# How loud are pigs



## US Constitution (May 21, 2010)

Greetings Friends,

We have a half acre wooded area 50' from our home in a suburban neighborhood. I was thinking about raising 2 - piglets for meat in the center quarter acre of this forest. The nearest neighbor's house is 150' away from this area. Will the pigs be too noisy here? 

Thank you,
Jim


----------



## farmmom (Jan 4, 2009)

LOUD! But not all the time. When they're being fed they get quite loud, especially if they are arguing over the feed. Most of the time, mine are pretty quiet. They get loud when breeding, but you won't have that situation.


----------



## US Constitution (May 21, 2010)

Thank you farmmom,
Do you think the neighbors will hear them.
Jim


----------



## AnnieinBC (Mar 23, 2007)

I don't know if your neighbours will be able to hear them....perhaps a couple nice pork roasts for them in the end would be a nice gesture?

Our pigs don't make that much noise...well, unless they hit the electric fence!


----------



## Rogo (Jan 1, 2006)

I've rarely heard anything vocal from my pigs. I free choice feed and the pigs roam free on the acreage, so perhaps that's why.


----------



## 65284 (Sep 17, 2003)

All depends upon how tightly you squeeze them.


----------



## highlands (Jul 18, 2004)

Mostly quiet. We have about 250 pigs out on pasture and people don't realize how many there are. You can't see them all at once since they're scattered over a mountain. But if pig A wants what pig B has and pig A (food, sleeping spot, sex) has the power to take it then they can make a racket. Two big boars fighting are very loud for about 15 minutes. Then they tire out and quiet down. Nobody dead.

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


----------



## US Constitution (May 21, 2010)

Thanks to all for the great posts. 
Jim


----------



## olivehill (Aug 17, 2009)

Ours are extremely quiet 97% of the time. The other 3% of the time on the other hand, I can hear them 1/4 mile out through thick woods. Their skirmishes with one another are loud, but very short lived. The most noise ours make is when there are people nearby that they think they can persuade into bringing them treats. I imagine if you didn't spoil them the way we do you could minimize that noise making, but then, what fun is that? The pigs are our favorite members of the farm.


----------



## HeritagePigs (Aug 11, 2009)

A pig squeal is 110 decibels. Louder than a jet.


----------



## haypoint (Oct 4, 2006)

Two pigs fenced into a 75 feet by 100 feet woodlot will damage the trees.
As far as noise, go see for yourselves. The best way to learn about any animal is to spend some time around them. Pick up a 40 pound feeder pig and judge for yourself if that's too noisy.


----------



## RedneckPete (Aug 23, 2004)

When you are castrating a 150lb boar they are CRAZY loud.

If you aren't attempting that, they are far less objectionable then a souped up 67 Chevy.

Pete


----------



## US Constitution (May 21, 2010)

olivehill said:


> Ours are extremely quiet 97% of the time. The other 3% of the time on the other hand, I can hear them 1/4 mile out through thick woods. Their skirmishes with one another are loud, but very short lived. The most noise ours make is when there are people nearby that they think they can persuade into bringing them treats. I imagine if you didn't spoil them the way we do you could minimize that noise making, but then, what fun is that? The pigs are our favorite members of the farm.


I am beginning to believe that pigs will be too noisy for this neighborhood. 

Thanks for all of the replies.

Jim


----------



## Forest Breath (Oct 23, 2009)

Harness one with a rope, trying to do the little guy a favor and take him to greener pasture, and see how loud it gets. I swear I think the pigs on HeritagePigs farm heard that little feller scream!

I guess all pigs are different according to their environment and such. Mine get loud when they see me heading to the barn. They get louder when I walk into the barn and try to climb up the fence. Mostly because they know I generally have a treat in my hand and because I scratch their ears or rub their bellies. 

A neighbor once had pigs, lots of them. He lived real close to me and I never heard a peep out of them pigs. 

Are you worried about your neighbor getting upset about the pigs?


----------



## US Constitution (May 21, 2010)

Forest Breath said:


> Harness one with a rope, trying to do the little guy a favor and take him to greener pasture, and see how loud it gets. I swear I think the pigs on HeritagePigs farm heard that little feller scream!
> 
> I guess all pigs are different according to their environment and such. Mine get loud when they see me heading to the barn. They get louder when I walk into the barn and try to climb up the fence. Mostly because they know I generally have a treat in my hand and because I scratch their ears or rub their bellies.
> 
> ...


