[welshlass181]

Not sure if this has been done before but there is nothing better than home tried methods of making winter easier.

I put glycerine in the water buckets, troughs to provent it from freezing about a tablespoon in a trough but it's not exact and doesn't put off livestock from drinking it as it has no taste.

Any more tried and tested things?

[oaklandspigs]

For those that have taps and power on the yard we invested in pipe heating last year

http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Manufacturers/Bush_Nelson/Heat_Tape/index.html

This is fantastic, had two flowing taps all through the winter, one in each yard.

[Fowgill Farm]

If you have power to your winter housing invest in good lighting, we had all ours re-done this summer and its paying dividends now the dark nights are here. Lights in the buildings, wall lights for the yard and floodlights for the paddocks.
On another note my best winter tip is to plan your piggy activities so you don't have so much stock to overwinter. There are lots of herds and pigs for sale this winter mainly i think due to the economic climate but also because people don't plan their litters, they just think god must get her in pig and don't think of the consequences of when they'll be born, ready to wean and whether it will be a good time to sell them. After my fatteners go next week i'll be down to six pigs (a litter due at Xmas) so they're now in the building and quite manageable both time and cost of feed wise.
HTh
Mandy 
ps like the glycerine tip not heard that before. have added litter planner and info sheet

[oaklandspigs]

and get a head torch if you haven't mains, so much easier than carrying a hand one one, esp when feeding - lots available as below shows !

http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/items/__head+torch_W0QQ_dmdZ2?clk_rvr_id=292683474623&crlp=8226169328_228459_228459&UA=%3F*I%3F&GUID=40621a3b1280a03661003170ff99ca05&agid=2318560328&tm_kw=head+torch&siteid=3&MT_ID=11&tt_encode=raw&keyword=head+torch&geo_id=21&ff4=228459_228459

[sabrina]

We are in for more snow this evening so taking my 2 in, trying to cope with feeding and frozen water is no joke in a snowstorm. They have only come out of their Ark long enough to have breakfast so not happy pigs at the moment.

[welshlass181]

We've no electric but have running water we're planning on doing some serious lagging and adding lots of straw to the water hut that is around the tap.

We've got a few head torches in the feed caravan ready and a half 45gl drum ready to heat water up for hot meal and warm water. 

Glycerine by the bottle full over there ready for the frosty weather.

Hopefully in spring we'll have a roof over the hard-standing so they can be out and about no way we can do it before the harsh weather sadly had to replace my car and it's wiped out the saved funds BUT we now have a jeep so can guarantee getting to and from the field everyday

[windymiller]

we're just in the process of putting lights in/ upgrading wiring, we previously had sodium lights but the bulbs cost a fortune as do the covers (part of the barn is grain store over some walling!) any way we opted to low voltage spots, and have been very impressed, only 4w but give them a minute of two and theyre nealy as good as the 400w halogens and although dearer in the first place the bulbs will last longer and be much cheaper to run. i'll get some details tomorrow, i was very impressed.

[Fowgill Farm]

See my post above i have added litter date planner sheet.
HTH
mandy 

[JEP]

at the moment its the low energy light bulbs that are the dea  part
but low running costs led are far better than forecent low energy & last longer

[salopman]

If you can get LED Spots then they are dear to buy but will last ages and burn hardly any leccy

[princesspiggy]

where do u buy bottles of glycerine? chemist? or supermarket?

[Berkshire Boy]

princesspiggy look on ebay they sell a variety of sizes 

[princesspiggy]

thanx 

[nelson]

 

Not a new idea but made us laugh  yesterday in the cold weather we are having in France. Purchased the carpets from a discount store for next to nothing and they certainly have kept the pigs warm last night.

Pictured is our Berkshire boar Harry.

PS sorry put the same pic in twice

[Eve]

  He seems to have made that girl on the carpet very happy!