# Winter Housing for Pigs



## Cabinchick (Sep 13, 2011)

Hi All:

We have our piglets housed in an older wooden outbuilding, and were planning on throwing in a few bales of straw for warmth during the winter months per the breeders advice (snows here). But what about ventilation and light for those days when it's too cold or snowy to let the pigs out? Should I install some kind of window or lighting? I'd prefer not to have to run electic out to the building, and the breeder said they don't need any additional bedding for warmth, the straw will do fine.


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## freemotion (Sep 13, 2011)

Well, it is only September now, so unless they are those micro pet pigs they should be pretty big by the time the real cold weather comes in.


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## Cabinchick (Sep 13, 2011)

freemotion said:
			
		

> Well, it is only September now, so unless they are those micro pet pigs they should be pretty big by the time the real cold weather comes in.


Hopefully yeah!  But that doesn't answer my question about ventilation - I mean they need fresh air yes? Or do they hang out in the snow? My first piglets, sorry for my ignorance


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## freemotion (Sep 13, 2011)

I don't keep pigs in winter....but all critters benefit from some ventilation.  The eaves of my barn are open so the air can circulate without a draft coming directly on the animals.  Natural light is also important, so a window that allows light is a good idea.  My little barn is a simple one, so my windows are just sheets of heavy clean plastic....what is that stuff called??? .....that is roughly framed and I screw them in place in the fall and remove them in late spring/early summer.


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## Royd Wood (Sep 13, 2011)

Our Large Blacks and Hamps will be outside with a good shelter - lots of straw and crappy round bales which they bury themselves in. They wander about in a minus 20 with 3 foot of snow digging trenches and they like to pee and poop away from the shelter. If the wind gets up then you wont see them. 
They should be fine with a draft free area deep straw and good ventilation.


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## Cabinchick (Sep 13, 2011)

Thanks to you both for your help! These piglets are Hamp/York cross.


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## Royd Wood (Sep 14, 2011)

Cabinchick said:
			
		

> Thanks to you both for your help! These piglets are Hamp/York cross.


Hamp / yorkshire cross wow they should be good - we had some Large black / Yorkshires and they were great - I think the cross helped speed up the growth as LBs are slower to finish


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