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Author Topic: pigs and fencing  (Read 3738 times)

MR C CHICKS

  • Joined Nov 2009
pigs and fencing
« on: December 14, 2010, 09:12:23 pm »
Can anybody help please !!!!! . We have 7 large white pigs that are four months old and until recently have been as good as gold. But a week ago our electric fence battery failed and they escaped into the larger field which also has a few sheep and our Xmas turkeys. We have now replaced the battery but each time we go to feed them there they are in the field again. running straight through the wire until we feed them when they run back in. We are new to pig keeping but this is our third lot of pigs and have had no problems previously.  Can anybody offer any advise please.  CHEERS

robert waddell

  • Guest
Re: pigs and fencing
« Reply #1 on: December 14, 2010, 09:14:43 pm »
a stronger electric fence a mains one 7000 volts should keep them in

Eve

  • Joined Jul 2010
Re: pigs and fencing
« Reply #2 on: December 14, 2010, 09:47:37 pm »
We use an ordinary car battery with our electric fence and that's plenty of volts, don't want to fry them. Do they have something to keep them occupied in the pen? If they've rooted it all up, maybe you could try a horse ball tied to a pin? A bale of straw should keep them happy for a few hours, too.

Since you have sheep you may have some metal fencing lying around to use in conjunction with the electric fence? The grass is always greener on the other side, even for pigs. ;)

 :wave:

oaklandspigs

  • Joined Nov 2009
  • East Sussex
    • OaklandsPigs
Re: pigs and fencing
« Reply #3 on: December 15, 2010, 06:00:39 pm »
'Fraid you are going to have to retrain them to the electric. 

To do this, you'll need to create a small fenced area (maybe around their ark) say 20ft * 10ft, and loosly fence this with stock wire (few posts in the ground, doesn't need to be professional - say 6 vertical posts - one in each corner and an extra one on the long sides, 25 m stock wire - total cost say £40).  Put electric on the inside. If you are not already using horse tape (the white stuff) then change to this - pigs see it much more clearly than polywire or just wire.

Pigs will touch the electric, but not be able to go forward through the stockwire, so will back off.  Leave them in this for three days, so that they get used to this again. Then remove the stockwire or move them back to old area.

Use two strands of horse tape in their old area - one 6 inches above the ground, and the other slightly higher to give a visible barrier at shoulder height.  Again horse tape makes this "barrier" much more obvious

Finally make sure battery doersn't run out again !

www.Oaklandspigs.co.uk
"Perfect Pigs" the complete guide to keeping pigs; One Day Pig Courses in South East;
Weaners for sale - Visit our site for details

Hilarysmum

  • Joined Oct 2007
Re: pigs and fencing
« Reply #4 on: December 16, 2010, 09:36:12 am »
And if this doesnt work (although it is sure to) cover the stock fence so they cannot see through.  (We once had some escape artist tammies and it worked with them)   ;D

oaklandspigs

  • Joined Nov 2009
  • East Sussex
    • OaklandsPigs
Re: pigs and fencing
« Reply #5 on: December 16, 2010, 05:55:20 pm »
And if this doesnt work (although it is sure to) cover the stock fence so they cannot see through.  (We once had some escape artist tammies and it worked with them)   ;D
Like it !
www.Oaklandspigs.co.uk
"Perfect Pigs" the complete guide to keeping pigs; One Day Pig Courses in South East;
Weaners for sale - Visit our site for details

littlemisspiggy!

  • Joined Sep 2010
  • NOTTINGHAMSHIRE
    • just left of the 20th century
Re: pigs and fencing
« Reply #6 on: December 16, 2010, 07:21:43 pm »
we have pallets lined with stock fencing! nothing gets out of those pens!!!lol ;D ;D
'can't rain all the time!'

MR C CHICKS

  • Joined Nov 2009
Re: pigs and fencing
« Reply #7 on: December 16, 2010, 07:55:32 pm »
Ok many thanks for all your advise . Still learning but will take all your ideas on board.

Hilarysmum

  • Joined Oct 2007
Re: pigs and fencing
« Reply #8 on: December 17, 2010, 09:18:04 am »
The Joy of pigs Mr Chicks is that you never stop learning.  I find this site invaluable (hope that's the right word my English is disappearing today).

 

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