[heyhay1984]

Hi
I know this comes up occasionally but wanted to ask about my specific setup 

I have two old spot crosses, Januaries, a boar and a gilt. Next week I pick up a January boar as well, he's a fortnight younger but being a Welsh I'm expecting them to be about the same size by this age.

The gilt is going mid-June, so I was planning on keeping the new boar on his own in the adjacent (stock fence with post and rail top and bottom, concreted in) paddock, then putting him with the other boar once the gilt has gone? The two boys are going late August so it wouldn't be for long and I know about what's real fighting vs what's just squabbling so I'm not so worried about that bit.

Would I be better sticking all three together and letting them get on with it? Gut says no but equally not sure about the new one doing a fortnight in solitary (I know isolation is good practice but am guessing would usually be more than one animal?). We don't normally buy extra stock in part way through so this is new to me!
Thanks for any advice

[HappyHippy]

I'd keep them separate, if the gilt were to come into season the boars are even more likely to fight (and harass her endlessly).
I've never mixed older boars, can only go on my experience of mixing 8 week old weaners (always castrated) and that settles down quite quick, but with older ones I'd be much more wary.
Good luck!

[oaklandspigs]

With 8 week old's there would be no problem, in fact we just chucked two male weaners in with a 4 month old group that includes a male, and they are all sleeping together after a day.

But I wouldn't introduce two 4 month old boars to each other, or keep one adjacent to a mixed pair.  You may be ok, but you may not !

if you're going to take anything off in June, then take the new boar, and keep the gilt and boar until August.  Not sure why you are getting another pig of same age when you plan to take one off in 3 weeks.

[heyhay1984]

Oh it's a long story, mess up with what sex pigs I'd requested when I booked them and what I actually got, then avoiding one being alone as one now needs to go mid June due to various plans! But I hear what you are saying that the best bet is to send the new one and avoid the conflict. The other two will have to go late August (school hols) so they might be past the "teenage fumbling" stage is my only concern but that will be much less of a worry than two scrapping and hurting each other.

[Marches Farmer]

The boar will be 7/8 months by then and certainly old enough to be sexually active. 

[heyhay1984]

And that's why I asked for two gilts (and we needed them for a specific show) but stuck with an opposite sex pair! I could just send all 3 off at the same time in mid June I guess, would eliminate any welfare issues arising.

[Azzdodd]

How are they temprement wise? I would always try to keep the same sex pair were possible...so sending her first I would try the boars together you might find they have a little scrap (like all pigs) an then get a peckin other sorted

[heyhay1984]

Ended up sorting itself out, the new boy is very sweet but he is definitely a proper grown up and is ready to go off ASAP, whereas the original two still look like (and act) like little babies next to him. So he'll stay in the pen next to them for the next couple of weeks with plenty of human fuss to keep him happy, he's a really nice chap. There was some chuntering through the fence on day one but all sounded good natured and they're more or less ignoring each other now, but I don't think there's any sense in putting them in together as he'll only be here such a short time and everyone seems happy as they are.