anything like the experience of many other forum members.
Thanks too Sally, at the moment their is more danger of them burying the wire but I'll keep that in mind.
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Is it too early to start a 'free the Falkirk one' thread. Lol
;) :farmer:
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it is never to early to start a campaign
i had a huge bit written out and the cat decided it knew more on computers than i did and wiped it maybe just as well ??? :farmer:
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Well, I like anyone who calls a spade a spade! :thumbsup:
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POSSOM.......... yes it was just strands of wire at 3 different levels and then 1 wire running along the inside about 15 inches up and 9 inches in....... that kept them in untill one day the energiser stoppped for some reason ...as i didnt want them in the road i put up a barrier fence with the wire fence still on the inside now with repaired energiser......but yes untill the electric packed in the wire kept them in but i think it is vital to have the single wire in place before they get to the main wires to stop them charging though the main wires, mine are very thick hairy kks............. this was origanaly done the other way round to keep foxes away from the poultry fence. ... i have now fenced all areas in with various wood and metal fencing but with one wire strand ruuning just inside all the fence to stop them looking for weak areas
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Excellent! Thanks Harry.
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Our saddlebacks are contained with two strands of electric wire with no problems. There is solid fencing and/or stone walls around the perimeter of the holding but up to now they haven't strayed out of the electric wire only pens. Benefit is when we want to move them to fresh ground we just pick up the fence and move it.
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We have properly tensioned square wire mesh round the edge of our pig field and the pigs never get past it. To divide it into sections we have un-tensioned mesh with two strand of electric wire in front of it, and this mostly works until there's a problem with the electric fence or the boys get really frisky.
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We keep sows just behind a single strand of electric tape, growers behind two strands. This gives a flexible solution that lets you expand the area or move it easily and cheaply.
4 caveats though.
1. Pigs must be trained to it, easily done by having a training area - stock wire with electric round the inside. A week or so in there and the pigs learn about the electric.
2. If they do get out, they must be to somewhere safe - eg still within your ground, they will not run immediately to the next fence and break out, but will spend hours exploring what is in between. So if your ground has some sort of fencing that would stop a pig wandering out of your land, the once trained you can use electric to create an area within it for your pigs.
3. If you are heavy deer country then deer can take the electric away (hence rule 2), and don't do this in the middle of a badger set - you should site pigs away from badgers in any case as there is a TB risk.
4. Pigs can get out from this system, but very rarely do. However If they do, you must be prepared for their inquisitive consequences, so don't site your pigs next to your prize vegetable patch, or beautifully manicured lawn.
We like using electric tape (horse tape) as the pigs see it clearly and so avoid it.
If you can't do the above, then stock wire with electric on the inside (ala Robert) provides a secure solution. I don't like using barbed wire - risk of damage to pig. Plain stock fencing may work, but as the inside gets "used", and pigs get bigger it is likely that the pigs will simply lift the fence up and get out.
Pigs don't escape (as in feeling like they are in a prison), they merely wish to explore new opportunities for better rooting, so move an obstacle that is in their way.
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Pigs don't escape (as in feeling like they are in a prison), they merely wish to explore new opportunities for better rooting, so move an obstacle that is in their way.
Love it!