[P6te]

I am in the process of making a (wooden) pig ark that is intended to be suitable as a farrowing ark for OSB's. It will have a floor area of 8' x 8' with a (supported) 18mm plywood floor, have 3' vertical sides and a 30 degree pitch Onduline roof.

My question is, what height and width of door opening is recommended? (I already have a rear personnel door planned)

Thanks.

[Tamsaddle]

There is another post on here a few days back about door sizes for farrowing pigs.    As a result of my saddleback sow having grown enormously between her first litter last year and her second due in a few weeks time, I have had to increase the door height to 100 cm accommodate her current 96 cm height.   Normal door heights on semi circular arks are about 80 - 85 cm high, but I don't know anything about the eventual height of an OSB pig in year 2 or 3, so that might be OK for you.     Even so, I would make it at least 90 cm high if you can and 60 cm wide - even when heavily pregnant they can get through this width OK.     Another thing we do, as we normally have both the front and back door open all the time, is to have one or two 10 cm high removable slats at the bottom to keep the piglets in during the first week or so.   The sows seem quite happy stepping over it, and after about a week the piglets start exploring and tumble over the top but sometimes cannot get back in, so then the slats get removed altogether.    Tamsaddle

[P6te]

Thank you Tamsaddle, I've seen your post from the other week now which answered some of the questions.

You have confirmed what I thought would be ok (unless anyone else says otherwise for an OSB?!) - that being 600mm (2') wide and 1m heigh.

The suggestion re removable slats is a good one - thank you.

[Rispain]

Hi

Can I just add to the post that a ply floor is the worse type of floor you can use in an ark. When it gets wet which it will even slightly it is lethal as it gets so slippery. I have seen sprains on pigs where they have slipped on straw and a ply floor, as well as sprains caused by slipping when the floor is wet.  I strongly advise you to use timber. It is more expensive but in the long run it might save you vets bills. The cheaper ark companies use ply to save costs but it really can be lethal.

[Fowgill Farm]

We've always used ply for floors(marine) and had no problems its only when keepers are mean with their straw that problems occur!
Timber tends to get gnawed and produces nasty splinters! which can cause even worse injuries.
Mandy 

[robert waddell]

the worst kind of ply is Peri shuttering ply if you can get it it is polished but as Mandy says don't be mean with the straw

[Rispain]

you've been lucky then fowgill. Even with alot of straw, accidents have happened. I have never seen pigs gnaw the timber floor so can't comment on that. What I have seen is pigs with strains due to the ply getting wet or them slipping as they rush in or out. I feel if you are going to make an ark, you might has well make the best ark you can afford and use the better quality materials. However it is entirely up to the person making it obviuosly, I was just passing on experience and what I have come across with our customers. it is also not as long lasting as timber which if done properly should prove guite difficult for pigs to get a hold of to chew.

[robert waddell]

a pig in full flight will injure itself on anything even concrete  with strains and sprains    timber is just as slippy as ply  when wet  far better of with an old GPO container

[Rispain]

Do you have the last word in arguements with Lillian as well, Robert

I disagree with you on timber, ply is smooth where as timber if you use the rough sawn timber then it is not slippy. and helps with grip.  I have used timber for many years and one thing I can say is it affords grip better, but in any case it is down to personal preference isn't it. If you are happy with ply then stick with it.

Whats a gpo container anyway

[robert waddell]

but that is just it i don't use ply and the rough sawn timber on the floor of the weigh crate is very slippy   but then that is just my experience

[Fowgill Farm]

At the end of the day its what works best for you. We have used both rough sawn timber (splinters ouch) and marine ply. OH is a builder so luckily i have an abundant supply of all things building materials, our shed is a veritable treasure trove when i'm looking for a lump to block a hole in the fence up or partition an area off. We first of all used chipboard but found this got soggy and rotted quite quickly, we then tried timber planks but found dirt got inbedded betwen the planks and the aforementioned splinters, OH then had some marine ply left from a job and we've never looked back, our oldest ark is coming up 7yrs old and still has its original ply floor intact. Our worst incidences of slipping have come from our newly concreted (last summer) yard where the pigs are overwintered, its been a nightmare and we've had quite a lot of splays, twists and bum slips so next job is to scarify it to make a rougher surface for next winter.
I suspect a GPO container is one of the big boxes they use to transport mail on the trains it like a skip but with a lid.
Each to his own and its oly from each others experiences that we learn.
Mandy 

[robert waddell]

no Mandy the GPO container is transit van type they used to be made of ally now fiberglass  they usually re body the vans on sale so the containers are surplus the two i have were free the other shelters were one trip wooden packing containers from the gas pumping station  they were also free
PS i have never been a fan of arks  and if traveling north on the m6 toll road on your left hand side there are hundreds of them on a commercial pig farm  that is some investment