# Pig pen location



## craftymama86

Hey everyone! I've been browsing about here and there learning what I can about pigs. My hubby and his family had pigs when he was little but other than that this will be OUR first pig. I know I've heard it's best to get two, supposedly, but hubby really only wants one for now. It'll be a feeder and if I could remember the breed I would share that, lol. Anyways, on to my question. Our property is about 2 acres, but soon we will be building a house which will sit maybe 10-20 feet from a fenced area where a couple burros were kept. I was planning on putting the pig pin at that part of the fenced area but I'm wondering if the noise would stress the pig out? If so, we could place it farther about, maybe, 30ft away. It's hard to describe but if that made any sense, I'd really appreciate some advice. We're making plans to build the pen possibly next week so I really need to decide on where to put it.... Whew, ok, TIA!


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## Ferguson K

Noise doesn't really bother my pigs. All of my pig pens are in my horse pasture.  We are getting ready to run plumbing out there, it's tiresome and tedious walking water out there every day. 

My potbellies are close enough too drag a hose to, they also don't smell as bad. Posts are messy animals and like to tear things up. Make sure your fence is nice and right. How big are you planning on building it? 

I reiterate that pigs can be smelly, you mentioned the pen being close to the house. I don't recommend it. Between the flies and the noise (from the pigs) you may put them just a smidge further out.

I love our pigs,  but I'm glad the full sizes hogs are all the way out there. The boar likes to stand front feet on the wire and scream at us if he wants attenrion. My AGH and my PB are closer to the house, but not nearly as needy.


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## Baymule

The pic of your boar is so funny @Ferguson K !!! I agree, pigs can get smelly and you don't want them too close to the house.


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## Ferguson K

My tired brain made many typos.


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## craftymama86

I was going to make it a 10x10 but since the hog panels at TS are 16ft then it'll be 8x8 so we only have to buy 2 panels, ASSUMING we can bend them, lol. I wish they weren't so expensive, or if there was a difference fencing option that would work. Anyways... The problem with putting the pen further down the fence is it's out in the open, no trees for natural shade, unless I put it in the far corner but there's a different fence back there and I was hoping to utilize the good fencing as added security, for lack of better words, lol.


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## Latestarter

Ummm just a thought here... 8x8 is a pretty small enclosure and with only one pig, he's gonna get pretty bored, pretty fast, along with pretty cramped, which might lead to pretty exaggerated behaviors, pretty quickly, which could become pretty destructive, as he gets pretty big... also, no real room for exercise which means he's gonna carry more fat/lard than lean meat...

Might want to consider springing for one more cattle panel and make the pen 8x16' Take one and cut it in half (grinding wheel or torch) for the two 8' ends. And you really should think about a pig partner for the one. It might save you a bunch of aggravation... Just a few thoughts. Good luck and share some pics when you get it all ion place please!


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## craftymama86

From all I've seen so far 10x10 is a pretty decent size for one, so I didn't think 8x8 would be too bad. But I do like your idea. And fat isn't too much of a concern, I make soap and will be rendering the lard to use for soap.

As far as how many pigs, hubby is pretty set on one. I think if all goes well and we decide to do it again next year then two may be a possibility. My hubby is disabled so that may contribute to why he only wants one right now, two might be overwhelming.


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## babsbag

I only raised pigs once and my pen was 10 x 16 and it seemed like a good size. I raised two and honestly it was absolutely no more trouble than raising one. I raise all my animals in pairs...just the way I am wired I guess.


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## craftymama86

babsbag said:


> I only raised pigs once and my pen was 10 x 16 and it seemed like a good size. I raised two and honestly it was absolutely no more trouble than raising one. I raise all my animals in pairs...just the way I am wired I guess.



Double the feed cost though right? We live on a low fixed income so that may be another reason he just wants one to start. I don't know, lol.


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## Baymule

Do you have  garden? You could plant veggies to supplement the pig feed. Squash, corn, even garden trimmings would be happily consumed by a pig. I second the bigger pen idea. When you cut a cow panel in half, you don't get two 8' pieces, but more like 7' plus a few inches. You are cutting out one square hole. I use bolt cutters, 24" handles, for cutting fence wire and cow panels.


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## Ferguson K

Bolt cutters work great for cutting panels. Cutting one in half doesn't getyou 8ft though.  Those edges are sharp and you have to cut them back. That and they don't tie to anything.

An 8x8 won't be terrible for the pig if you train it to be walked,, like a show pig,  so you can take it out for exercise. You're right thigh,  10x10 is standard on The commercial world.  Those pigs are also isolated and destructive. Don't bend the panels, cut them. You'll make your fence stronger by not adding a bend in the wire. More solid. 

