# Any remedies for mud'n'mire in pigpen?



## snoozy (May 10, 2002)

My 3 pigs have totally denuded their pen of vegetation - as I expected they would - and it is not draining well. Anyone have any experience with remedies for this? Like, would dumping a load of sand help, or spreading straw? We aren't even into the rainy season yet but from just a few downpours, we've got standing puddles and a lot of muck. Their penned area is about 25' x 35'. 

I'm thinking later I'll plant mangels or other such hog fodder after this batch of porkers is off to the butchers.


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## Stand_Watie (May 22, 2004)

I let my lawnmowing grass clippings dry for a couple days and throw a few wagonloads of them in the pen when it gets nasty.


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## uncle Will in In. (May 11, 2002)

That's how pig pens look in wet weather. They wallow around in the mudholes causing the ground to seal over in the bottom. After that the holes seldom dry up. Filling the holes with gravel would help, but as long as the weather isn't cold they will be OK if there is a place to lay down on higher ground. If you Throw any grass or straw in there, throw in on the high spots.


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## tinknal (May 21, 2004)

The pigs make wallows for a reason, they need mud and water to stay cool. Pigs cannot sweat, and need the mud to cool off. Just let them be pigs.


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## snoozy (May 10, 2002)

Okay, but at what point is it too soggy? There are a few spots which are still dry, but a good 60% of the area is 4" deep in muck. Their house, with floor and walls made of pallets and an old pickup bedliner for a roof, is dry. I got another bedliner to put their trough in because it was sinking into mud, too.


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## uncle Will in In. (May 11, 2002)

If you plan on using this pen for future hogs, it would help things a bunch if you fill up the lot with gravel. Having a concrete area to feed on is something many small farmers done. Having a larger lot for them would help some.


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## tinknal (May 21, 2004)

As long as they have a spot where they can eat, and get dry if they want, I wouldn't worry.


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