# Pig shelter advice



## mundamanu (Oct 22, 2004)

I need a shelter for the seven feeder pigs I am raising. They have a shelter right now, but they are outgrowing it. I was planning on building a shelter myself, but then I started to think about Port-A-Huts, so I called my local dealer.

Basically what I found out is that the 6'x11' shelter sheltering ten pigs for eight years (the company claims they will last 10-12 years) would cost $5.78 per pig per year. That sized shelter will probably be a little small for ten pigs when they get up around market weight, but my pasture has shade, so really, they would only need to cram in there in bad weather (thunderstorms, hail, etc.)

Even though I could build something myself out of wood cheaper, paying only $5.78/pig/year for something I can hop into my truck and drive and pick up and plop in the pasture in three hours total (and that includes a half an hour gabbing with the dealer) is pretty tempting. The round trip in the truck would add another $50 or so, so the cost would really be $6.41/pig/year. Still tempting.

What do you all think? Do any of you have any experience with Port-A-Huts? If so, do you like them?


----------



## CGUARDSMAN (Dec 28, 2006)

are you keeping pigs year round or just raising to butcher at market weight??? a hoop house with cattle panels would be cheap also.


----------



## nehimama (Jun 18, 2005)

Right now I have three 150 pounders using one of the smallest Port-A-Huts for shelter. When they're gone to the butcher, the shelter can be used for other critters.

There are small Port-A-Huts in the three goat pastures as well. I think they work really well, but am leery during thunder & lightning storms.

In the past we've used polyvinyl calf hutches from CalfTel. Got two small and one large on the place. The small ones are 1) a doghouse for the Great Pyrnees and 2) a pasture shelter for goats. The large one is currently in use as a garden shed. Have had them for about six years now, and no signs of wear or deterioration.

NeHi


----------



## nehimama (Jun 18, 2005)

Darn it. Meant to say that we used one of the small CalfTel hutches for four feeder pigs several years ago. It survived the pigs, and is being used now for goats. Have also used them for miniature donkeys. 

NeHi


----------



## FreeRanger (Jul 20, 2005)

I'm with CGUARDSMAN, I read about using cattle panels for quick low cost temporary shelters in CountrySide Mag. We have used this style of housing twice now for market pigs. 

All you need is four spare T-posts, a cattle panel, tarp and twine/wire for tying things together. Pound the T-post into a rectangle 3'x10'. Bend the cattle panel to make a ten foot wide hoop house between the t-posts. Tye the tarp to the cattle panel. Done....build a couple end to end to make a longer hoop house.

When you are done just disassemble to regain use of the pasture area.


----------



## CGUARDSMAN (Dec 28, 2006)

my hoop house is 2-12' cattle panels bent u shaped and held with cca 2x4's and i had the fortunate luck of being able to put metal siding on mine. A business tht rents office space from my company builds commercial steel buldings and let me come over and go through his left over siding that mainly consisted of half sheets!


----------



## tinknal (May 21, 2004)

I made a perfectly serviceable shelter with 6 old pallets, a few steel posts, and 45 old sheets of used galvanized tin.


----------



## mundamanu (Oct 22, 2004)

I only raise feeder pigs, so I do not keep them year round. 

How well do the cattle panel shelters hold up to all the rubbing? How long do the tarps last?


----------



## CGUARDSMAN (Dec 28, 2006)

mundamanu said:


> I only raise feeder pigs, so I do not keep them year round.
> 
> How well do the cattle panel shelters hold up to all the rubbing? How long do the tarps last?


if you buy even a medium quality tarp they will last as long as the feeder hogs do  i have had good luck in the past with just a blue tarp nothing fancy. the silver one i had did not hold up as well even though is seemed better quality.


----------



## Rogo (Jan 1, 2006)

I've seen cattle panel hoops used for greenhouses and as shelters for just about every type of critter - small poultry, emu, llamas, horses, etc. I have a bunch of cattle panels and will be using a few for a shelter for my equine. The amount of panels used will depend on the size of the shelter wanted.

I've never seen the hoop panels used where the critters constantly live inside them - altho I've seen on the web where they use them for chicken tractors.


----------



## RockyGlen (Jan 19, 2007)

tinknal said:


> I made a perfectly serviceable shelter with 6 old pallets, a few steel posts, and 45 old sheets of used galvanized tin.


do you keep pigs over winter in this, and do you really live in Minnesota?

We are getting pigs in 2 weeks and have yet to come up with shelter. We will be raising 4 to butcherweight and keeping 2 for breeding (which we have never done before). 
The fencing is going to cost way more than we had anticipated (we want them partially pastured) so are hoping to cut costs on housing but only if it is feasible. We are in central wyoming.


----------



## PlowGirl (Nov 16, 2005)

I've used the cattle panel/tarp shelters for several years. They work great, ....But. The tarps need replacing constantly. Usually when it's pouring ice cold rain/sleet/snow or windy as all get out. My pigs will rip the sides of the tarps to shreds. Basically, if the pig can put his teeth on it, it's getting torn up. Sometimes the tarps will last a little longer, but most are less than adequate within weeks. I'll be making more durable shelters from now on. I like the panel arch, and cguardsman's idea of siding the panel might be my solution.


----------



## mundamanu (Oct 22, 2004)

I decided to make a cattle panel shelter. I figured I might as well give it a try and see how it goes.

I used two cattle panels, one 12x16 heavy duty tarp (they didn't have an 8x16 tarp in stock, and I couldn't wait to have one shipped), two 4x4 skids, and two 2x4 cross pieces. The lumber was free (previous owners left it -- for those strict accountants, I call it free because the price of the farm would have been the same with or without the lumber) , but I had to buy the cattle panels ($19.00 ea.) and the tarp ($25.00), so I was able to put it together for $65. It took me about three hours to put it together, but this was the first time I had done it. I imagine in the future it will only take an hour and a half.

I can order tarps on-line for about half what I paid for the one I am using now, but nevertheless, if tarps need to be replaced more than two or three times over the five month growing season, I don't think the cattle panel shelter is worth it over the Port-A-Hut, even though the cattle panel shelter may still be cheaper over the life of the Port-A-Hut (assuming an 8-yr Port-A-Hut life; if the Port-A-Hut lasted 10 years, then the cattle panel shelter definitely wouldn't be worth it).


----------



## CJ (May 10, 2002)

I am a Port-a-hut advocate, love them! They are useful for so many things, and they last forever! And if you move, you can take them with you. They also hold their resale value quite well.

We have one of their large 14' x 21' sizes with a door being delivered next week, and plan to use it for a temporary tractor shed, later on it will be our goat barn.


----------



## CGUARDSMAN (Dec 28, 2006)

the hoop house i put together really is nothing more than a port-a-hut they even look the same. i was able to use metal siding that i attached by using 2x2's as backing to sandwich the cattle panel in between. i need to take some pics tonight. all my materials were salvaged except for the screws to put it all together  The metal is commercial thickness siding that is off white in color so it should reflect the sun well.


----------



## CGUARDSMAN (Dec 28, 2006)

here are a few pics of my homemade port-a-hut


----------

