Do pigs make there own wallows?

[herdsman]

Do pigs make there own wallows? I was wondering if they root a big enough area to make there own mud pit to cool down? Sorry I have never pastured hogs and havnt raised them in awhile.

 

[secuono]

Maybe by accident, mine dig everywhere, if rain pools, there you go. But they don't actually look to make one..

 

[herdsman]

Thanks!

 

[Shelly May]

When they are little I provide a kiddy swimming Pool, when they out grow that I provide a big
low to the grown rubbermaid 50 gal water troth and they wallow in it. Ease and no messy mudd hole.

 

[animalfarm]

If you keep one spot really wet, they will start rooting out a hollow in it. Keep filling it and they will expand it till they fit if the weather is hot.

 

[secuono]

I have PBs, so I use a kiddie pool for their drinking water/wallow. Summer I keep it cleaned up, winter they never go in, don't have to worry about it. Then again....mine seemed to hate mud this past summer...they avoided it like crazy, it was pretty funny how they would walk around wet ground and mud or hop over it...

 

[Cornish Heritage]

Do pigs make there own wallows?

Absolutely YES! Sorry Secuono, have to disagree with your answer of "Maybe, by accident." Our Large Blacks will find a dip normally close to where they are watered & they "expect" us to fill it with water for them! They will then dig it deeper & wider until it is the right size. Once they have their wallow made it is VERY rare that they will dig one some place else. Of course if they have access to a pond then a special wallow is not needed. We had an old burn pit here on the farm that was no longer in use. One year it rained hard & filled up so the pigs made a big wallow out of it.

Breed of pig will make a difference - those that root everywhere will likely not make a wallow. Temperature will make a difference - they normally only wallow once it hits about 65F.

Liz