Question about Pigs and Chickens

[Jenny28]

Hey all. I have heard some conflicting information about housing pigs near chickens. We have four piglets coming soon and while we are obviously not housing them together, their pens are fairly close to one another. These pigs are for freezer camp later in the year, and I have been told(and not told) that chickens can give pigs TB, and not to put them anywhere near each other, not to mention putting pigs on ground that chickens have even free ranged on for at least 5 years. I've done some research, and asked a few big farmers and professional herd management companies who have told me that is just not true. They told me the only reason that you shouldn't ever let them free range together is that sometimes a pig will eat a chicken, which seems obvious to me. Any thoughts, ideas, experience? All is welcome and helpful! Thanks!

 

[animalfarm]

I would agree with the "no worries" part that you were told. People that haven't the experience in real life, tend to scare monger without checking their facts just to have something to say.

The pigs might eat the occasional chicken if they manage to corner one long enough to try tasting it, but my personal experience is that they are not passing cooties back and forth. My about to be dinner pigs did manage to corner the nastiest rooster on the place and use him as a football for a bit, but unfortunately he got away before they could figure out he was edible and I had to wack him when he started pecking out eyeballs on my hens.

My large black sow is about to farrow any day now, and won't leave her box stall in the horse/chicken barn that she picked out. She had an outdoor shelter on pasture but decided the barn was nicer and moved herself. She has 20, one month old chicks, roosting on her and cleaning up her scraps and she seems to like the company and the back scratching. No signs of TB yet. Those chicks should be out free ranging as well, but the pickings are better where the sow is.

 

[Jenny28]

Awesome! Thank you for the reply! In regards to one of your hogs using the roo as a football- I have a few curious goats that do that! They seem to like each other very much, but the chickens always end up sucked into an unwilling game of soccer!

 

[Cornish Heritage]

Are you talking TB as in Tuberculosis?!

Pigs will eat chickens & some breeds are worse at it than others. We had some Hampshires once that were absolutely terrible - needless to say they are not here anymore.

We have had a couple of Large Blacks that have eaten chickens but it is rare & when it happens we move the offending pig away from the chickens.

Liz

 

[Jenny28]

Are you talking TB as in Tuberculosis?!

Pigs will eat chickens & some breeds are worse at it than others. We had some Hampshires once that were absolutely terrible - needless to say they are not here anymore.

We have had a couple of Large Blacks that have eaten chickens but it is rare & when it happens we move the offending pig away from the chickens.

Liz

Yes, as in Tuberculosis. They will not be close enough to our hens to be able to eat them, but their pens are close enough that run off from the chickens might get into the pig pen. I've heard from unverified sources that just the run off can make them sick, but every single person I have asked since then said that is not true. I just wanted a few more opinions from actual hog farmers or people with experience. We have some Old Spot and Landrace.

 

[Cornish Heritage]

Well you got us doing some research & Richard found this site - http://www.thepigsite.com/diseaseinfo/127/tuberculosis

We run our chickens with our pigs ALL the time. The benefits to having chickens running with your pigs is that the chickens eat a LOT of bugs. Before we had a lot of chickens (we have 200+ running around here) we had an awful problem with the pigs getting lice. Now we see none. The chickens will sit on the pigs backs & peck at anything that moves.

Liz

 

[Jenny28]

Thanks Liz! I came across that yesterday too! I'm glad to know that you run your chickens and pigs together, as do most hog farmers I have spoken with(about 20 so far lol). It seems that my chickens would already need to have TB to infect and even then it's very rare. I feel better now.

 

[blue lotus]

We have chickens and ducks that run with our pigs all the time (actually, two separate flocks of chickens). No fatalities yet. I have heard the stories about pigs eating the birds, but that hasn't happened to us yet. I think it really depends on the breed and how they are raised, as well as the amount of space each species has to live in.

Our pigs are inside an electric fence within the confines of a larger fence, so the birds have room to escape if they ever need to. The chickens are excellent at parasite/pest and bug control, and do a great job of spreading the manure around as well.

Good luck with your piglets!

 

[Jenny28]

Well we have had our piglets for about two weeks now and no sickness yet!!!!

 

[Cornish Heritage]

Good to hear!

Liz