Hi Forest Breath,

Yes I am worried about the neighbors. The nearest one's house is 100 to 150 feet from where I would like to keep the pigs.

Thanks,
Jim


----------



## PlowGirl (Nov 16, 2005)

Pigs rarely squeal loud enough to be considered a nuisance. When they do, it can be deafening. Those few occasions will involve restraint, food, fighting over food, just fighting, or under attack. 

I can't imagine two pigs on woodlot, with supplemental feeding and safety from predation making any appreciable amount of noise. More importantly, are there livestock restrictions where you live that would negate your having pigs?


----------



## US Constitution (May 21, 2010)

PlowGirl said:


> Pigs rarely squeal loud enough to be considered a nuisance. When they do, it can be deafening. Those few occasions will involve restraint, food, fighting over food, just fighting, or under attack.
> 
> I can't imagine two pigs on woodlot, with supplemental feeding and safety from predation making any appreciable amount of noise. More importantly, are there livestock restrictions where you live that would negate your having pigs?


I'll check with the country club management to see if pigs are allowed on the #6 green.
Thanks,
Jim


----------



## Forest Breath (Oct 23, 2009)

They don't make noise ALL the time. It is nice of you to be concerned about the neighbors. I would just go talk to them and see how they feel about you getting a few pigs. 

But then again, my neighbors had built their house and moved in about a year before I bought our farm. For some unknown reason, with all their 7 acres, they chose to build a $250.000 house about 100' from my falling down barn, with the front door facing the side of the barn? I think maybe they thought no one would every buy the old farm and maybe would never use that barn, tear it down or something. So I felt bad when we got pigs and goats and chickens and trimmed the trees around the barn. Now they have a view of my pigs and goats from their front porch. When we went over and told them we were clearing around the barn, he was OK but I could tell she was NOT happy and was shocked when she asked "you all are going to USE that barn?" It made me feel bad but I can't help but wonder why they risk building their house right by a barn on someone else's property? 

Asking the neighbors though is a nice thing to do. Maybe they like pigs, you never know! Or maybe they like bacon? That could work in your favor.


----------



## HeritagePigs (Aug 11, 2009)

It's just me, but if you put your pigs 100 to 150 feet from my house, in a residential neighborhood, I would be ----ed. I don't let my own pigs get that close and I live on a farm.


----------



## Forest Breath (Oct 23, 2009)

In my situation, the farm was like it was for 100 years. The barn there for 100 years. The neighbors house 1 year. I don't know their reasons for building right by a barn with such little ground between the two. I feel bad about it, but I can't just not use my barn because of it. I have however, offered and will plant a privacy row of trees for their benefit, because I do feel bad for their choice.


----------



## stifflej (Aug 11, 2008)

I would think the smell would be your bigger concern, they really don't make much noise, and are very quiet at night when i think noise would be a bigger concern. But the smell could cause an issue.


----------



## highlands (Jul 18, 2004)

Smell is minimal, no worse than cows, horses and sheep, or people for that matter. If you pen them into a small area they will smell more. Add a lot of carbon (wood shavings, straw, hay, etc) or muck out the pen a lot. Better is to pasture them. They will spread their manure over the fields to naturally fertilize the soil.


----------



## RiverPines (Dec 12, 2006)

From my experiences with people I have known, pig smell is not as ok as cow, horse or others.
The only person I knew that didnt mind pig smell, grew up on a pig farm. 
Pigs smell bad to many people IMO. 
They smell like an omnivore not an herbivore. Big difference.

It may matter if neighbors find the nasty smell on the breeze and dont like it.

Are you allowed livestock? You wont be able to hide pigs, sound or smell will give them away most likely.


----------



## olivehill (Aug 17, 2009)

I've got to agree with Walter on the smell issue. Properly managed they don't smell much at all. The whole perception that pigs are stinky is a function of factory farming. If you keep hundreds of pigs in an enclosed barn and pump all their waste out into a latrine, sure, that latrine is going to smell -- it's filled with pig sh*t. But kept outdoors on bedding or grass the smell is minimal just like any other animal. Our turkeys out stink our pigs by miles and even they do not smell terribly.


----------



## US Constitution (May 21, 2010)

I have a feeling the noise is going to do my pig operation in. I sure could use a couple of pigs and especially a cow to naturally fertilize the fields. However, this is not going to happen in this neighborhood. I will have to be happy with my chickens and figure out a clever way to fertilize my fields cheaply and safely.

