[caracroft]

Hi,

My 3 weaners are now 9 1/2 weeks old. 

After being told that pigs keep their house clean, we had three naughty weaners messing in their house!!  We worked out the problem the house is so big for them at the moment that as far as they were concerned they were messing away from their bed.  So 4 straw bales later - they are restricted to a more cosy area - Voila!! no mess in the house hooray!!!

BUT - they still pee in their house during the night making their straw all wet.  I keep removing the wet straw every day and cleaning the house out hoping they will stop but every morning it is wet again.  Is this normal and am I being over worried about cleanliness or is it that due to mum dieing when they were still young they havent been taught to pee outside?

Thanks for any feedback

Cara   

[Fowgill Farm]

Could be more like they're just scared to go out in the dark, is it a steep step out for them? we sometimes use a timber sleeper or a paver set on blocks as a step for them, make sure they have a straw doormat outside the door too, it may also help when you take the wee straw out leave a bit outside the door and then they may get the idea to go outside.
hth
mandy  

[caracroft]

Thank you Mandy,
They go in and out the house during the day without issue and we have given them a straw doormat, we will try your idea of leaving wee straw outside though and perhaps they are scared of the dark!!!   Thanks again 

[Eastling]

Could try a head torch 

[caracroft]

  Very funny!

Any other suggestions, please, Im desperate!!

Also, can I confirm  - this is not normal and needs sorting.

Thank you 

[Eastling]

You could try giving it a good clean with some disinfectant, which may help. Mine have only used the inside when the weather has been very wet and windy at night. I use a solution of disinfectant to wash it out.

[ScotsGirl]

I'm not sure you will stop it. If they can smell wee in there they will keep doing it.  I was told to block the house door for an hour or two when weaners arrive so they relieve themselves first. That way they shouldn't mess inside.


You could always try Huggies pull-ups 

[Eastling]

If you do can we have a picture 

[caracroft]

Ive cleaned it a couple of times with Jeyes Fluid to really get rid of any wee smells and left it blocked all day so they cant go in while it dries and still they wee in it at night!!

This is going to cost me a fortune in disinfectant  and straw !!!! 

 

[Eastling]

I personally wouldn't use Jeyes as it is phenol based and very toxic to cats if you have them. Try Trigene or Virkon both you can buy on the internet.


 Do they get their evening meal early? if so perhaps you could try waking them up mid evening for a piece of fruit, it may encourage them to have a wee then.
 

[Hassle]

If they continue to pee in there just hang up some of those toilet blocks they throw in pub urinals. If wont cure them peeing but at least it will smell pine fresh......... Sorry I know no help what so ever.... I think all advice has been given just keep doing what you are doing and keep fingers crossed

[caracroft]

Hi again,

Thanks for the suggestion Eastling.  We cleaned the ark, again, and kept the pigs out of it all day and into the evening.  They had their evening meal at their usual time and then later on in the evening we found them asleep on some straw we had left outside the ark. we woke them and made them run around a bit hoping they would have a pee and then let them back in the ark...................... This morning the straw was all wet again!!

Does anyone think we should lock them out of the ark for a whole night so they get used to peeing outside in the dark, or would this be cruel?   

Thanks   

[Berkshire Boy]

I would just leave them to it they will stop when they want to whatever you do, life is too short to worry.

[Eastling]

Agree with BB they will eventually get the message    I wouldn't lock them out all night

[Marches Farmer]

Can you clean the ark, spray something smelly like air freshener on the walls to mask the smell of urine then block off more of the ark so there's just enough room for them to lie down like sardines?   I put muck from their existing run or from another pig if it's new stock in the place I want them to use as a lavatory before I put pigs in a new run.  They seem to get the message.