[conman]

Hi guys ive been thinking of getting pigs for a while and finally bit the bullet last month and put a deposit on a few weaners ( i said weaners ) there due to arrive at the start of september.  I have built a house and got electric fencing was just getting ready to put the water drinker in when the vet from the dept. got in touch to come and check the site no problems as such wants me to put a light in the house and water drinker inside but i had thought of putting the drinker out side as i hear they splash alot when drinking and like to keep there house clean i thouht it would be a better idea than having it inside also is a light really necessary are pigs not usually kept in arks in the middle of the field with no power or water in them?

not that its that big of problem just thought i'd ask for advice on the drinker thing think i'll prob put it inside for him to inspect then move it back outside when he goes he mentioned to keep it from freezing in winter but its a 2m x 3m house with no door if its going to freeze it will freeze and i can supply water for them few days/weeks

also what kind of drinker's are best suited to pigs and what hight should it be so that all can get access to it i dont like the thought of the nipple drinkers so im guessing a wall mount galvanise drinker with built in float any other suggestions greatly appreciated

[MiriMaran]

I'm not particularly experienced, but we have a belfast sink for the pigs to drink out of.  They don't have water in the shelter as we've found that as pigs drink they like to wee at the same time so it would get a bit messy in their house!  The vet will be wanting a light so that if they ever get called back for a midnight emergency they will be able to see what they are doing!!  We don't have light in out shelter, but am planning to put one in at some point.  It will definitely installed if we decide to get an in pig sow.

Other more experienced people will give you a better answer.  Good Luck

[supplies for smallholders]

Hi,

All our drinkers are outside for the outside pigs, the ones in the barn have inside drinkers.

I suppose lighting may be useful for farrowing etc but not essential - maybe rig up a temp light till he has left ?

We use these drinkers at about 10" above the ground : https://www.suppliesforsmallholders.co.uk/fisher-alvin-litre-auto-drinker-p-37.html not had a problem with one yet - as long as you use BIG screws to attach them to the wall.

Thanks

[conman]

We use these drinkers at about 10" above the ground : https://www.suppliesforsmallholders.co.uk/fisher-alvin-litre-auto-drinker-p-37.html not had a problem with one yet - as long as you use BIG screws to attach them to the wall.

Thanks

just what i was looking for and a nice price aswell we used to use these in a cattle house but i couldnt see them on fleebay only plastic ones that a pig would probably eat as a snack   if i have to put it inside for the dept i'll be bolting it through the wall so i can move it outside when he's gone and use the same holes 

i take it that the pigs that are inside are on slats so dont make a mess with the water any way?

[shetlandpaul]

running mains power to a pig ark would be expensive and a lttle risky just thinking of a little pig fancying a chew. whats wrong with portable lights. also whats to stop the pigs digging it up. i would think as long as they can get to water at all times there is no need for inside water. they would soon knock it over. so a lot more cleaning out.

[supplies for smallholders]

Hi,

i take it that the pigs that are inside are on slats so dont make a mess with the water any way?

No they are on straw covered concrete.

They dont make a mess when drinking - just delicately slurp - maybe we have refined well mannered pigs 

But seriously, I think the only mess comes when thay have run out of water and then fight to get at it - thats why we find auto-fill drinkers so good.

[Mo]

We have a belfast sink outside, and our pigs are delicate slurpers but..... they also like a bath.  When they were smaller they just got in the sink. Now they can only paddle.
They do have a wallow too.

I've also seen those big, floppy plastic buckets set in concrete as drinkers. Smaller one insi.de a bigger one then concrete used to fill the gap.

[shetlandpaul]

thats a very good idea. and cheap to.

[ellisr]

when mine were little I used a strong bucket in a tyre, but they soon ate the bucket and had more fun throwing the tyre around. So now the have a large metal horse drinker that was screwed to the wall until they ripped in off with stones still attached

[waterboy]

All ours have their water outside like you say it would get very messy as ours tend to urinate whilst drinking also. We've got a normal metal trough dug in and also an old bath again dug in otherwise it'll be over, the berkshires used to love sitting in the bath in the summer it was great to see lol. Also we haven't got any lighting in our arks as mentioned earlier pigs are very inquisitive and will find any wires, route them out and chew through them so not too safe. I'd just get a portable light for when the vet visits. Hope all goes well with the arrival, keep us updated.
Manda

[supplies for smallholders]

when mine were little I used a strong bucket in a tyre,

Modern version of that here :

https://www.suppliesforsmallholders.co.uk/tyre-bowl-feeder-drinker-p-1276.html

Thanks

[banbh]

obviously you're very new to this game...

the pigs will need the light for reading in bed at night.

[shetlandpaul]

concreting the insides of the tyre may help. i wish i had the cash to spend on your site. but the wife won't let me.