New Pig Pen! *PICS!*

[dwbonfire]

My dad is down visiting, and I have been wanting to make a pig pen and been researching all about pigs for a while now. Soo we finally did it! We had a bunch of pallets down the hill waiting to be used for something, so we were able to make a 20x24 pen out of them!

We made a house for them to get out of the weather from pallets and a spare peice of roofing tin. I might put a half wall up to help block any driving rain and wind too. I also want to put a threshold (sp?) at the bottom to help keep hay inside the house.

We went around the inside of the pen with electric wire about 8" from the ground I believe, I have to measure how high up it is. The 2x4's along the bottom were for more support and keeps the wire in further than the actual wall.

Im pretty excited about getting it done with mostly free materials. We just had to buy the insulators, some screws, hinges for the door, and the 2x4's. The pallets and roofing and wire we had.

All I've got left to do is put a latch on the door, and figure out the feeders and waterers which I have found info yall posted on here about that. Then I might add an electric wire all along the top of the pen to help keep predators out. We have coyotes here and the pen is at the far end of the horse pasture, so we cant really see it from the house. Im thinking when they pigs are small they need some protection. Should I lock them up in thier house at night until they are big or should one more strand of wire around the top keep anything out?

 

[SmallFarmGirl]

Great your pigs will be happy !!

 

[theawesomefowl]

Lovely pig pen!!

 

[larryj57]

That is one nice Pigpen, it looks like it was a lot of fun to build.

 

[sixofus09]

How many are you going to put in there?

 

[dwbonfire]

well im thinking 3 would be ok if im only raising until 4-5 months til butchering. but now my dad told my neighbor he could put a couple here, plus my dads one pig, plus my bfs dad wants one. looks like we will have 4 for now, totally jumping into it faster than i wanted. i was going to wait and get some tams or berks in a few weeks but now my dad just wants to hurry up and get some pink pigs from someone in the neighborhood. *sigh* so i guess my plans are on hold until their 4 are gone. then i will get what i want. im hoping 4 wont be too crowded in there.. i do plan to expand if this all works out and i decide to raise them.

 

[77Herford]

Thats a pretty awesome pen, I must say. Ingenious way of using what you got. I think a raised wire along the top would be enough.

 

[shawn MN]

That is a great way to recycle old pallets! Is it staked down anywhere or is it freestanding? I think you should have some kind of shaded area for your pigs too. Like a canopy of some sort. Your little hut will be fine for keeping the out of the rain and wind but they will also like a shaded place to make a mud pit to wallow in. Looks like great job and a great idae!!!!

 

[nmred]

What a great looking pig pen! I am hoping to get a pig this spring and was thinking about doing something like this. How did you attach the pallets together? They look so neat. I also am wondering if you have it staked in somehow or if it is free-standing. If it is free-standing, will it tip over if they press against it? Although, I guess that's what the electric wire is for, huh.

Please give us an update. How is it working so far? What kind of feeders and waterers did you end up getting/making?

 

[TigerLilly]

Great idea for a pen--you may have just given me a reason to get a pig!