Thank you,
Jim


----------



## HeritagePigs (Aug 11, 2009)

Glue some feathers on your pigs and teach them to go "cluck!"


----------



## US Constitution (May 21, 2010)

HeritagePigs said:


> Glue some feathers on your pigs and teach them to go "cluck!"


I asked the country club management if they would allow flying pigs on the #6 green and they turned me down.


----------



## Ed Norman (Jun 8, 2002)

I take it you aren't a big believer in, "It's better to ask for forgiveness than permission."


----------



## Rogo (Jan 1, 2006)

Many of the problems I see folks having with critters are human caused.

Put the same critters with different folks and they won't have the problems.

I've tested some of the things I've heard. I've put collars on the pigs and a leash to see if they'd walk with me. No squeeling and they did walk with little effort on my part. I put a harness on a hog and he didn't care. For Christmas parades, my critters wear Christmas bells. To see what would happen, I put a large belt of bells around the girth of a hog. He walked off and grazed like the bells weren't there. The ding-a-linging didn't even bother him.


----------



## HeritagePigs (Aug 11, 2009)

Wait a sec..."Country Club Pigs"...sounds like a new reality show! That's how you sell the idea.


----------



## highlands (Jul 18, 2004)

RiverPines said:


> They smell like an omnivore not an herbivore. Big difference.


That is a diet issue. Our pigs smell like cows because our pigs primarily eat pasture and hay. When you feed cows corn they smell more like the smell you associate with pigs.

Smell your own ---- after eat one thing exclusively, then after another thing. What goes in makes a big difference on what comes out, how it smells, etc. It's a very interesting lesson.



US Constitution said:


> I have a feeling the noise is going to do my pig operation in. I sure could use a couple of pigs and especially a cow to naturally fertilize the fields.


I would not worry about the sound level or smell of a couple of pigs. Give it a shot. If it doesn't work, you eat them.


----------



## fishhead (Jul 19, 2006)

Forest Breath said:


> In my situation, the farm was like it was for 100 years. The barn there for 100 years. The neighbors house 1 year. I don't know their reasons for building right by a barn with such little ground between the two. I feel bad about it, but I can't just not use my barn because of it. I have however, offered and will plant a privacy row of trees for their benefit, because I do feel bad for their choice.


Maybe they'll learn to enjoy watching the animals.


----------



## highlands (Jul 18, 2004)

Forest Breath said:


> When we went over and told them we were clearing around the barn, he was OK but I could tell she was NOT happy and was shocked when she asked "you all are going to USE that barn?" *It made me feel bad* but I can't help but wonder why they risk building their house right by a barn on someone else's property?


Why?

My neighbor, about a mile away thankfully, built a new house and painted it yellow. It is an ugly eye sore of a color, not one I would have chosen. I also wouldn't have done the building design the way he did nor would I take his line of work. But those are all his problems. I look the other way.



HeritagePigs said:


> It's just me, but if you put your pigs 100 to 150 feet from my house, in a residential neighborhood, I would be ----ed. I don't let my own pigs get that close and I live on a farm.


Hmm... our pigs come within about 30' of our house, that is to say our new tiny cottage. Back when we lived in our old farm house the pigs slept outside my bedroom window leaning up against the wall. The pigs do snore a little. I do have limits, the rooster has to be 100' or so away and not wake me up before 4 am. Otherwise I eat him. Several roosters have learned that lesson. My rooster, my dinner. 

Personally my solution is to live out far enough that this sort of friction is minimized. Also pick a town without zoning.


----------



## Rogo (Jan 1, 2006)

I have found that every critter, even those eaten, are easier to work the more you do with them. 

A few years back, I thought it would be a unique and fun thing to hitch up my pet Hampshire hog to a cart and let him take me for rides. At 45 inches tall and 800 pounds, he was built well for the job. This was the only hog that didn't go in the freezer. He never cared what crazy idea I came up with and went along with everything.

Well, the idea evidently wasn't so unique. A friend sent me this postcard that looks like it's from the 1930's or 1940's:

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a73/deserthills123/bfdd1e92.jpg


----------



## highlands (Jul 18, 2004)

Love that photo!


----------



## US Constitution (May 21, 2010)

highlands said:


> Love that photo!


I need to send this picture to the "Sustenance Traveling" magazine.


----------



## US Constitution (May 21, 2010)

HeritagePigs said:


> Wait a sec..."Country Club Pigs"...sounds like a new reality show! That's how you sell the idea.


