[Mrs Snoodles]

I am planning on using our insulated farrowing arks for our Hampshire sows when I separate them from their litters next month.   

Last year, these pigs didn't seem to do so well on the nights when it was -5 or below. Went off their food basically.  Obviously the ladies have a years growth on them so should fair better this year BUT I thought it might be a good idea to give these the warmer arks.
 
It would be a bit of a squeeze but do you think I should pop both sows in the same ark (keep each other company and warm) or give them individual ones?  They are roughly 380-400lb each and the farrowing arks are standard commercial size.

More planning ahead from me.....I've injured my back so can't do much else at the mo. Boringboringboring....

Cheers all

[HappyHippy]

Hiya,

I think your girls will be just fine in the one ark   
We took our 3 Large Black sows out of the shed with their piglets and had an ark each for them in the field - found them the following morning, yup you've guessed it, all in the one ark plus piglets 
Since Hampshires are a commercial breed and lean by nature they won't cope as well with the cold as some other traditional breeds so I think the insulated ark sounds the perfect way to go.

[Mrs Snoodles]

  cool.   We are not moving them for a few weeks anyway but I'm just trying work out who goes where with who else etc.  I had intended to use the farrowing arks for the weaners, but I can't see 13 porkers fitting in one ark. I thought about seperating them into separate arks in neighbouring paddocks but got visions of them trying to charge through the electric to herd up again!

Really happy with my piglets ...they are so solid, super chunky and unbelievably naughty 

[HappyHippy]

but I can't see 13 porkers fitting in one ark.

You'd be surprised 
We currently have 3 sows and 8, 4 month old weaners in our big field - 2 arks and where do they all sleep ? 

[Mrs Snoodles]

Seriously???  I would prefer it tbh if the weaners were in a farrowing ark, as they will keep warm and convert the food better. What do you reckon?  By the time they are pork weight (bearing in mind I don't want to ove them again, the only trailer trip they are taking is to the abattoir) there will be 2,600 lbs in one ark. Ie: 5 hefty sows?

[HappyHippy]

Seriously  They all lie in a big pile 

I'd be tempted to give it a go Mrs S  But hopefully someone else will come along with their views too.

I remember seeing somewhere (think it was an ark selling website) that an 8 x 10 arc was big enough for 6 sows or up to 20 weaners - not sure what size yours are, but they're bound to be about the same if not bigger.
HTH

[Berkshire Boy]

What Karen says is right. I built my first ark for a couple of weaners to grow on. I still have that ark and i've had 3 pregnant sows and a boar in it at one time. When the first one wants to come out its like a champagne cork from a bottle,very funny and they are in there from choice.

[Mrs Snoodles]

Ok...I'll give it a go then.
 .  Did you see that silly Guiness world records programme on recently? They had how many people can fit on a mini.    Pigs in an ark.   Maybe I should get the adjudicators up my way in advance?