How to suggest a new toilet area be chosen by your pigs?

Jea

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I have 3 big pigs in 2 open areas, one closer to my home and one farther away.
They have selected their preferred toilet region to be right at the gate where we walk into the pig area. Each week we shovel it all up and move it farther away to a compost pile, but during wetter seasons its getting heavier and more smelly. Is there a way to natually help them choose another toilet? I was considering putting some cinder blocks all around to cover it but I these guys are strong and might just start pushing those around without trouble. Its impossible to go through their area without walking through their poop (my boots constantly need hosing down now) and its a lower lying region, so it gets muckier.

Or, can we throw something on top of the poo area that will demuck it?
 

messybun

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Could you try moving a little bit to a different area? I’ve never had piggies, but that works with most animals who select their “spot” hopefully someone else who knows responds!
 

Baymule

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Smelliest poop:
Cat poop
Wet pig poop
Wet chicken poop.

I like the hog panel idea.
 

Mini Horses

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Relative to their house, feed and water.....look where they poop. It will not be by those areas. Pigs can be potty trained. you may have to move some of it to another area, as suggested. You may need to expand their area to do this......blocking off current area, as FEM says, will probably be needed to encourage them to go elsewhere. Once it's habit, you can move the blockage and I'd change out the dirt there. Is the lay of the land such that the chosen spot is lower than back section? They would pick that to keep runoff from their food/water/housing. These are smarter animals than many believe.

Probably because they wallow people get they idea they are just dirty, dumb critters. Not so. The wallows keep them cool -- they cannot sweat -- and the mud keeps bugs off of them, and prevents sunburn. They root to forage roots and bugs. They will build a huge nest for young, even cover them up in winter. Sows will uncover and call them to dinner, cover back up when done. Huge protectors of young. Pretty smart.
 

Jea

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We ended up just putting two plank boards at the entrance. They are still pooping all over it, but since it's not mixed with all of the urine, it's not so mucky to scoop up and move to a manure pile. This is a temp fix to at least make the shovel less heavy.
 

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