Pigs would make great caddies.


----------



## Gail elkins (Jul 13, 2017)

US Constitution said:


> Greetings Friends,
> 
> We have a half acre wooded area 50' from our home in a suburban neighborhood. I was thinking about raising 2 - piglets for meat in the center quarter acre of this forest. The nearest neighbor's house is 150' away from this area. Will the pigs be too noisy here?
> 
> ...


The noise from pigs in relationship to your neighbors is insignificant compared to the stench from their excrement and flies! This is biggest concern with raising pigs and neighbors.


----------



## highlands (Jul 18, 2004)

If the "stench from excrement and flies" is such a big problem then you may be doing it wrong. Both are easily controlled. Managed rotational grazing is what I find to be the best solution, to both. Keeping a lot of chickens grazing with the pigs also helps and has the side benefit of a bounty of free eggs.


----------



## Murby (May 24, 2016)

Depends on how much voltage is running through the fence line...


----------



## ShannonR (Nov 28, 2012)

If this were my situation......
I would get the pigs. If there is a smell or noise problem, just eat them as soon as you get a complaint. But I doubt you will get any complaints.

It's worth a shot.


----------



## gerold (Jul 18, 2011)

US Constitution said:


> Greetings Friends,
> 
> We have a half acre wooded area 50' from our home in a suburban neighborhood. I was thinking about raising 2 - piglets for meat in the center quarter acre of this forest. The nearest neighbor's house is 150' away from this area. Will the pigs be too noisy here?
> 
> ...


Call your county zoning office. Check with them to see what animals you can raise on your property. That is the first stop.


----------



## GeneV (Nov 28, 2015)

What county zoning don't know won't hurt you. Thug life farming! 

Pigs don't smell unless you keep them confined in one spot and never clean out the pen. But noise yeh, they grunt and squeal like crazy when you're within sight and they want food.


----------



## ShannonR (Nov 28, 2012)

gerold said:


> Call your county zoning office. Check with them to see what animals you can raise on your property. That is the first stop.


If the county says anything, that goes under the "complaint" category. Just eat them if they become a problem. You have ample space for the project, you should sto worrying about what your neighbors think of you and go for it.
What's with needing the government's permission to grow your own food????? This sort of thing only happens to people, because the people have become too complacent and allow themselves to be told how when and where to do everything. If society as a whole would grow a spine, we wouldn't have this problem.

The county once complained at the old house, about having too many cattle (feeder Jersey steers) on our acre and a half lot. We stuffed one of them into the freezer and told the county to get lost.


----------



## GeneV (Nov 28, 2015)

Yeh, don't wanna get too deep into it, but let's just say quite a few people in my area do stuff that "technically" oversteps zoning ordinances, because, ya know, we actually talk to each other if there's a problem as opposed to running off to the township and waaaaaah, he took my toy! 

Modern society split into 2 camps methinks. Camp A does whatever the hell they want and screw everyone else so long as it feels good. Camp B needs permission to squeeze out a fart, just to confirm it's safe to do so without it being wet haha.


----------



## haypoint (Oct 4, 2006)

GeneV said:


> Yeh, don't wanna get too deep into it, but let's just say quite a few people in my area do stuff that "technically" oversteps zoning ordinances, because, ya know, we actually talk to each other if there's a problem as opposed to running off to the township and waaaaaah, he took my toy!
> 
> Modern society split into 2 camps methinks. Camp A does whatever the hell they want and screw everyone else so long as it feels good. Camp B needs permission to squeeze out a fart, just to confirm it's safe to do so without it being wet haha.


A few years ago, The Township meetings were packed with people complaining abo zoning. Seemed like no one was in favor of zoning.
The township created a questionnaire with questions about zoning. Every landowner got one. 90% were filed out and returned.
Come to find out, nearly everyone favored the current ordinance and lots favored more restrictions.
Guess for some people they don't want others to do stuff that threatens the value and enjoyment of their largest investment. I guess there are two camps. One creates an eyesore and the other wants protection from the blight.


----------



## GeneV (Nov 28, 2015)

Well like I said, people gotta communicate with each other, and here's the kicker, be AGREEABLE. Zoning ordinances cover defined categories, but not every property neatly fits into one or another. But you go asking them and they'll make you fit. 

Over here, there's 5+ acres lots here that fall within ag zoning, and then a few 2-3ish acre lots mixed in that don't...but want livestock. If my neighbors don't mind, why bother zoning, you know how busy they are already!


----------