Are you planning on putting in a gate? Unless you give that pig mind problems,  he will figure out how to tear it down in a hurry.  Unless you wire it shut.

Put the majority of your ties down low.  Rebar tie wire atTSC is cheap and effective.  The bottom six or seven holes need to be tied to your post so pig doesn't root out of his small pen. Make sure you get the tallest tposts you can afford. Drive them in asp that only about 4ft is out of the ground.  This ensures your pig will not dig his way out.

Toys are great for pigs.  Large hard rubber balls,  frozen bottles that make noise,  treats hidden throughout the pen everyday, keeps them occupied.

Keep empty milk jugs,  freeze them and put treats in it. Your pig will tear it up going for food and you won't have a destructive pig!

Food for thought.


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## norseofcourse

For cutting those cattle and fence panels, I use a sawzall/reciprocating saw, goes through them almost like butter!


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## craftymama86

Ummm... Thoughts on pallets for fencing? I don't want to sound cheap, I'd love to use nice hog panels but we could easily get a BUNCH of free pallets, which would allow me to make a bigger pen and we already have a bunch of t-posts from when we had goats a few years back. We also have a stack of 4x4s we could use if needed. I've seen pallets used but wonder if they would hold up?

I like the toy ideas! I'm sure I could find plenty around here to offer as toys but I've also seen bowling balls in the thrift stores around here which I would imagine would be a good choice?


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## craftymama86

Baymule said:


> Do you have  garden? You could plant veggies to supplement the pig feed. Squash, corn, even garden trimmings would be happily consumed by a pig. I second the bigger pen idea. When you cut a cow panel in half, you don't get two 8' pieces, but more like 7' plus a few inches. You are cutting out one square hole. I use bolt cutters, 24" handles, for cutting fence wire and cow panels.


We'll be planting our garden this month, can't wait for fresh produce! My in-laws are one of our neighbors and we share a large garden but we always always have extra so that will definitely help. We do give our animals scraps but there are still things like potato peelings and celery ends none will touch.... That reminds me, I haven't looked up yet what pigs can't eat, like poisonous plants. I don't plan on feeding it meat, just plant scraps.


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## Ferguson K

If you use pallets as fencing, make sure you put two t-posts per pallet. One on either side. If you have access to free pallets, amazing. Works great for just about all kinds of fencing.

Just keep nails and  board s handy, because they will rust and they will rot and you will have to replace some of them eventually.

Drive to post down inside the  pallet, not behind it or in front of it. That will give you the most support.


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## craftymama86

Ferguson K said:


> If you use pallets as fencing, make sure you put two t-posts per pallet. One on either side. If you have access to free pallets, amazing. Works great for just about all kinds of fencing.
> 
> Just keep nails and  board s handy, because they will rust and they will rot and you will have to replace some of them eventually.
> 
> Drive to post down inside the  pallet, not behind it or in front of it. That will give you the most support.



Wonderful, thanks! We try to keep things like nails and boards on hand anyways, there's always something to be done around here, or personal projects, etc, lol.


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## Ferguson K

Oh I understand!


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## Baymule

There are several here that have used pallets for fences. @goats&moregoats 

http://www.backyardherds.com/threads/barredrockmomma-im-still-here.13692/page-37

http://www.backyardherds.com/threads/pallet-fence-for-goats.27162/#post-344770

http://www.backyardherds.com/thread...1-fence-building-pic-heavy.23635/#post-316555

http://www.backyardherds.com/threads/new-pig-pen-pics.15013/page-2#post-203373

http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&feature=fvwrel&v=dXOfnJiLdiA


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## teach1rusl

Definitely bigger is better...and healthier...for the animal.  The tinier the pen, the more often it'll have to be mucked out...


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## craftymama86

So with the free pallets I'm thinking 20x20. Here's the back of our land. The house will be on the right side, the right end of the house will be where the burn pile is currently. The left end of the house will be about where the tip of the lower branches come out on the front of that big tree, if that makes sense. I haven't measured the space between the corner of the house and where the current fence is but it may be more space than I previously mentioned. At the rate things are going, we may process the pig before the house is even finished so I want to go ahead and place the pen where I originally wanted. 

Here is the front view of the mostly fenced area. Sorry it's not a close up but I couldn't fit it in otherwise. From this view, where I want the pen will be on the right side, in the front.





Same front view but to the right a good bit more, the front shaded area to the far edge of the burn pile will sit the house. And, yes we have bees and will be moving the hives before building starts. 


