[Growy16]

Reading 'Pasture Farm's' earlier post "Never again" interested me and stimulated me to post my own issues which are relative to that posting.

This year we plan to introduce four pigs to our expanding smallholding and their home is to be one of the loose boxes within our breeze built stable block.  The floor inside is obviously rough concrete and this extends outside the door to approximately 1500mm when it changes to grass.  Now, I had been wondering whether to extend this apron by another approx 1500-2000mm of concrete then gating it which would give me a clean area for the animals during the winter months.  Given the comments in that earlier thread, would they be happy confined  :pig:within their quarters with a hardstanding outside rather than in the infernal mud?  All their feed and watering requirements would be catered for as usual they just would not be able to grub around.  My farmer neighbour brings all of his cattle in to overwinter in the barns so I assume that pigs are equally as happy....?  As I am in the process of preparing this area for the animals at the moment I would be interested in member's comments and responses.

Also if any members have troughs or equipment excess to requirements or know someone who has please let me know as any saving is 'agoodthing....'  We live in the Lincoln/Newark area.

Thanks

Mark

[VSS]

We used to keep our pigs outside and found that the profits made on the summer pigs was more than eaten up by the pigs kept outside over the winter.

Now we just put the dry sows out in the summer and the other pigs live in.

[Rosemary]

I'm not speaking from experience here because we've only kept weaner pigs over summer periods, but if there is sufficient space and you give them a good deep straw bed to root in and some toys to keep them amused, they'll be fine indoors. It will certainly be better for you and your ground.

I'm assuming that you're talking about weaners rather than breeding pigs, since you wouldn't get four of them in any loosebox I've ever seen 

[HappyHippy]

If you're just starting with pigs I'd always suggest raising weaners spring to autumn and be pig free for the winter. This way they're outside, in the sun (where it's pleasent to stand and watch them ) and are converting most of the feed into pork instead of the winter months where a much higher percentage of the feed goes towards just keeping them warm and not putting as much weight on. And you can't just ladel extra food into them cos they'll get over fat  and it'll give the ground a chance to recover during the winter for your next batch the following spring 
We tend to bring our breeding pigs and any fatteners we have (though we try not to have many over winter for the reasons above) into the shed purely because it makes our lives easier and we have January births so it saves the worry of having to try & move them in really deep snow etc - they really don't seem to mind the mud that much.

So I'd say use your stable if you want with an outside run of grass for them - no need for extra hard standing unless you plan to breed & keep them through the winter (but I wouldn't go down that road til you've raised a few batches of weaners first  )

HTH
Karen

[SallyintNorth]

I'm not vastly experienced but am currently unwillingly rearing indoor pigs.  They are completely happy as far as I can tell on cement with oodles of space and a whole round bale of hay (it just happened that way  ) to pull about and rummage in.  They see lots of people and other animals as they are in a large pen (actually it's the bull pen - just as well we haven't bought a new bull yet!) in the corner of the cubicle shed where the cattle are wintered; the collies and hound pup run in and out, we're in and out.  They get the odd walk or even afternoon out if the weather and ground are suitable, but frankly they were cold and shivering outside (even with a toasty cosy bedroom) and have been warm, dry and apparently perfectly happy ever since I brought them in "for a few days" several weeks ago.

The sow is still outside with her large weatherproof ark and as much straw as she wants; some very wet days she seems to spend most of the day a-bed but most days she's out rootling a lot of the time and is fine as long as I give her some dry straw when she's dragging wet feet and bod in and out of the ark all day.

So now I have decided that, if I can, I will have spring litters only, and any overwintering pigs will have the option of an indoor pen if needed and be let out for exercise and rootling when conditions and their own preferences allow.

[princesspiggy]

we kept 3 gilts in a 14ftx14ft stable with a gravel/mud yard of 25ftx25ft until finishing.
they were fine but feeding them wasnt so enjoyable as they were bolshy. - cud have done with a good run!
also their meat wasnt that special but may have been cos they were black xbreds (we are use to tamworths...mmm)

[HappyHippy]

also their meat wasnt that special but may have been cos they were black xbreds (we are use to tamworths...mmm)

I'd say it's because they weren't digging through soil, getting roots & shoots (and probably the occaisional worm or two  ) that would have affected the meat more than the choice of breed. We've only ever had lovely fantastic pork, whether from crosses or purebred, but they all tend to be outside while growing 

[Growy16]

Thanks to all who have responded.

Rosemary, yes, weaners are what I meant, and we may only have two.  The plan at the moment is two for pork and two for bacon.  I have the option of opening up another of the boxes if necessary so space should not be an issue. 

Happy Hippy (Karen), thanks for a very concise answer.  It had been the intention to have animals rotating through, one batch after another, but I can see the logic of lessening the burden until we have the necessary experience.  Certainly this year, we will have spring to autumn animals and see how we get on.  Thanks again.

It does seem that the mud is more daunting for owner than animal but there always seems to be 'something' to do on a holding so the path of least resistance seems sensible in this case.

Thanks to all.

Mark

 

[Barrett]

I was watching countryfile the other day and the farmer bloke they have on there was feeding his GOS sows and it had been snowing, he was clearing a concrete slab that he had put in the field were he feeds them I thought that was a fab idea so my OH will be busy in the summer putting raised concrete slabs in the pens for feeding hopefully that will stop the slurry near to were they feed.

[Growy16]

Hi Barrett.

My OH will be too busy on the allotment and in the greenhouse......  She has made it very clear that the porkers are mine and our youngest lad's domain.  She has enough on with the chickens and the hairdresser's.......


M

[HappyHippy]

I was watching countryfile the other day and the farmer bloke they have on there was feeding his GOS sows and it had been snowing, he was clearing a concrete slab that he had put in the field were he feeds them I thought that was a fab idea so my OH will be busy in the summer putting raised concrete slabs in the pens for feeding hopefully that will stop the slurry near to were they feed.

I have a couple of feeding stations in my fields, they're made of 2x2 slabs - nothing as involved (or expensive) as raised concrete slabs 
All we did (and it's definately not the 'proper' way, but it worked for us  ) was let the pigs into the field for a bit when the ground was wet, til the surface round their drinker was getting a bit mushy. Their drinkers are just to the side of the field gates and with hindsight it might have been better to actually lay the slabs at the gate entrance and extend them out a bit. But we laid the slabs on top of the muck at the side of the gate and just pushed them down and levelled them as best we could. Keep the pigs off them til the ground gets dry, it kinda sucked the slabs in and they are rock solid in position - nothing moves them now (and the fields were very wet this year) 
If you're planning a few weaners - 6 big slabs should be enough, we have them 2 deep and as long as needs be to give each pig between 9 and inches of feeding space.
Freecycle and local free ad's paper are a great source of old slabs 
HTH
Karen 

[Fowgill Farm]

We bring all our stock in in winter into stables/byres with concrete yards for exercise. Normally clock change to clock change as we're on heavy clay. The pigs are quite happy though i do let them (separately) out a couple of times a week for a run/walk round the farm to give them a change of scenery and a chance to have a gruff in the grass or a rummage in the compost heap! i reduce their feed slightly to cope with reduced exercise and make sure they have plenty of straw to rake in too. Their yards are poo picked every day and scubbed down every week. This also allows our paddocks to rest, be re-seeded, and houses and fencing to be maintained.
HTH
mandy