Author Topic: New pigs won't sleep in their arc (Read 1844 times)

JP · « **on:** February 26, 2014, 08:57:30 pm »

Hi I am completley new to pig keeping and need some help!
I picked up 4 up on saturday and they are are 14 weeks old. They had a new arc with straw in for them but they will not go in it! So they have slept outside since. Any suggestions would be appreciated cause I'm worried about them in the cold.

Cheers

sjacko · « **Reply #1 on:** February 26, 2014, 09:29:20 pm »

if they get cold they will go in ,they will sleep where they feel comfortable ,mine used to sleep out side most of the time if it rained they would go into there ark

Berkshire Boy · « **Reply #2 on:** February 26, 2014, 09:45:48 pm »

I wouldn't worry about them pigs are tough. As said they will sleep where they are happy. You will probably find in the next few days they will start using the ark. If they get cold or wet they will be in there like a shot.

Fowgill Farm · « **Reply #3 on:** February 27, 2014, 07:54:26 am »

At 14wks they're quite big boys and it has been mild recently. You could try taking some of the straw they're sleeping on outside and scattering it inside the doorway of the ark, when we get new pigs we always bring some of their old straw with them so they have a familiar smell with them, pigs have very good sense of smell and use it extensively, if the arc has been recently disinfected or had other pigs in it, chances are it just doesn't smell right, you could also try sitting in the ark yourself with a handful of treats and tempt them in to have a look and snuffle, I find that curiosity generally gets the better of them and they can't resist having an investigate. be prepared however to come out of the ark well trampled and looking like you've come thro a hedge backwards!!

HTh
Mandy