Hi evereyone! I am relatively new to the forum but have tried to stay up-to-date with all the submissions and responded to a few when I thought I might have something of interest to contribute. I love C-side mag. and have been a subscriber since '94. I also love all thing "homesteading" and can't get enough information! Every year I try to get involved a little more. This year I want to try to raise two feeder pigs, one to keep and one to sell (to help offset feed costs). My only experience, except once as a kid, was that my daughter raised pigs for 3 years for 4-H. However, she kept them at the neighbors farm. I would like to keep them on a part of our 4 acres, preferably downwind.LOL Also, I was hoping to build a moveable pen, similar to that found in Volume 80, No. 2 of C-side. I thought instead of all the boards, I might use hog panels. I think they come in 16-ft. lengths??? If I used 2 panels, on opposite sides, could I cut another panel for an end 8-ft. long side, and put boards on the 4th end to get the pigs and me in and out of the pen? If so, how should I attach the boards to the sides with the hog panels? Is an 8 by 16 ft. pen big enough for two 150 lb. hogs? How difficult would it be to move compared to the pen in the magazine? I would rather not get into using electric fence. I like the idea of a moveable pen, because I have some ground that is not productive with lots of rocks behind my garden. I'm hoping if I move the pigs around, that they will till it up for me and fertilize it. Then in a year or two, maybe I can expand my garden space, not to mention the great tasting pork all winter. Thanks in advance for any responses. Hope this is not too rambling.

-- Glory (mornglorfarm@ncconnect.net), March 24, 2001

Answers

Not an answer but to thank you for asking the same question I had in mind.I hope you get lots of ideas and pass some of them on to others. I did read once that bowling balls do good to keep pigs occupied in a confined area. Good luck.

-- Jim Phillips (jhphillips@ccrtc.com), March 24, 2001.

Not an answer but to thank you for asking the same question I had in mind.I hope you get lots of ideas and pass some of them on to others. I did read once that bowling balls do good to keep pigs occupied in a confined area. Good luck. Jim P

-- Jim Phillips (jhphillips@ccrtc.com), March 24, 2001.

Glory, I raise 3-4 freezer pigs every 6 months & I use combonation stock panels, not hog panels, they are too short for me, 150# pigs can jump over them. My pen is 32x32' with a 4' wood gate. For the gate I set 2 wood fence posts and tie the panels off to them, I lap one panle back 4' to make the opening. The 16' panels are held up by 6' heavy duty T-posts on 8' centers and the panels are tied together with "Hog Rings", to the posts with fence clips or even baling twine. My gate hinges are baling twine too, I do not need to get in to the pens very often, ( except to change bedding in the house) as I use a self feeder and fill it from over the fence and I have a 'Hog Nipple" water system hooked to a garden hose. Over the years tho, I have used pallets for hogs and troughs, (water tanks or heater cut in half length-ways) for water & feed. I hope this helps you.

-- Hendo (OR) (redgate@echoweb.net), March 24, 2001.

Glory, I did the same thing last year. I used 3 hog panels all clipped together in a circle, use the large clips like are on the end of a dog leash. When you clip your panels together and form a circle there is no need for any wood etc, I used a clip at the top and bottom and then only had to unclip them to let the pig out to be loaded, or to let me in.The panels are easy to move all clipped together and light. If you find your pigs can lift the panels,use a T post to keep it down,I got fed up with the T posts though as it made moving the panels a longer job, and my pigs never got out.Hope this helps, moving the panels every couple of days is great for the ground and keeps the pigs cleaner,also helps with food bill, pigs on pasture are some of the best tasting pork you will find.

-- Carol Koller (ckoller@netsync.net), March 24, 2001.

Hi Glory: I am sure that what you are suggesting would work, but this is what we do and have really had good luck with it. We have access to pallets (naturally if you don't this won't work) We drive in metal stakes where we want the pen down through the middle of the pallets, two stakes to a pallet. If we want them to move we can easily add on and then just remove the pallets separating the two pens. We call it our "pig tractor". We can achieve deep tilling and fertilization at the same time. Good luck with your new project. It is always so exciting each new step we take toward self sufficiency.

-- diane (gardiacaprines@yahoo.com), March 24, 2001.

We have raised pigs this way using hog panels. We set up 4 eight foot panels tying them together with baler twine and using t-posts to keep them in the ground. No gate. When we want to move the pigs, we set up three more panels next to our current 'square' and then take out the middle panel. The hogs go right over to the new side because there is so much stuff to eat there. We then disconnect the old three panels to be used the next time. We usually set up a 'pallet house' for them to get out of the weather in. You can use baler twine to tie the pallets together and some hay for bedding. Mary

-- Mary Fraley (kmfraley@orwell.net), March 24, 2001.

Thanks again for everyones' comments and ideas. I am going to print out all your responses and go over them again, then get started! One other question I do have though, Hendo you said that you used stock panels, because they could jump over hog panels. Everyone else mentioned hog panels. Has noone else had this problem? Thanks again!

-- Glory (mornglorfarm@ncconnect.net), March 25, 2001.

How do you keep them from getting under the panels? Daryll

-- Daryll (twincrk@hotmail.com), March 25, 2001.

I saw an interesting portable pen. They used the 52 inch high combo cattle panels (holes are smaller on the bottom so the little ones can't get thru, and larger on top). They put a wood frame around the bottom of the panels and added wheels.

-- ~Rogo (rogo2020@yahoo.com), March 25, 2001.

Daryll- as long as the pigs have enough to forage they should not try to go under the panels. But if they get bored they will. Ours did!

-- Jean (schiszik@tbcnet.com), March 26, 2001.

glory, we have raised pigs for the last ten years and found that the best thing is to use a feed bucket that they will come to recognize. this will come in handy when they get out and they will. also they lead better by their stomaches than any other way. we have used the hog panels in several different size configurations from 16x16 to 8x4 for weaning. we have had farrow to finish and just finishing. hog troughs and self waterers are the best. keep plenty of water in front of them. we have used steel posts and for one very escape prone sow the cattle panels and electric fence finally kept her in long enough to get her to the auction. but for the most part plenty of feed and water kept them in. also ours seemed to really enjoy sumac branches.by the way we are in southwestern michigan.

-- allan (traxx2@yahoo.com), March 29, 2001.