[FrostyM]

I was looking at building a wooden pig ark and got thinking would a concrete block house be better? Plywood is expensive and I reckon I could build a block one for similar money? I could get a hand from my father with the block laying. It would just be for 3 fattening pigs. I was thinking 6' X 6' and maybe 4' or 5' high with a galvanised roof? Has anyone built one this size or can anyone see any problems with this plan?

[HappyHippy]

Are you putting in a concrete floor too? If so, remember to slope it so any water runs out the front ;-)
As long as the roof lifts off/flips up to let you in to clean it out and you allow for ventilation I don't see any problem. I'm intending doing the same thing for my big field as they keep destroying them (and the ones that survived the pigs have been flying around with this winters storms 
The only issue you'll have is if you want/need to move them to another area......
HTH

[FrostyM]

Thanks for the advice. Good thinking, I will probably but a hinged roof on it to make things easier. I didn't want to build it to 6 feet but was wondering about cleaning out. I have built a permanent run in the garden. I don't have much land, just the garden, so I can't see myself moving them. I had the last batch in a wooden house with a wooden floor and it was thrashed after a few months. With the ground/weather here I'd say a concrete floor is a must. We have a small concrete mixer so that shouldnt be too much work. My thinking is if i am going to spend money on a house I might as well build one that will last. Thanks again

[shygirl]

if I was designing one, id put in 2 doors and place it on the fenceline so you can change fields no bother.
are you doing it human height? iv never enjoyed mucking out low sties.

[FrostyM]

I was thinking possibly 4 foot high with a hinged roof to allow me to clean it out as HH suggested. Otherwise I was thinking a 5 foot roof with a bit of stooping down when cleaning. I think I would get tired of that pretty quickly though. I was also wondering if anyone reading had an opinion on whether i would need 9" cavity blocks or if a 4" block would be sturdy enough. I have an image of a pig scratching off the wall and knocking it down 

[shygirl]

when we built our inner walls in the barn, we used 6inch concrete blocks, very heavy, then we strengthened the corners with metal rods inside the wall/between the blocks, as we had a very strong stallion and adult pigs. its still standing.

[oaklandspigs]

4" blocks if well built will be fine, we use walls of this with our sows in the farrowing sheds, and they lean on then with no problems !

[FrostyM]

That's great stuff Oaklandspigs  Glad 4" are enough. I had thought they would be but wanted to be sure

[Marches Farmer]

Our farm used to be a small scale commercial pig farm and we still use the housing.  The walls are block but with iron poles sunk 2ft into concrete running through them vertically. The floors are concrete with a 1 in 20 slope towards the doorway, which is offset and has a wooden beam across the opening with strips of warehouse curtaining screwed in. This permits the air to circulate but keeps out rain.  The blocks only go up to 70cm high - above this it's the heaviest grade of external ply between the poles.  The roof is 2 inch insulating board topped by galv.  If I was building them now I'd use an all-in-one insulated roofing material and make them higher.  I can't quite stand up straight inside and it's very uncomfortable after a while. I'd also run the water pipes inside rather than outside - they go just below the roof and have individual metal down pipe spurs to Suevia drinkers. These sties have been going for 40 years and the pigs haven't managed to trash them yet.  Thought:  if you might ever begin breeding bigger would be better.