# When introducing new pig with others how long will they fight



## badgerboy (Jul 31, 2010)

Is there anything i can do to stop it


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## HeritagePigs (Aug 11, 2009)

They will fight until they have decided their "pecking order". Pigs are social animals and live within a social hierarchy. Even then they may fight on occasion if the matter isn't really settled.

The only thing you can do to stop that is to separate the pigs. You can't change their instinct. Evolution and all...


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## lisarichards (Dec 6, 2004)

I pen up new pigs with electronet right next to the pig paddock and let them get used to each other before I let the new ones in. There's much less fussing that way.


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## olivehill (Aug 17, 2009)

What kind of pig are you introducing -- age and sex? And what pigs make up the existing herd -- ages and sexes?


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## bruceki (Nov 16, 2009)

The worst fights are between evenly matched pigs. Both pigs think they have a chance, and so neither one will back down. 

When you're introducing much smaller or larger pigs it's over quicker. usually a day or two. Make sure that the loser has somewhere to retreat to. Consider two water/food locations for a while. 

Bruce / ebeyfarm.blogspot.com


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## Ronney (Nov 26, 2004)

lisarichards said:


> I pen up new pigs with electronet right next to the pig paddock and let them get used to each other before I let the new ones in. There's much less fussing that way.


This is much the same as I do. Let them get used to each other, the smell of each other and then put them together at feed time - they are all so busy trying to outdo each other in the scoff department that they don't notice an extra pig. I usually do the joining up in the morning so I can moniter the situation during the day. It's always panned out ok....... except for two boars.

I have always been able to run my boars together and while there is a bit of agro to start with, they sort it out without too much damage. However, these two are just never going to mix it and I have to admit that it is the only time I have felt so frightened and impotent when dealing with pigs. They ran next to each other for weeks but never stopped the chomping and frothing. In the end I took the punt and put them together - then wished I could undo the act. The bigger boar (not by age but by breed) pushed and fought the smaller one to the wallow, pushed him in and then held him under. This probably took 30 minutes and there was no way I could or would have interferred. Then the smaller boar erupted - and I mean erupted. He roared out of the water, landed on the larger boar and proceed to push him out of the wallow. By this time the larger boar had expended all his energy getting the smaller boar into the wallow in the first place and had nothing left to come back with. The smaller boar got him out of the wallow and then ripped him to shreds. Both boars eventually lost their tusks, the smaller boar came out with a few surface injuries that were non-threatening, the larger boar had several deep wounds that abcessed and went rotten. He was "hospitalised" for months before he healed. I still have both of them, they have never been together again and they run up and down the fence threatening each other but are more afraid of the electric.

As HP says, pigs are social animals and the above would be the exception to the rule so don't take it on board as being the norm. Most times, all pigs live togethr amicably although they do have a pecking order as do all animals.

Cheers,
Ronnie


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## Rogo (Jan 1, 2006)

All my stock roam free. New stock, from chickens on up, are penned for a few days where they can see/smell the free roamers and vice versa. I then open the gate of the penned one(s) and let them come out on their own. No fighting, not even from all the roosters I have roaming with the hens. It works here.


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## badgerboy (Jul 31, 2010)

Thanks onces again


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## highlands (Jul 18, 2004)

If you can start them across a fence line it helps but won't stop fighting totally. As mentioned, once they figure out who's boss it will stop. Generally this is just a few hours and scratches. If they are very close in size there is more jousting. If there is more space there is less problem. A tight pen means you'll likely see a lot of fighting because it is someone's territory.

Hopefully by now it is over.

Cheers

-Walter
Sugar Mountain Farm
Pastured Pigs, Sheep & Kids
in the mountains of Vermont
Read about our on-farm butcher shop project:
http://SugarMtnFarm.com/butchershop
http://SugarMtnFarm.com/csa


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