[Bodger]

A very simple question. How many strands and at what heights to keep a sow in her enclosure? My new pig, when she arrives, does already know what an electric fence is and I need to keep her where she should be. 
Some how, over the years I've managed to collect three mains electric fencing units and she'll have the power from one of them all to herself. 

[Berkshire Boy]

On the rare occasions that I use it I have 2 strands, 1 about 6" off the ground and the other about 12" above that. If she's used to electric she should be no problem. Mine are a pain when you drop the fence to get them out they won't cross the line even for food.

[Bodger]

The other thing BB, you know the otherday when you said about her needing company? Well I'm going to be borrowing a couple of 10 week old weaners off a friend, do you reckon that those heights will be OK for them as well?

[Mrs Snoodles]

we had our large blacks on one strand which worked well with them being lop eared - about a foot off the ground.  Your 10 week olds will need alot more wire, closer to the ground - pigs tend to go under rather than jump.  We set ours up on four strands, 2 on whatever were the lowest hooks on the plastic posts we used, then missed one then the next two. You need to watch out that the growers don't earth up too much along the bottom wire.

[Hassle]

I do mine at 7, 20 and 40cm  then as they grow unplug the lower strand expect any of them to run through it as they learn there boundaries on the first day. I have a gate in mine

[Bodger]

Thanks for the advice folks.
 
I'm going to use wooden posts with the screw in insulators. We get through loads of the plastice electric fence posts that we use for the horses and the cattle. They don't seem to last very long here.
 My next venture, is going to be into pig AI. I may very well be back for more advice in a few weeks time.

[Azzdodd]

Weaners are a pain with electric they run riot lol I had 2 sandy & black cross old spot boys and they were no problem I loved them every week with a trailer as a ark they ate all my unwanted thisels & nettles :-) but had weaners and they just wanted anything on the other side of the fence lol. And with regards to AI I helped a friend once his sow was really friendly so was easy but if the sow has a nasty side I say just go natural :-)

[Hassle]

If a sow gets even a little bit nasty .... the best thing is sausage time 

[MKay]

First set up a 10m square of posts and wrap it in stock netting with the electric inside, put the weaners in this for three weeks whilst they learn the wire bites. Do this before letting them out in an electric only paddok or you will never get them fence trained. At 20mph they will often get throught the fence Line between kicks so will not learn. If you have a corner of a field you can use so much the better then you can just do one length of stock netting to create a triangle, much less work, I have done this today using bales instead of netting so there is a solid backstop behind the wire.

[Bodger]

Cheers Mkay, thats a good one and I'll be following your advice.

[littleacorn]

We have a lovely pedigree GOS boar you could borrow if you want to go au natural! 

[Bodger]

I don't suppose for a minute that you're within striking distance of North Wales? It would be just too good to be true.

[MKay]

Here is the temporary bale wall I have constructed as a back stop for electric fence training piglets(mine are four weeks old today) once they have learnt, I can roll a bale in a month for them to eat/nest in.

[Bodger]

Thats the pig run done, we finished it this afternoon. :thumbup:
 


 


 


 


 

I'm sweating now on being able to locate a second hand pig ark locally. :thumbup: