# Pig Squeeze Chute, anybody use one??



## Muleman (Nov 8, 2013)

I have said it before, I have much more experience with cattle than pigs and with the cattle a head chute and/or squeeze chute was a very handy piece of equipment to have. Yes you can get by without one and sometimes you just "let it go and watch" because it is just to difficult to try and rope a sick cow and tie her too something. Once I got my head chute it was not a matter of IF I could catch and treat a cow it was just a matter of if I wanted to. I went to a farm a while back and they had goats. He had a little squeeze chute and when I ask about it, he said it was actually a chute made for pigs, no he would not sell it, I made him and offer. He thought he may use it with his goats??
Anyway, now I am thinking of making me a little chute for my pigs. Nothing fancy, just a simple metal squeeze box, maybe with a scale. Seems it would be handy at times. Anybody have a chute for their pigs, or use one?? What about a scale, anybody have one or use one?? I know you can get by without one, just seems like it would be a worth while piece of equipment to have. I did see them in one of my animal catalogs once I started looking and it seems with a scale they can be bought for around $1000.00, but I hope to build one for a few hundred?


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## highlands (Jul 18, 2004)

I would be very interesting in seeing photos of the chute you saw if you happened to have any or could get some. We've been talking about this here, about making a good squeeze chute with a scale. 

We work with the animals out in the field but I would like to sometimes be able to use a chute. We've tried making a couple but aren't satisfied with them yet. We need to be able to do everything from 100 lbs (roasters) to 800 lbs (usual breeders) although I would love one that would go up to 1,700 lbs (biggest boars). What we've done that worked for smaller pigs the big boars and even big sows just shake off if they want. Safer to just work with them in the open field but I would love to make something strong enough that did all sizes - I'm not happy with what we've worked out so far. A scale would be a great extra benny.


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## Muleman (Nov 8, 2013)

I do not think we took any pictures. I do not carry a cell phone when I am home and I do not know if my kids took a picture with theirs or not? I will be back home in May and when I get started on mine I will make sure and post some pictures. I plan to make it from steel tubing of some sort. I actually have a cattle head chute I have been thinking of selling and once I seen his, now I am wondering about downsizing it or making a smaller version of it for my pig chute. I have an old cattle chute that had a scale in it. I have left it out in the pasture for a few years, not sure what kind of shape it is still in. 
QC Supply has them listed under animal scales in their catalog, but it says pig on the side of it, so it is specifically made for pigs. They actually have 3 different sizes the largest it looks like is 500# in both 4' and 5' chute and a 300# that is 4' 
I think it would be very difficult to build one chute that would weight such a large range of weight. I think a person would be better trying to build several chutes of varying size instead. We used to run calves through our cattle chute and we made it work, but it was really not the best way. I am thinking a market size scale around 250# to 500# would be about the widest range a person could make and it still actually hold them. Of course a person could put in a crowder wall on one side for smaller pigs, but the length would be long for the smaller ones, maybe a sliding gate to shorten it?? Everything is a compromise when you are dealing with varying sizes of animals.


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## Karenrbw (Aug 17, 2004)

We have an old scale that we bought from a farmer getting out of pigs. It really comes in handy. We can use it to weigh pigs, goats, dogs, etc. It works almost like a squeeze chute when some work needs to be done - working, vaccination, removing ear tags. When it is time to load up butcher hogs, we strap it to the carry-all on the back of the tractor. Run them in, lock the gate, and put the whole thing in the trailer before you let them out. No fuss, no muss.


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## Philosaw (Mar 3, 2014)

We built sorting pens that are narrow and aren't to bad for doctoring when we need to. They're based on cattle sorting pens. We've been thinking a a squeeze too. I googled it and found some pictures, but nothing for sale. I don't think it would be too hard to make though


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