[ppd]

Hi All
I have just got two saddleback weaners and are currently housed in a large poultry ark inside steadings ( with access to outside) but will need bigger housing in a few weeks. Having looked on the internet we can't find any locally - we live in Sutherland in the north of scotland - and was wondering what you would recommend! My husband is good at DIY and has built various hen and duck houses, and if self build then how would you build it? or could you point me in the direction of a supplier that a - will deliver this far north or b- won't cost an arm and leg for delivery. Oh and have to say that keeping pigs is about the most amazing thing (even if the weather here has been shocking for them!) Look forward to hearing from you all and asking you lots of questions!

[robert waddell]

if you go on the bits and bobs in this section  that will give you some idea of what you could make

[HappyHippy]

Hello 
Here's a link to a thread from a while back - good if you can get curved steelhttp://www.accidentalsmallholder.net/forum/index.php?topic=13045.msg127157#msg127157

But it's reasonably straightforward to knock something up for a few weaners  A lady I collected pigs from had pallets for sides with feed bags and chicken wire on top as a roof. I 'adapted' it to suit Scottish weather (using a fibreglass roof panel off a VW camper and lined the pallets with hardboard and stuffed with straw)
Our first ever arc (still very much in-use) was an unused steel oil tank - we cut a doorway and a loading window (for topping up the straw) and it's great 

Wood has better insulation values than metal, but wood is more easily chewed than metal 
Recycled plastic sheets are cheaper than marine ply and Solway Recycling do a good range of pig houses made from it - not too out of the way price wise - I've not used them for my pigs, but have closely examined them and reckon they'll be good. I'd say it's worth getting one with a floor or making a raised floor to fit inside - especially with the weather we've been getting of late  It saves on the bedding a bit as it stays drier 
HTH
Karen

[ZacB]

Follow the link to Bratton Pigs & click on DIY arks

http://www.brattonpig.com/

We made the wooden ark from details these lovely people made freely available, such a pleasant change 


Old photo, different piggies now but the ark is still going strong (ground is a bit wetter at the mo though, drought  )

[Sylvia]

A friend built us a lovely pig house from solid pallets with a corrugated metal roof. I could have moved into it myself

[ppd]

ZacB did find those, but thought we could build the same at much less cost, but good to know you can get details! Apart from all that we have found someone locally who is downsising in pigs and has houses for sale. Double metal skinned with insulation in between, so thinking that it may help with excess heat and cold? Have any of you had this set up and was it effective? (have now had the pigs for a week and does everyone get so obsessed with them as I am!!!!) :-)

[harry]

look for a pick up truck fibreglass top and take the back door off...i use one easy to move as well just turn it upside down and slide it along.

[lill]

big bales of straw in a square, a roof, weights on the roof to keep down the tin sheet and yuur wee piggys are nice and warm

[Tamsaddle]

Would a straw house work in the sort of weather we've been having for the last 2 weeks?  Tamsaddle

[harry]

needs poles etc to hold bales in place, my pigs push them out of place then the roof collapses

[smudger]

Having forked out on a nice large green plastic arc, both our weaners are using the 'shebeen' which I put together from pallets and old ply tied up with 'farmers' friend' to fence posts to give a  bit of shelter to my lambs in February when transitioning to outside. Can't win.

[ppd]

Thanks everyone..lots to think about there, but will probably go for a permanant sort of structure rather than bales etc, as this is the highlands - was rubbing suntan lotion on the piggies yesterday and today it's bloomin well snowing!!!! Horizontally at the moment

[robert waddell]

a bit quick with the lotion   what like are you going to be when it gets warm

[Bionic]

I get my first 2 pigs on Monday (was today but a long story) and I wasn't intending putting sun lotion on them when its warm.

Surely if they have a wallow that will be enough, although I may have to help them with the bit behind the ears 

Who runs after the pigs in the wild with a bottle of sun lotion?

Sally

[ppd]

I am pathetic, Robert! but they were looking a bit red on their white bits! Tried the wallow (no hosepipe bans here!) but they were not in the least bit interested at all! They are hilarious though and if nothing else they both loved the suntan lotion being massaged in - Sally be warned pigs are the biggest time wasters as once you have them you just want to spend time with them and watch what they get up to