[the great composto]

Any comments invited please.
Is there any reason why its might be bad to keep pigs in the boundary between fields.  Its more of a copse than a hedgrow.
The size is going to be long and thin 4 metres wide by 100metres long.  It is the boundary between the allotments (no animals allowed) and a farmers field which I have semi permission for (but need to confirm fully).

I would split the 100m into 3 segments and there is a bit of clear space for the ark and the trees are relatively see through so not dense at all.  I can get vehicle access via the allotment side.

I would fence all around. There would be no rent just the normal set up costs.

Can you see any potential problems regarding the animals welfare?

It means I can have tamworths because I like the idea of the tasty meat and dont need to worry about the destruction of the land.

See my other post about my starter piggy plan - please comment on that one too

[YorkshireLass]

Only thoughts would be very risky/tempting being one fence away from tasty allotments 


Edit to add: Actually, get the allotmenteers on your side. They may worry about smells, flies, intruders, etc etc. They may be right to worry!


In terms of using a narrow strip of land for pigs, I see no problems in itself, just make sure it's not going to flood and leave them stranded or underwater, stuff like that.

[tizaala]

They will walk through the fence like a bulldozer, you will need electric tape to contain them.

[HappyHippy]

Hiya,
I'd second the idea about the tasty allotments on the other side of the fence too - don't want to go upsetting all the growers   
I read your other thread about the piggy plans, have to say that 400 square meters is no where nearly enough space to even contemplate starting breeding, sorry. It should be fine for raising 3 or 4 to pork weight, depending on the soil type and weather (if it's heavy soil and rainy weather you'll need to rotate them more often.) But for breeding - an acre as a minimum would be a good start  And I'd always raise a couple of batches of weaners first before going down the breeding route just to make completely certain you like keeping pigs year round, are up to speed with all the laws and legislation and have got practical husbandry experience.
HTH
Karen 

[princesspiggy]

is it established trees? or they mite rip them out, i presume its not hedging from a scheme that wud get u into trouble if destroyed.
i thot bout fencing in our trees/hedge either side for the pigs as the ponies were ripping out their manes on the branches so i see where u are coming from. it was the price of double fencing that stopped me but if ur fencing is there already thats not a problem. i presume u have a gate to get them out again. they r good and getting under any wee gap tho, and may root mud which shortens the electric fence.
they would happily have the veggie waste tho.

[the great composto]

Hmmm thanks guys - I was wondering what the other people on the allotment might say as they wont be allowed animals either.  I think it may be better to move up & away from the allotment bit so that the pigs werent adjacent to the allotment ( apart from the access gate).
When I said the room was 100m long it does go further than that - i just wanted the 100m length so easy to shuffle along by approx 30m.

The trees are very old so no new stuff to uproot completely. 
I was planning to reinforce the existing stock fence with extra posts and rails to keep the cost down a bit. 

[SallyintNorth]

In Somerset there are narrow strips in copses which are called 'The Pig Run'.  I think what you are proposing has probably been common in times gone by.

Being next to the allotments, I'd worry about meat pigs being overfed.  Not such a problem with breeders and young stock.

[the great composto]

Thanks Sally - I was wondering about the overfeeding - theres not much undergrowth in the 'copse' and I can imagine the pigs may get allotment stuff that I may not be aware of - would this not be balanced by extra activity of all those trees to explore?

As for the somerset pig runs - i can see that - this strip of copse I have access to must have been used for something like that in the past  - its a very wide woody copse for a field boundary.

Are any plants poisonous to pigs? 

Thanks

[princesspiggy]

i couldnt imagine veg waste from the allotments would cause a problem, u would surely adjust their feed by eye on their condition anyway. i know alot of people weigh their feed religiously but we feed by eye.
green tatties and tattie leaves are poisonous. there is a debate whether to feed uncooked tatties or not.

[Tamsaddle]

Tamworths are great diggers and particularly like digging around their fence boundary, be it stock, posts, electric or anything else.  So they would probably make a deep groove/ditch along the hedge side as well and expose/eat a lot of the hedge roots, this might be a problem with a narrow plot along a 100 m length.   And when the monsoon rains return, as I am sure they will, this ditch will turn into a long wet gooey canal with torn roots sticking out above the water and mud.   On the other hand, if you have free draining soil, and some sort of slope somewhere, unlike our place, things might not get this bad!   Tamsaddle 

[the great composto]

thanks - this is all good stuff that I wouldnt have thought about. 
I was hoping to get permission to fence a little way out from the copse because other wise the fencing would be a bit tricky to do.  I also wanted some clear space for the pigs
There isnt much hedge at all  - its mainly really old (but not large) trees that have been allowed to grow.  The cattle have been through the stock fence and into the copse at some point but not been able to get through the copse to escape.

There is a slope and a bit of a quagmire at the lower end that the cattle have created so theres dry at the top of the slope.
Thanks again

[Fowgill Farm]

The other thing you need to consider is water supply. Pigs drink and use an enormous amount of water which i presume in this case you will take from the allottment site, how will they feel about your water useage and how will it be charged? or do you intend to have a bowser?
Good idea in theory but IMHO have dark thoughts about it in practice!
mandy 

[hexhammeasure]

shelter on a thin belt may be a problem, water supply  and you won't know what the allotment holders will throw at them... offer the allotment a quarter pig for a barbie and they will be happy. just make sure they don't feed rhubarb tops and such

[the great composto]

Yes - the water may be an issue because I was relying on the allotment supply but I can see if there are any objections then the option may be taken away. So the backup is that I have vehicle access and can bring water on site if I need to.

All stuff I wouldnt have thought of - thanks

[princesspiggy]

we use big containers for lugging water around, good for the muscles! can fit in the car.