Author Topic: How do YOU do it? (Read 2515 times)

wmff · « **on:** October 15, 2012, 07:16:48 pm »

Around thirty hours and one ruined piece of lawn our two middle whites finally made their way through the gate into their new home approx 15metres from their old piece of land.
They had made such a good job of clearing our vegetable plot, but after all the rain we have had recently the veg patch became a quadmire, a thick sludge that went everywhere and within hours their bedding would be saturated. So we moved their sty first whilst we had the help then put a temporary electric fenced run for them to follow the bucket of food up to the gate. We could coax them about 10 metres but they refused to go any further then they would turn around and run back to the safety of their mud where we couldn't reach them as the suction would rip our wellies off our feet. Our next door neighbour nearly wet her self through laughing so much at me stuck in the mud teetering on falling either face first or backwards into the goo.
I then put a hard fence run in place thinking that if I got them half way up I would be able to come behind them with a fence panel and block their escape but as soon as they realised what was happening they would run for the mud.
After much swearing i eventually put a electric fence around their old pen and the piece of lawn they had trashed and left them there for the night thinking that they would make their own way to their sty in their own time which they eventually did 30 hours later.
My question is, They will be going to slaughter in 2-3 weeks time so how the hell are we going to get them into the trailer on the day.
All suggestions gratefully received.
Derek

Daisys Mum · « **Reply #1 on:** October 15, 2012, 07:24:30 pm »

If possible I would put the trailer in their run and feed them in it for as many days as you can. We found that worked well.

Mrs Snoodles · « **Reply #2 on:** October 15, 2012, 07:28:33 pm »

If you think it is going to be difficult I would pop the trailer in place a day before so they get used to seeing it. Try and create a funnel at the entrance to your pen, tin is great, if you can whack it into the mud even better. We keep off feeding them, make sure they are proper hungry then load, shaking the nuts around. Put straw on the ramp and in trailer.
We have learnt not to put any nuts on the ramp otherwise the pigs stick on the ramp and don't like to get further, we take our time and make sure we have enough time and .......lastly but most importanty, don't force the pigs into doing anything. One thing you can be sure, pigs are stubborn and if they don't want to do anything, they wont.

Kitchen Cottage · « **Reply #3 on:** October 15, 2012, 07:30:32 pm »

I am in clay so I can't get my trailer anywhere near by next month. Mine are well bucket trained (and there are 7 of them going to slaughter).... my plan is to bucket them into a stable on the sunday and leave them inside until the Thursday when they go. I can't load them the night before because there isn't enough space in the trailer for them to stay all night. Thats going to be a fun morning!!

Can you move yours to a stable or outbuilding by bucket beforehand?

HappyHippy · « **Reply #4 on:** October 15, 2012, 07:41:30 pm »

The day before they go, give them half their usual ration at breakfast time and less again (if any at all) at teatime - next morning a rattling bucket should be enough to get them in the trailer

If you can park it in their pen and feed them in it for a few days before it'll definately help - providing it's not that mucky that you get stuck trying to take it out

I have an old bit of carpet I put on the trailer ramp - they don't like the change of footing much, if you've not got an old bit of carpet, plenty of straw on the ramp will help.

If you have a pig board or two to help block their view it all helps too (and stops them reversing down the ramp

)
HTH
Karen

wmff · « **Reply #5 on:** October 15, 2012, 07:48:47 pm »

Thanks everyone, to say they become stubburn is an under statement.
My pigs are in a back garden environment, although its a large back garden we do not have any out buildings. But I think I will put the trailer in their pen and feed them in there from now on. the pen is about 70 meters from any hard standing so I will have to borrow a 4x4 and drive across the lawn and make repairs to the lawn when I fix the other damaged area. I didn't feed them before I tried to move them yesterday thinking it would be easy and they would just follow the bucket this is how I originally thought I would get them to the trailer on the hard standing, how wrong could I be.

SteveHants · « **Reply #6 on:** October 15, 2012, 08:13:02 pm »

I tried leaving a trailer near pigs once so they got used to it, many years ago and they promptly chewed through both tyres and I caught them munching on the electrics cable (this was inside 15 mins) - so I've never done that again.

Hunger is a powerful motivator, don't feed them the day previous. Works for me.

hughesy · « **Reply #7 on:** October 15, 2012, 08:56:31 pm »

We've never had any trouble getting any of ours into a trailer. Usually they're so curious they just walk straight in hoping there might be something to eat in there. Our sows are so good with the trailer we use it to move them from field to field, just drop the ramp and in they go. Much easier than coaxing them with a bucket for a few hundred yards.

Tamsaddle · « **Reply #8 on:** October 16, 2012, 08:17:43 am »

I usually clear the straw from the back 12" of the trailer, then start chucking small handfuls of nuts onto the hard floor surface right at the back where I want them to go. The sound of nuts being thrown down intrigues them, then another handful if they are still deciding whether to go in or not. Eventually temptation gets the better of them, then a few more handfuls to ensure they have enough to occupy them for a few minutes, then gate closed! This also gets them to the back of the trailer - I never put nuts on the ramp or near the entrance as they will stop there and eat every last one before thinking where to look next - outside? We also use a piece of old carpet on the ramp as that makes it easy and silent for them to walk up, very important.

If you do have to drive over your good garden lawn to collect the trailer when it is full of pigs, if you happen to have any pieces of old plywood or timber and can place them along the route, it will make a huge difference to the damage you will otherwise cause with nothing to spread the load.

Best of luck - Tamsaddle

Bionic · « **Reply #9 on:** October 16, 2012, 08:24:41 am »

We took our first 2 pigs off recently and did exactly as Tamsaddle described, minus the carpet but a lot of straw on the ramp. They were a bit hesitant to go in at first but the lure of food was just too much for them. I recon it took us about 20 mins to get them in.
Good luck with yours
Sally

Fowgill Farm · « **Reply #10 on:** October 16, 2012, 09:57:25 am »

Agree with all said by others, the reason you had trouble moving them was the electric fence, pigs don't like to cross where there was electric previously for fear of getting zapped and even when you move it they are reluctant to cross, that why they kept running back to their mud

, next time put a layer of straw across where the electric fence line was and you may find the move a bit easier.
Good luck with loading, don't get too stressed about it as the pigs will sense it, if they're going in 2 or 3 wks time you've time to train them to the rattle of the bucket and put the trailer in a couple of days before, if you put it in now it will be sh1t up to the eyeballs and you'll never pull it out or have it clean enuff to go.
HTH
Mandy