 
This view is basically where the house will sit, it's not really that close to the fenced area. At least I don't think so but a good strong wind and I'm sure we'd still smell the pig if it were on the other end of the fenced area, lol.


 
So here's where the pen will be. We had a pile of gravel here so there's still a little left which I figured might help when it gets muddy, hope so anyways, lol. There's a nice shaded area from the trees.


 
Just another view. And for these last two pics I was standing just outside the 20x20 area. I think it's a pretty good size, yea? Oh and I think there may be a plant in there that I'll have to dig out. Hubby wasn't sure but it may be poisonous to pigs. I forgot what he called it... Anyways. That's it! We cut a 55 gallon barrel to put out there for the feeders. We'll see how they hold up, lol.


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## Ferguson K




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## goats&moregoats

I don't have pigs. However the person I got some of my fencing material from did. They had pallet fencing, put had a hot wire running along the bottom. Definitely agree with double t-post in each pallet. If you have a couple of strong people it is actually easier to measure out were to place post, drive post an then slide pallet down over the two post. I have set up pallet fencing this way as well as placing pallet, insert post and then drive post. I found that more difficult. However, like I said you need a couple good strong people. Pallets are heavy enough, but lifting 10-15 a day works those muscles. 

I had pigs years and years ago. We had a board fence no hot wire, but put a ring in their noses. This helped cut down on rooting. 

The few pig pens I have seen did not have gates, including mine. All had a way to climb over if they needed to enter the pen. Feeding and watering took place from outside the pen. At market time a section of the fence was removed. 

Good luck with your new venture.


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## craftymama86

I've been gathering t posts from all over the property, some have just been laid in piles, others I've had to dig up and some of those have been 6ft posts. Needless to say, I'm getting some exercise, lol.

I've only been able to gather about 30 which won't be enough to do two posts in each pallet but I should be able to improvise with the 4x4s we have. Think that could work? 

I also need to figure out how I'm going to latch it without the pig breaking out. Would just one heavy duty latch be ok?


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## Baymule

You might want to remember that someday, the pig will be coming out of there. Will you shoot the pig and butcher yourself? Or will you load pig in a trailer and take to slaughter? If trailer, think ahead on just how you are going to get the pig in the trailer. Tip for ya'  if you don't have a loading chute, you can't _make _the pig do anything it doesn't want to do. I backed the trailer in the pen and fed them in it for a week. Night before slaughter, I just shut the gate.


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## craftymama86

Getting excited! Turns out, the source we're going to get our pallets from is a freight company sooo, we're hooked up, lol. We're going Monday and it may take a couple trips to get the amount we need. But, tomorrow we'll get to see the pigs! We were going to get one from the brother of an acquaintance of ours but the acquaintance is getting some others tomorrow, pure bred Herefords! The first one he's GIVING us but if we can afford it we'll buy a second one. Hubby is still thinking on the price, gotta decide if we can put out the extra money bc it's more than we planned on paying.

I'll post pics tomorrow!!!!


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## Latestarter

Just remember, it might be expensive if you figure the cost on one pig, but since the first will be a freebie, the cost will really be split between the two  Good luck on everything, the pallets, the pigs, and all else involved!


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## Baymule

Oh WOW!  A Hereford! They are beautiful!  I love Herefords!  And you are getting a FREE one?? God is certainly raining pig blessings down on you! Herefords are _eye candy!! All _the pallets you want, _FREE!!! _ Squiggle the budget so you can purchase the other one, you'll be glad you did.   Pictures! Pictures! Pictures!


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## frustratedearthmother

That is awesome!  They are beautiful piggies!  Congrats on your run of  good luck!


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## craftymama86

Here they are!!! We'll pick out our two when we pick them up. We decided to go ahead and get a second one (more like I talked hubby into it, hahaha). Can't wait to get them home! I'll get pics when we get the pen all ready.


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## Latestarter

Were it me, I'd be picking the back and middle ones on the left side   Long and large! Grats!


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## Baymule

So pretty! I love Herefords! Are you getting guilts or barrows? The feeder pigs I raised, two were guilts, one was a smaller barrow, but boy! did HE ever catch up and get BIG!


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## craftymama86

Baymule said:


> So pretty! I love Herefords! Are you getting guilts or barrows? The feeder pigs I raised, two were guilts, one was a smaller barrow, but boy! did HE ever catch up and get BIG!



Not sure yet. Depends which ones they want to keep I guess, lol. We didn't talk about it really.


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## Ferguson K

Gorgeous pigs. Wish I could find some around here. Either way you'll enjoy your pig adventure I just know it.


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