# Pigs in the Winter?



## speakmanfamily (Aug 12, 2011)

What do you do with pigs in the winter, to keep them warm? And what do you do with newborn piglets to keep them warm?



I live in Alberta, Canada, so winters get pretty cold.


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## idigbeets (Sep 3, 2011)

Prevent drafts, provide shelter from direct wind, plenty of water and feed. If its below zero you may have to provide a heat source. The piglets will be with their sow so that shouldn't be a problem, same advice as above.


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## happymainepigs (Jul 19, 2011)

I live in Maine where it is very cold in winter. We just give our pigs(sows) a dry stall in the barn with a piggy door to go in and out. Lots of hay for a dry place to sleep is all they need, and of coarse water and food. We manage our sows so that they don't have babies until March, and we give the babies a heat light to help keep them warm and allow them a place to get away from the sow.


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## lonelyfarmgirl (Feb 6, 2005)

Our pigs are outside year round here. We have cut off chopper box tops as shelters, and single calf huts for farrowing mothers. We have had babies around Christmas here. Pigs put off alot of warmth. They do fine, just eat a lot more. They need the extra to burn for warmth. Average winter temps here, 10 and windy. We get 20 below on the coldest days.


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## Brooks WV (Jul 24, 2010)

lonelyfarmgirl said:


> Our pigs are outside year round here. We have cut off chopper box tops as shelters, and single calf huts for farrowing mothers. We have had babies around Christmas here. Pigs put off alot of warmth. They do fine, just eat a lot more. They need the extra to burn for warmth. Average winter temps here, 10 and windy. We get 20 below on the coldest days.


What are "chopper box tops"?


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## idigbeets (Sep 3, 2011)

IIRC its a piece of grain/forage equipment... Think a covered hay wagon.


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## Mare Owner (Feb 20, 2008)

Blocking the wind and keeping them out of the snow so they are dry are the two most important things, beyond feed and water, for cold temps. We get into the 20's below zero here, and are below zero for a lot of winter, and my pigs do great.

I use a lean-to off the side of the barn for shelter and also stalls in an unheated barn. Farrowing in winter is done in the barn with a heat lamp in the coldest weather, and the lamp isn't used beyond a week as they'd rather bed with their mother.

We bed with plenty of straw.


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## highlands (Jul 18, 2004)

We're in the mountains of northern Vermont. They thrive well, grow a bit slower in the winter as some calories go to keeping warm. We provide wind blocks: the shape of the land, hay bales, brush, open sheds. The pigs are never closed in. Good air circulation is critical to health. We provide lots of bedding in the form of hay which they sleep on and they eat. The big ones prefer sleeping out in the open all winter. I'll come out and find them with snow covering them in the morning - it is their own choice since there is shelter nearby. Whom am I to judge though, I go around in shorts and a light shirt most of the winter. 

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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## olivehill (Aug 17, 2009)

Ours are outside, too. They have A-frame pallet houses and lots of straw and hay. We get well below zero and wind. They do well.


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## speakmanfamily (Aug 12, 2011)

Thanks so much guys!


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## Cheryl aka JM (Aug 7, 2007)

Can I get away with just keeping one pig in the winter or do I need two to keep each other warm? We don't get nearly as cold as some of y'all do~ but we sometimes get some snow and it's not unusual to have several weeks of hard frost.

I'm about to send off the three pigs I have out there now and I'm planning on picking up another piglet tonight to keep during the winter~ eat up the winter scraps and have fresh bacon next spring~ but without all the extra summer grass and scraps I'm thinking maybe just one pig for winter if s/he can stand to be lonely.


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## highlands (Jul 18, 2004)

As you say, you don't get cold down in Alabama, however, they'll do much better as a group than singly. Shared body heat. Same as us. They also are competitive feeders and social herd animals so they like / do better as a group. That said, I've known many a person to keep single pigs and they did fine.


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## Cheryl aka JM (Aug 7, 2007)

Well as it turns out I'm gonna keep two this time~ I think I was out buying them when you made this response. Two cute little girls this time. The 3 older barrows are still here~ they won't truck out for freezer camp till Oct 3rd and you should see their ears perk every time they catch site of or hear strange pigs in the next pen! I sure wish they didn't insist on being so darned cute and funny!

Thanks for the answer about how many pigs~ now I'll not have to ask again next time.


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