Author Topic: Enrichment  (Read 7408 times)

patchy1990

  • Joined Dec 2010
Enrichment
« on: March 01, 2011, 10:49:24 am »
Anything you do in particular for your pigs? I want to keep them stimulated but am running out of ideas! They are kept outside during the day, but i always bring them in during the night, well until it heats up a bit.

I just have the two GOS at the moment, and do things such as hiding fruit and veg around there field, even put some under the turfed up grass, gave them a couple of footballs with pig nuts that fall out etc.

Thankyou

Eve

  • Joined Jul 2010
Re: Enrichment
« Reply #1 on: March 01, 2011, 11:21:06 am »
A new bale of straw will keep them busy for a few hours.
How large is the outside area?
We use the snack-a-ball too, it took one of the pigs about a nanosecond to find out how it worked, another didn't get it for several days and just seemed to think that that thick plastic ball was in his way :D

Fowgill Farm

  • Joined Feb 2009
Re: Enrichment
« Reply #2 on: March 01, 2011, 12:17:33 pm »
We banged a fence post/stake into the ground in the pigs paddock and they use it for a good scratch. They also like to dance & play fight round it. They also have a fallen tree (only a sapling) but gives them loads of fun.
HTH
mandy :pig:

Hilarysmum

  • Joined Oct 2007
Re: Enrichment
« Reply #3 on: March 01, 2011, 02:01:42 pm »
Digby has a sofa, not for everyone but he does so enjoy pulling it apart. 

bloomer

  • Joined Aug 2010
  • leslie, fife
  • i have chickens, sheep and opinions!!!
Re: Enrichment
« Reply #4 on: March 01, 2011, 02:27:04 pm »
Digby has a sofa, not for everyone but he does so enjoy pulling it apart. 

im starting to think you have the most spoiled pigs in the world!!!

 ;D ;D ;D

Rosemary

  • Joined Oct 2007
  • Barry, Angus, Scotland
    • The Accidental Smallholder
Re: Enrichment
« Reply #5 on: March 01, 2011, 02:52:56 pm »
The snak a ball is good if the ground's dry or it's used indoors otherwise it gunges up in no time.

Eve

  • Joined Jul 2010
Re: Enrichment
« Reply #6 on: March 01, 2011, 04:14:09 pm »
Ah yes, our snack-a-ball never makes it to the muddy bits but I can imagine it would indeed clogg up if it did. Will remember that for future use, so far it's been attached to the top of a really big metal ark to stop it rolling past the electric fence - slight issue with the ark, now, in that it's bent a bit after having to put up with the pigs' football! ::)

HM, clearly Digby is showing gratitude that you get him a nice, tasty sofa, not a cheap one with bland filling. ;D He must be the luckiest pig in the world!  :pig: :love: :pig:

Pel

  • Joined Mar 2009
Re: Enrichment
« Reply #7 on: March 01, 2011, 04:39:48 pm »
Parents have pallet boards (though they stand on them when its muddy, again the boar has paving slabs so he can walk on them from his house to the gate, as he also hates mud), but they have carpet.. which the boar tends to use as a back rest, tyres and a big log. In the boars pen is also 2 plum trees that he uses as scratching posts and 3 blackcurrant bushes which he will shake when they have very ripe fruit on.. so we have to get there first  ;D
Love pigs; their language, intelligence, and taste.
NPTC in chainsaws (felling small trees) and HND in Agriculture with countryside management.
Farming it runs through the blood :D

princesspiggy

  • Guest
Re: Enrichment
« Reply #8 on: March 01, 2011, 07:17:10 pm »
mine disappear into the woods for hours on end, no idea wot they do in there cos the trees are too low and dense for me to get in.  ??? ???

HammysMom

  • Joined Mar 2011
Re: Enrichment
« Reply #9 on: March 01, 2011, 07:30:54 pm »
Balls, crumpled newspaper or an empty feed bag can be very entertaining. A dog toy like a short thick piece of rope with a knot in it, some really like it. I nailed it to the inside of the stall and they love to play tug of war and shake it just like a puppy. My 400 pound boar loves his homemade tether ball using a T-post and a soccer ball. He also loves playing with any sized beach ball he can rub his nose in. He has a ribbed piece of conduit he pushes around and climbs on as well. For my smaller pigs I take dog balls, or a cluster of tennis balls etc and macrame a little net for them out of bailing twine then hang them from the roof of the stalls for the piglets to bat around and try to chew on.

Good Luck!

little blue

  • Joined Jun 2009
  • Derbyshire
Re: Enrichment
« Reply #10 on: March 01, 2011, 09:13:21 pm »
I stuff hay into almost empty feed bags - they can smell the food at the bottom but have to work to get at it.
  tyres, footballs, trays they chuck about.

I love to watch them after they're mucked out.... if you just pile up the bedding (shavings, shredded paper. straw here) they'll sort it out themselves.
I give them newspapers whole - Mildred can open it and separate every sheet, then carries it round into each and every corner of the shed!!
Little Blue

patchy1990

  • Joined Dec 2010
Re: Enrichment
« Reply #11 on: March 01, 2011, 10:29:11 pm »
Newpaper seems like a god hit! Will put some out for them tomorrow, am also going to try the hay in the feed bag, and the tyre! Thankyou everyone  ;D

benkt

  • Joined Apr 2010
  • Cambridgeshire
    • Hempsals Community Farm
Re: Enrichment
« Reply #12 on: March 01, 2011, 10:50:00 pm »
I use pig nuts in the rim of an old tyre as a cheapskate snack-ball device

Hilarysmum

  • Joined Oct 2007
Re: Enrichment
« Reply #13 on: March 02, 2011, 09:14:57 am »
Our youngsters love an old tyre just for the fun of it. 

Blonde

  • Joined Mar 2011
Re: Enrichment
« Reply #14 on: March 03, 2011, 02:29:53 pm »
An old eed bag keeps them occupied for hours   They shake theri heads back and fourth and make the bag make a noise.  I think they like the sound.   A fresh bag is better than an old bag as it  does not come to pieces as readily.  Or a pice of thick tarp  they just cant help themselves.   

 What about a water hole.. or a piece of large polly pipe they will chew on this for hours also

the indoor boys use a chain  that dangles on a wire and the pigs pull at this suck on it and just generally chew it.   some every use a milk bottle and dangle this in their pens.  I dont use toys I run outside and they have great fun just chasing each other,  digging holes to China and then filling them in.

 

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