The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Pigs => Topic started by: Azzdodd on July 31, 2014, 10:28:53 am
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Well I never used to have this problem as I just had weaners but now I've started to breed it's a dilemma. My 2 gilts currently live outside nice big ark loads off paddock space but I know exactly what is going to happen in winter mud baths. I have a 15ft x 15ft stable I'm thinking winter in there lots off straw & they can go into the pens when we have a better day? Both will be in pig by then also
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The stable is well large enough so no probs there, but you'll need to muck out at least twice a day and go thro huge amounts of bedding
We too use stable/byres in winter for the pigs but have fenced an area in front about 15ft square for them to get outside to do their business and have a potter about,(helps stop boredom too) that way we don't feel guilty if we don't let them out for bigger walks every day, it also means they don't poo or pee in the house unless the weathers REALLY nasty and thus saves bedding
bear in mind too as well you'll need to separate for farrowing so think in two's ;)
hth
mandy :pig:
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If you're agonising over the, "But I want them to be free range", don't. I shan't have breeding pigs again until I have suitable winter accommodation. Ideally a turnout paddock and a cement run, but tbh that's more for *my* peace of mind. If they have a big dry area - 15 x 15 sounds lovely - and *plenty* of straw to rummage about in, they'll be happy as, well, pigs in ...!
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Sounds good to me. Mine are currently living in stables at night and outside during the day as I don't live on the premises and have problems with poachers coming over and cutting wire to get onto the land and I don't think I could cope if the pigs ended up in the wood that borders the land or on the road! But I'll be doing the same as you're suggesting during winter, and on days it's too muddy they'll just be loose in the shed where the stables are while they're mucked out etc.
If yours are anything like mine then they'll love it that much inside they don't want to go out - one takes one look at the rain and says there's no chance unless she gets a push!
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Don't be daft- you don't need to muck out at all. Pigs are incredibly clean, they will will create their own miden in a corner, just deep litter them, add hay or straw and they will bed build to their heart's content.
Over wintering indoors is by far the best way, just let them out to play if it snows-they love it.
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Thanks for the replys guys it was the feeling of them not being free range but I suppose they will be happier inside warm & dry!!!
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The farm where I take my horse muck to does the contract pig finishing and I see them all in the sheds and trust me, compared to that, I think I don't need to worry about housing mine over night and over winter...
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Ditto everyone above. Free range is good, but animal welfare and your safety has to come first and if you've got pregnant pigs in knee deep mud it's not good for them (arthritis can set in, in their joints) and it does pose some slight concerns over your safety (getting stuck in deep mud with a couple of hungry pigs isn't a great position to be in ;))
If it's possible to let them have permanent access to outside, great - if not, letting them out for a nose about every day or couple of days will do fine too :thumbsup:
Ours all come in to the shed when the ground is at the muddy stage and only get back out permanently when the ground freezes solid. We usually bring them back in (much to their displeasure) for a couple of weeks when the thaw/grass growing begins again as it lets the ground get off to a better start for the year.
HTH
Karen
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They'll be just as happy inside or outside - but you'll be much happier with them inside ;D
As for mucking out, they'll probably use one corner of the stable for dung, and it's worth cleaning that out every week or so - again, as much for your benefit as theirs.
One word of caution: is your stable floor concrete or similar? I know someone who put their pigs in a shed with a hardcore floor and they started to dig their way out!
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Can you put a concrete "raft" with a 1:20 slope in front of the stable, with secure fencing? They'll go outside to dung unless the weather's truly atrocious and the urine will drain down the slope. As Mandy mentioned, need to think about splitting them up for farrowing - split the stable with a sturdy corrugated iron divider and cut an alternative doorway?