# hog pen question?



## Mironsfarm (Feb 3, 2011)

i am going to be makeing a new hog pen but i want to make it up off the ground. the pen i did have was such a pain in the back when it came to loading them in to the trailer to much water, mud, and took for ever to load them.

my question is how big of a pen should i make for 5 yorkshires and i wanted to make it off the ground so i would not have a big mud pit and i could make a loading shoot so when i do load it would be easyer do you all think this woul be a good idea or not


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## HeritagePigs (Aug 11, 2009)

I'm not a fan of pens but I applaud you for wanting to get your hogs out of that "mud". 

Here are some ideas that may help. Although they are for buildings you should get some ideas from them:

http://www.public.iastate.edu/~mwps_dis/mwps_web/sw_plans.html

Brian


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## RW kansas hogs (Nov 19, 2010)

Ever think about moving your pen so the water drains? Yes i know its winter time and it warms up & then it freez's again, I have that problem here to. Or have 2 pens so when one gets muddy you can move your animals to the dry pen (weather permitting). We try to do that here but it is up to the weather most of the time.
If your going to spend the money on making a "Raised" hog pen then you should consider pouring a concrete slab to keep them on.


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## agmantoo (May 23, 2003)

Most small hog containment facilities are built along the design of a dog kennel. There is IMO almost no similarity between the dog and a hog. A hog pen should be built on a slope, preferable with a south east exposure here in NC. The hogs can be easily trained to use the southeast corner for their waste, both urine and manure. The southwest corner should have the nipple waterers located there. This pen area should be concreted. On the north side of the concrete slab a hutch should be erected. This portion is best built on dirt and with the southeast side open and the remaining 3 sides closed with the exception of the top 8 inches or so remaining open. A closed cell insulated lean-to style sloping roof having a roof pitch of 1 in 12 with the high side to the south east. This arrangement will create natural ventilation for summer and winter. The sun on the slab will keep the area sterilized to some degree and the urine will run off the slab and will be diluted when the slab is washed off. Manure will have to be removed from time to time as it builds up on the lower end of the slab. The hutch can be bedded with hay in winter. Hogs are readily trained to use specific portions of their quarters for different needs. Given a chance hogs are clean will not use the eating area for a toilet. Summer heat will require shade and a misting water system is desirable.


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## HoosierHog (Apr 23, 2010)

I raise 4 berkshire feeders in a 30x30 pen its on decently drained soil and only becomes too muddy after the heaviest rains and after the initial snow thaw but besides that i have no problems. sounds to me that you need to move the pen to a better drained location or put in a small tile drain. I guess I don't understand why you would want them off the ground pigs need mud its how they cool off and keep flies away and keep from being sun burned. If you put pigs on concrete its hard on the hooves and they wont be as happy. Also its very expensive to do for 5 pigs you will never make your money back on concrete. as far as a wood slated pen you could do it but again it will never be cost effective. and you will have more manure to deal with. As to issues with loading pigs i use hog panels attached to t posts and make a mini loading shoot then fill the trailer with a bushel of ground fallen apples and let the trailer sit for a while eventually they cant resist the apples and i just shut the door. But if i were you I would either move the pen or make it bigger and make sure there shelter was large enough and stayed dry but I do not recommend keeping them on a slab or slat floor.


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## Apryl in ND (Jan 31, 2010)

I plan on keeping mine on pasture, but if I had to keep them in a small pen I think I'd do a deep litter method and put straw down as needed. Seems a lot cheaper, cleaner and happier for the pigs. And when it's time to clean out the pen that would make awesome compost.


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## blaineiac (Jan 10, 2010)

Apryl,
This seems like a good idea. I've been doing this since Thansgiving. I have 4 growers in a 30x30. I give them a round bale when needed. They put it where they want. I think I can get a month out of the bales til they are done. My plan is to sell the compost this summer. We buy it for work, so why not sell it back to myself. I think I can get a $50 scoop of compost from 2 800lb bales. It's last years grass hay and only costs $20. It's more for the bedding than nutrition. The piggers seem happy and hopefully I can turn this into a reason to keep winter feeders. It seems a whole lot easier than a raised pen IMO. Good luck to everyone.


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